NASA, astronomers, and the establishment of research priorities

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

NASA, astronomers, and the establishment of research priorities

NASA's proposed 2007 budget, which cuts back funding for science programs, has been harshly criticized by the professional astronomy community. Brian Dewhurst explains how this is the inevitable outcome of a shift from a science-oriented to mission-oriented agency.

On February 15th NASA Administrator Michael Griffin testified before the House Science Committee about the newly submitted NASA budget for fiscal year 2007. The hearing was polite and nonconfrontational, and based upon the tone it was clear that Griffin still enjoys a tremendous amount of bipartisan support in Congress. Nevertheless, Griffin was in an awkward situation, forced to explain why NASA’s budget featured substantial increases in funding for the agency’s human spaceflight programs, and virtually no growth—in fact, an actual cut once inflation is factored in—for the agency’s science programs. Less than a year earlier Griffin had announced that he would not take any money from the agency’s science budget to pay for problems with its human spaceflight projects. With the refreshing frankness and honesty that is a true rarity in Washington, Griffin openly admitted that he had broken that promise.

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