Senate Votes To Restore NASA Budget Cuts

Sounds like this is the $3 billion every one has talked about, plus a bit extra that might get written out in the final, that will allow Shuttle to continue for a short time, and ISS to continue through 2020. It might also permit development of a lower cost heavy lift, support for the commercial LEO crew transporter, and a start on the Flex option.

Most interesting in the article, I did not realize that Mr. Obama has a Vision yet. We are all anxiously awaiting to hear what it is.

It's surprising that we do not see more news reported on this topic.

... or they decided that in any case, down was not the right direction for NASA's budget.

This is the $670M that was cut in the early budget rounds while the Augustine Commission was still deliberating and before Bolden and Garver were confirmed. This restores the NASA Exploration budget to the level before that cut.

I think this does not endorse the report, but simply says that however the White House may respond to Augustine, the starting point shouldn't be another wanton 3.6% cut.

Too many billions, too little oversight...

Still, it is just authorization, not appropriation... thank God for that process.

I hope NASA never sees this increase. Its HSF does NOT deserve it.

So with Ares I test launches from Potemkin-on-the-Atlantic now being floated for 2012, -13, and -14... want to bet that that just-restored few hundred million is already being raided in absentia?

Yet another IOU from MSFC...

This not an authorization, this is an appropriation. The House version was passed back in June and cut $670 million from Exploration. The Senate just now passed its version, restoring the cut made by the House. Now the two versions get reconciled in Committee. That reconciliation then goes back through the full House and Senate for vote, and then to the president to sign. This will, no doubt, be part of a huge omnibus spending bill for all of the other Agencies who have yet to have a budget passed for this year. We are currently on our second Continuing Resolution which lasts through December 18. I suspect the full budget will be passed before that runs out (at whatever spending level is agreed to by committee).

Bad news then, possum. Freaking bloodsuckers, ah?

NASA should be terminated for the stunt it tried to pull with the Ares - 1X PR