The Obama administration’s $18.7 billion NASA budget request for fiscal 2012 continues the new policies started in last year’s request, with a stronger push into commercial space travel to low Earth orbit (LEO) and modifications to accommodate the three-year NASA authorization enacted in December.
In a bid to follow President Barack Obama’s overall science and technology policy, the new budget aims to create “a sustainable program of exploration and innovation,” according to Administrator Charles Bolden’s introduction to the strategic plan that accompanies the budget request.
“This new direction extends the life of the International Space Station, supports the growing commercial space industry, and addresses important scientific challenges while continuing our commitment to robust human space exploration, science and aeronautics programs,” Bolden states. “The strong bipartisan support for the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 confirms our essential role in addressing the nation’s priorities.”
The government’s effort to seed private development of commercial crew and cargo transportation to the ISS and other LEO destinations would be boosted to $850 million in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 — up from the $612 million authorized but not appropriated in the current fiscal year.
But the James Webb Space Telescope, which an outside panel has found faces a cost overrun of at least $1.5 billion, would get only $375 million to continue fabrication and testing while NASA conducts its own calculations. The budget request carries no launch date for the telescope, and says there won’t be one until the fiscal 2013 request a year from now.
The five year NASA budget freeze being proposed by the Obama administration would effectively put the James Webb Space Telescope project into a deep freeze. And this would be a tragic situation. To read the rest of the article, click here.