And it leaves NASA funded at its lowest level in four years, forcing the space agency to juggle priorities and "devastating planetary science," said Bill Nye, CEO of space exploration group The Planetary Society.

“Science is the part of NASA that’s actually conducting interesting and scientifically important missions," Nye said in a statement about the 2013 budgetary figures. "Spacecraft sent to Mars, Saturn, Mercury, the Moon, comets, and asteroids have been making incredible discoveries, with more to come from recent launches to Jupiter, the Moon, and Mars."

"The country needs more of these robotic space exploration missions, not less.”