NASA Budget News Doesn't Look Too Positive

Bush Seeking to Limit Spending Growth in ’07 Budget, Bloomberg

“President George W. Bush is preparing a budget request for next year that officials say would carve savings from programs such as Medicare, NASA and agriculture, testing lawmakers’ pledges to hold down spending in an election year.” … “The budget office also aims to reduce spending on the Space Shuttle program, slicing as much as $6 billion from the projected cost of almost $70 billion in the next four years.”

Letter from the House of Representatives to President Bush Regarding NASA’s FY 2007 Budget

“This request is even more vital as we understand that OMB is currently on a course that will under-fund the Shuttle program by $3 to $6 billion between FY07 to FY10. This would mean the immediate retirement of the Shuttle Atlantis and cut from the needed 19 shuttle missions to between 8 and 11 missions. This action by OMB would completely contradict the Administration’s own space policy and appears to be driven by nothing but budgetary considerations, without regard to the massive policy ramifications and the long-term negative effects on your Vision for Space Exploration.”

Budget Shortfalls Continue to Plague NASA’s Future Plans, NASA Watch