NASA's budget would be cut by 1.5 percent in the VA/HUD/Independent
Agencies FY 2005 Appropriations bill approved by the House Appropriations
Committee on July 21. According to a draft of the accompanying report,
the Committee indicates that, while supportive of President Bush's proposal
for space exploration, it continues to give priority to NASA's science
and aeronautics programs. It urges NASA to heed the advice of the National
Academy of Sciences, which is reviewing options for extending the life
of the Hubble Space Telescope. The Committee would also cut the requested
funding for the International Space Station as a result of "continued
delays in the shuttle return-to-flight."
The Committee would provide a total of $15,149.4 million for NASA in
fiscal year 2005. According to the draft report, this is a decrease
of $1,094.6 million (or 6.7%) from the budget request of $16,244.0 million,
and a decrease of $228.7 million (or 1.5%) from the FY 2004 enacted
appropriation of $15,378.0 million. In its FY 2005 budget request, NASA
proposed reorganizing several of its accounts, which makes comparisons
with prior-year funding levels difficult. As indicated below, the Committee
report makes comparisons between its recommendations and the comparable
FY 2004 appropriations "as estimated in this new account structure."
Details and selected quotations from the draft committee report follow.
SCIENCE, AERONAUTICS AND EXPLORATION:
Science, Aeronautics and Exploration would receive $7,621.2 million
in FY 2005 under the Committee's bill. According to the report, this
amount is a decrease of $138.8 million (or 1.8%) from the budget request
of $7,760.0 million, and a decrease of $209.0 million (or 2.7%) from
the FY 2004 level of $7,830.2 million "as estimated in this new
account structure." The report does not specify appropriations
levels for Space Science, Earth Science, or Biological and Physical
Research, but includes substantial language on NASA Space Science Programs.
Space Science:
"The Committee believes that the planetary exploration and space
science programs at NASA are essential to the mission and success of
the federal space program. Therefore, the Committee provides full funding
for several important NASA missions. The Committee supports the continued
robust program for the exploration of Mars at $691 million. In addition
to supporting several critical, ongoing missions such as the Mars Exploration
Rovers and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, this level will also fund
major initiatives which will usher NASA into a new generation of discovery.
In addition to Mars exploration, the Committee provides $155.1 million
for the Space Interferometry Mission, which will determine the positions
and distances of stars several hundred times more accurately than any
previous program. Project Prometheus is supported at a reduced level,
with a concentration on basic research into the development of space
power systems and space nuclear propulsion systems."
The report lists a number of reductions from the request for Space
Science, including the following: $12.4 million from the Jupiter Icy
Moons Orbiter mission, $70.0 million from the Lunar Exploration mission,
$5.0 million from "other research" within the Structure and
Evolution of the Universe theme, and $5.0 million from Living With a
Star in the Sun-Earth Connection theme. (Keep in mind that these are
cuts from the requested level, not the FY 2004 appropriation.)
Hubble Space Telescope Life Extension:
Also under Space Science, the report says, "The Committee notes
that the National Academy of Sciences has recently issued an interim
report on the usefulness of the Hubble Space Telescope.... The Committee
encourages NASA to heed the advice of the Academy, including a further
evaluation of the option of using the shuttle to perform a servicing
mission. The Committee has taken no action at this time with regard
to funding for the Hubble program, but will re-evaluate the programs'
needs as they become more defined."
EXPLORATION CAPABILITIES:
The Committee would provide $7.496.8 million for this account, a decrease
of $959.6 million (or 11.4%) from the FY 2005 request of $8,456.4 million
and a decrease of $23.9 million (or 0.3%) from the FY 2004 level of
$7,520.7 million "as estimated in this new account structure."
Space Exploration Initiative:
"The Committee finds the significant public support of the new
Vision for Space Exploration to be noteworthy. The Committee is supportive
of the new vision, and believes that it will serve to preserve our nation's
leadership in space. The Committee support includes a commitment to
the safe return to flight of the space shuttle fleet, the completion
of the International Space Station as a unique scientific research facility,
the implementation of a sustained and affordable robotic program to
explore the solar system and beyond, and extending human exploration
activities beyond low-earth orbit in a timely fashion.... The Committee
believes that a robust space exploration program will help strengthen
our nation's economy, benefit our national security, and stimulate the
education of future generations of scientists and engineers. At this
time, the Committee does not have sufficient resources to meet the full
budget request for NASA in fiscal year 2005. However the Committee is
hopeful that if additional resources are identified as the legislative
process moves forward, it may be possible to augment NASA funding."
Retirement of the Space Shuttle Fleet:
"The Committee continues its support of the space shuttle program
by fully funding the budget request. While the Vision for Space Exploration
indicates that the shuttle fleet will retire in 2010, the Committee
believes this reflects an optimistic assessment of when a replacement
system could become operational and believes NASA needs to re-evaluate
this date in the context of the current budget environment and the technical
challenges associated both with return-to-flight activities and new
system development needs."
Funding and Research Aboard the International Space Station:
"Within this enterprise, the International Space Station budget
is reduced by $120,000,000 [from the request], which represents an estimate
of the underrun associated with this program due to continued delays
in the shuttle return-to-flight. Additionally, the Committee recommends
a reduction of $70,000,000 to the budget request for cargo/crew services....
The Committee has concerns about the role of materials research onboard
the International Space Station [ISS]. NASA has developed a backlog
of application-oriented materials research experiments that have undergone
multiple peer-reviews. The Committee recognizes that materials research
performed in the microgravity environment offered by this unique laboratory
has the potential to play a significant role in developing the novel
and improved materials, innovative devices, and enhanced manufacturing
processes of the future. The Committee strongly urges NASA to give full
consideration to the role of materials research in its ISS research
program."
EDUCATION PROGRAMS:
The report would provide increases over the requested level for NASA
Education Programs, funding the National Space Grant College and Fellowship
program at $28.2 million (compared to an FY 2004 appropriation of $25.3
million) and the EPSCoR program at $12.0 million (compared to an FY
2004 appropriation of $10.0 million).
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