Good Budget News For NASA
NASA Gets Boost in Congressional Budget Deal (Video of Comments by Sen. Nelson)
“It’s interesting that this is at the very time that in our culture here on earth, the movie that’s hearkening back, “Star Wars,” is coming out again and it’s to be such a blockbuster at the box office. Well, what is fictional in “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” is now becoming factual. And in large part is what has been done in the nation’s space program since the shutdown of the space shuttle back in 2011 and in the preparation, the new vehicles, the new rockets, the new spacecraft, the new satellites, the new exploratory missions that have gone on.”
CSF Applauds FY 2016 Omnibus, Commercial Spaceflight Federation
“This bill funds NASA at $19.285 billion in FY 2016, an increase of $1.3 billion above FY 2015. Within the NASA portfolio, the bill fully funds the Commercial Crew Program to enable the United States to achieve safe, reliable, and independent human access to the International Space Station by 2017.”
NASA Gets Big Boost in Final FY2016 Appropriations Bill, SpacePolicyOnline
“Congress reached agreement on a FY2016 appropriations bill overnight. NASA will get $19.285 billion, $785 million more than the President’s request and $1.285 billion more than FY2015. Among the big winners are planetary science, the exploration program (including the Space Launch System and Orion), and commercial crew. The commercial crew program is funded at the requested level of $1.244 billion, a win for the Obama Administration.”
– H.R. 2029
– Division B (go to page 26)
Good News!
Is there a detailed breakdown (yet) for the centers and their projects?
Look who came early this year!
This is great, now we don’t have to wait EIGHT MORE YEARS for the first manned SLS launch!
Oh, Have you seen anything that says SLS or Orion gets any of the additional dollars?
And,have you seen something that says SLS and Orion will be available sooner if they get more money?
Great news although, as the Planetary Society points out, at this level, adjusted for inflation, we’re just back to the level of funding of FY2011!
Yes…it would help for everyone to keep this plus-up in perspective. This years budget does not make up for plenty of lost purchase power over time. Then there is the additional content like the SLS upper stage, for which the $85M is a good start, keeping in mind that should budgets not repeat this plus-up for many years of such rate increases all you’ve done is start a line item that won’t add up to results any time soon, or ever.
And the chances of this years budget being a 10 year turn-around in NASA’s budget outlook? I’m thinking perfectly spherical chickens. If anything, this is a chance to see what NASA leadership does in a good year to dramatically improve how it does business – while it can, knowing this will not last.
I just read on Twitter that the restrictions on the import of RD-180 engines (by ULA) were removed by language inserted in this spending bill.
Thank you John Culberson. He’s using his position to push Europa Clipper hard, and to get it a lander as well as the main spacecraft itself.
They should start video the scientists, engineers, technicians, and budgeteers hash out design/tradeoffs/arguments/long meetings/tests for a PBS documentary to broadcast the day this spacecraft enters Europa orbit.
Excellent idea
Wait I thought Obama was NASA’s biggest fan?! Oh well thank goodness for those anti science Republicans.