NASA budget authority closed the 2026 federal fiscal year at $44B on 30 September.

Federal spending data shows the figure was unchanged from the value recorded at the end of the third quarter on 30 June. The United States federal fiscal year runs October through September.

NASA has scheduled the ASCENT Dual Mode mission for launch no earlier than 1 October aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.