Senate Appropriations Report on NASA - R&D, Space Station, Misc.

On September 9, the full Senate Appropriations Committee sent to the floor its version of H.R. 2491, the VA, HUD, Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 1994. A floor vote is expected either September 20 or 21. The bill is accompanied by a 208-page report specifying the Senate Appropriations Committee’s recommendations; selected portions pertaining to NASA are highlighted in this and subsequent FYIs. FYI #121 will provide more detail on space science, FYI #122 will cover EOS and language on loss of the Mars Observer.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR NASA

“The Committee recommends $14,618,499,000 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for fiscal year 1994. This amount is $309,623,000 above the 1993 level, $646,501,000 below the budget request, and $99,108,000 above the House allowance.”

REINVENTING NASA

“The Committee is supportive of efforts to initiate fundamental reforms in the way in which America’s space program conducts business. This reform, if it is truly to be national in scope, must involve NASA’s existing work force and America’s space industry. Many of the reforms that need to be implemented were outlined in the Augustine Commission report, and proposed by the Committee for NASA to implement in its fiscal year 1992 report that accompanied NASA’s appropriations bill (S. Rept. 102-107.) In implementing reform, it is important that the Agency take every available step to retain its top scientific and technical work force...”

“To help NASA regain [its] focus,” the Committee recommendations include the following:

"-To reconvene the Augustine Commission panel to update its findings in light of new budget realities which the Federal Government now faces and to evaluate how successfully the Agency has implemented its recommendations.

-To establish independent panels to consider creating, within NASA, distinct national institutes for space science and aeronautical technology. Guidance on both panels is included in the respective portions of the `Research and development’ account on space science and aeronautics...”

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

“The Committee recommends an appropriation of $7,544,400,000 for research and development activities in fiscal year 1994. This amount is $450,100,000 above the 1993 level, $146,000,000 below the budget request, and $69,000,000 above the House allowance. This amount reflects a growth of about 6 percent above the amounts provided for NASA R&D activities in fiscal year [1993]. This increase is almost exclusively for increases in space science and aeronautics research.”

SPACE STATION

“The Committee has provided the budget request for space station development and transition activities, $1,946,000,000. This amount is $176,500,000 below the 1993 level and $154,000,000 less than the House allowance. The House amount does not reflect proposed amendments to the President’s budget on the space station submitted on June 22, 1993, in House Document 103-103, which allocated certain space station-related costs in other portions of the NASA R&D account.”

”...the Committee has included language that limits NASA from obligating more than $1,000,000,000 prior to January 31, 1994, for the space station program. This will enable the Committee to assess the final design configuration of the station before agreeing to release the remaining funds appropriated in fiscal year 1994.

“The Committee has also included bill language that limits the obligation of funds for any space station configuration which meets user requirements set for space station Freedom. The Committee remains convinced that the only viable space station is one that provides substantial, early capability for microgravity and biotechnology science, with significant power available for these users. The language included by the Committee is designed as a means to guarantee that final outcome when the administration completes its work on the redesigned space station.”

“The Committee has also included bill language that prohibits NASA space station development funds to be used for payments to, or to enter into contracts with, the Republic of Russia. This limitation is included until the Committee can review any final plans from the administration on participation by Russia in the redesigned Space Station Program.”

OTHER NASA PROGRAMS OF INTEREST

The Committee deleted the full 1994 request for the Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), as well as proposing rescission of $20,000,000 of the program’s 1993 funds. Reasons cited included lack of program focus and duplicity of effort with NSF.

The report contains a recommendation for termination of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP).

The Committee provided $162,600,000 as a “placeholder” for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM), pending resolution of the issue in conference. The report notes that ASRM would not be necessary if the redesigned space station is launched to a 28.8 degree orbit.