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From the Executive DirectorNew NASA Budget: Our Members Make a Difference
February 5, 2008 The newly proposed NASA budget for fiscal year 2009 (beginning in October 2008) is stirring testimony to the power and value of public support for space exploration. Just two years ago, the Administration submitted a budget with sharp cutbacks in science and continued cuts to the Earth observation program. Congress heard the outcries from the science community and public protests led by The Planetary Society, which resulted in some restoration and redirection of funds, saving many research programs and a few planned space science missions. With this new budget proposal it is evident that the Administration has also heard our protest. Members of The Planetary Society -- thank you! Your letters and petitions made a difference. Altogether the Science program received seven new starts. Two Earth observing missions recommended by the U.S. National Research Council are being proposed for new starts: ICE-Sat and SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive), both of which make measurements important for weather forecasting and climate modeling. This is a stunning reversal for an Agency that one year ago removed the phrase "understanding and protecting the Earth," from their mission statement. In another reversal, NASA is proposing to initiate a "flagship" mission to the outer planets. For three years, NASA has rejected Congressional support for a new start for a mission to Europa, Jupiter's ice-covered moon with a subsurface ocean. Europa exploration is still the prime candidate for the outer planets mission, but NASA is also examining a mission to Saturn's moon Titan. A third candidate mission is a Jupiter orbiter, which would extensively observe Europa, along with other Galilean satellites. Selection of the "flagship" mission target will be made later this year. The proposed budget also continued full funding for the Constellation program, specifically for the development of Ares, the new American human–rated rocket, and Orion, the Crew Exploration Vehicle. The 2020 goal of a human mission to the Moon also remains intact, and NASA said the Ares/Orion operation date was still no later than the currently planned date of March 2015. Small robotic lunar missions were added into the science budget to support the Moon goal. But not all the exploration news is good. The Mars program -- despite the extraordinary success of Spirit, Opportunity, and the Mars orbiters -- continues to be cut by the Administration. Robotic Mars missions are slated for delay, and the program plan which has guided Mars exploration for the past decade is changing. After the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory, it is likely we will not see another NASA Mars lander for a decade. Moreover, the planned 2013 orbiter mission -- necessary for communication support for both U.S. and European missions -- is now slipped past NASA's planning horizon. The de-emphasis and postponement of Mars exploration objectives undermines public support for Constellation. The Planetary Society will seek Congressional support for adding funds for Mars missions, and also to beat back the wording included in the fiscal year 2008 NASA Appropriations bill, which inhibits NASA from working on humans-to-Mars mission development. We also urge the international Mars science community to look for creative solutions that might preserve the 2013 orbiter. Even with the Mars setback, we congratulate Alan Stern and the NASA Administration for restoring science to its proper role as a driver for space exploration and for adding two new Earth science missions to contribute to the understanding of Earth and global climate change. Comments? We welcome your opinions on this subject. Send us email! |
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