House Appropriations Committee Report: NASA
Today, the full House will vote on H.R. 2491, the VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Bill for fiscal year 1994. The bill was approved by the House Appropriations Committee on June 22, and is accompanied by a report spelling out the Committee’s recommendations on spending. This FYI provides selected information from the NASA portion of the report.
FOR ALL OF NASA: “The Committee has recommended a total program level of $14,556,491,000 in fiscal year 1994, which represents a reduction of $708,509,000 below the budget request, and is $240,415,000 above the 1993 level.
FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:
“The Committee recommends a total of $7,475,400,000 for the research and development activities of NASA. This is $236,900,000 below the budget request.”
Under Research and Development, the following detail is provided on the space station/new technology activity:
“The Committee is recommending the full request of $2,300,000,000 for the space station/new technology package activity. Of that amount, $2,100,000,000 is available for the space station; $180,800,000 is available for new technology investments; and $19,200,000 is available for other program needs. Of the $180,800,000 available for new technology investments, $16,900,000 is carried in the space flight, control, and data communications account.
“The $2,100,000,000 provided for space station is recommended in accordance with the President’s selection of a redesigned modular space station based largely on the so-called option “A” approach with essential elements, such as the laboratory, from option “B”. Within the $2,100,000,000 included for space station there is assumed $151,300,000 for early flight life and microgravity research, and $30,000,000 for station-shuttle integration. The remaining $1,918,700,000 is targeted for actual space station development. The Committee concurs with the President’s recommendation and, in particular, with the proposed NASA space station management reforms, including a 30 percent reduction in station support service contractor dollars and civil service employment.”
“The $183,100,000 provided in this account for new technology investments and other program needs include the following activities:" $20,000,000 for an industry technology program. $30,000,000 for an advanced small satellite technology program. $20,000,000 for a science data purchase program. $63,100,000 for the Discovery program. $25,800,000 for the advanced launch vehicle technology program. $18,000,000 for CIESIN.
Below are other selected program area changes within Research and Development:
+$22,500,000 for physics and astronomy and planetary mission operations and data analysis (MO&DA). -$25,000,000 from space research and technology. -$72,000,000 from the transatmospheric research program. “The Committee notes that in fiscal years 1992 and 1993, NASA funding for NASP (National aerospace plane) program was essentially cancelled. This action was taken owing to extreme budget constraints and having afforded the space station program a higher priority. . . . The Committee has made available $8,000,000 for a restructured NASP effort pending final resolution of the DOD request, and what funds will be available relative to other NASA programs on a priority basis.” -$15,000,000 from Mission to Planet Earth to be applied at the agency’s discretion. +$1,500,000 for the Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology under the Civil Space Technology Initiative. -$25,000,000 from research operations support (ROS). “The Committee has recommended full funding of the $1,020,700,000 requested for the aeronautics research and technology activity.”
FOR SPACE FLIGHT, CONTROL AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS:
“The Committee recommends a total of $4,882,900,000 for the activities under the space flight, control and data communications account. This represents a decrease of $434,000,000 below the budget request and a decrease of $203,100,000 below the amount provided in 1993. The level recommended includes the following increases, decreases, and changes to the program areas described below:"
-$175,900,000 from the shuttle production and operational capability. “The Committee is aware that the legislative committee of jurisdiction has authorized no funds for the continued development of the advanced solid rocket motor program. Funds were authorized, however, for transferring the production of solid rocket motor nozzles and the refurbishment of solid rocket motor cases to the new production site located near Yellow Creek, Mississippi. . . The Committee has also included the full $32,600,000 for ASRM construction activities under the construction of facilities account.” -$165,000,000 from space shuttle operations. -$45,000,000 from the tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS) replenishment spacecraft new start. “The Committee urges NASA to assess what contingency options, including operating plan reprogrammings, may be necessary to ensure U.S. on-orbit space communications availability.” -$5,000,000 from launch services included for a Titan IV AXAF (Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility) expendable launch vehicle. “The Committee directs NASA to launch the AXAF mission on shuttle with an appropriate upper stage. This action is recommended in view of the shuttle’s manned flexibility to check out the high value AXAF spacecraft at low-earth orbit and provide significant budget savings in the outyears.”
Other report sections include: Construction of Facilities, Research and Program Management, and Office of Inspector General.
