Obama's NASA Budget One of Policy Continuity

The fiscal 2010 NASA budget outline to be released by the Obama Administration Feb. 26 adds almost $700 million to the out-year figure proposed in the fiscal 2009 budget request submitted by former President Bush, and sticks with the goal of returning humans to the moon by 2020.

The $18.7 billion that Obama will request for NASA - up from $18.026 billion for fiscal 2010 in the last Bush budget request - does not include the $1 billion NASA will receive in the $787 billion stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed Feb. 16.

Aviation Week has learned that in addition to the human-lunar return, Obama wants to continue robotic exploration with probes to Mars and other Solar System destinations, as well as a space telescope to probe deeper into the universe.

I have to say I a little surprised, but pleased. One of NASA's great banes has been that every 8 years its priorities get reset. It's nice to know that Obama seems to want to continue with the Moon quest. Assuming Obama makes it through 2016, we'll be largely there. Assuming that a Repug or an antispace Demo doesn't come in then, we ought to be 'there.'

My 'wish' would be some enhancements for the unmanned program: money to cover the MSL overruns, money to speed up, a tad, the Jupiter-Europa Orbiter and ditto for the Titan Saturn System Mission as well as more money and direction for the Mars program. I would also want a rigorous and well thought out exploration of the minor bodies in the solar system as well. and...and...well.

:D


Now, let me say that we really need to be careful about international collaborations. They very frequently drive up costs and can have dubious benefits (ISS, frex).