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Planetary Society Weighs in on NASA Budget

For Immediate Release
February 14, 2011

Contact
Mat Kaplan
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1-626-793-5100

NASA today announced its budget request for fiscal year 2012. The Planetary Society issued the following statement on it:

“Where's the innovation?” asked Bill Nye, Executive Director of the Planetary Society. “How can NASA innovate when Congress insists on building a new heavy lift rocket based on old designs? Science has been flat-lined. Planetary Science has been cut. Earth science missions have been delayed – again.

“Missions to the outer planets won't get off the ground when they're only 'studies.' Mr. Bolden talked about 'hard choices,' but what can he do when NASA has not been given a real budget for this fiscal year? The hard choices are yet to be made."

About The Planetary Society

The Planetary Society is the world's largest and most influential space interest organization. Founded in 1980 by astronomer Carl Sagan with Bruce Murray and Louis Friedman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit is led today by CEO Jenn Vaughn and championed by Chief Ambassador Bill Nye. Members and donors fund programs in science and technology, public outreach, and advocacy. This work advances the exploration of space, the search for life beyond Earth, and the defense of our planet from dangerous asteroids and comets. Learn more at planetary.org.

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