The US administration is led by bellicose businessmen who have, at best, an ambivalent attitude towards science and academic rigour. Fields such as climate studies and climate change are ‘fake news’ so it was no surprise that the chainsaw-wielding FRS would slice through NOAA.
NASA was bound to be next and I hope funding isn’t withdrawn from the MPC which punches above its weight in solar system studies. Pro-Am collaboration feeds astrometry and occultation data into refining the orbits of comets, minor planets, TNOs, etc. enabling the ephemerides in Horizons. There’s other ephemeris services, such as IMCCE’s Miriade.
The MPC manages the naming of minor planets, let’s hope this doesn’t attract a DEI-related tirade from the White House.