NASA Seeks 30-Percent Increase for Exploration Program

Posted on: Feb. 6th, 2006 || Source: space.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

NASA Seeks 30-Percent Increase for Exploration Program

WASHINGTON - Efforts to replace the space shuttle fleet with new Moon-bound spacecraft would receive big spending increases under NASA's 2007 budget request, while nearly every other part of the U.S. space agency's budget would be held flat or decline.

Overall, NASA’s budget would rise just 1 percent, or about $170 million, under the 2007 request the White House sent to Congress today. NASA officials, however, are quick to point out that the $16.792 billion budget request amounts to a 3-percent increase if $350 million in hurricane-recovery money Congress added to NASA’s 2006 budget is left out of the equation.

The big winner in NASA’s 2007 budget request is the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, which is responsible for developing the Crew Exploration Vehicle, two new launchers and the lunar landers needed to return astronauts to the Moon by 2020. Its budget would rise 30 percent, or $928 million, in 2007 to $3.978 billion — nearly $300 million ahead of previous budget forecasts.

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