$600 Million NASA Stimulus Proposed

This just filed by Eun Kyung Kim in Washington:

WASHINGTON - The monstrous economic stimulus plan introduced Thursday by House Democrats includes $600 million in new NASA funds, but none of it for space exploration.

Instead, most of the money - $400 million - would go toward climate change research.

Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, the New Smyrna Democrat whose district includes Kennedy Space Center, urged congressional leaders to add more - specifically, $2 billion more, mainly for accelerating the Constellation program slated to replace the space shuttles once they are grounded next year.

It also would go toward shrinking the predicted five-year gap between the shuttle's last mission and the first manned launch of its replacement.

"We would be remiss to leave out funding for our manned space exploration program from this recovery package," Kosmas wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

"If the goal of this legislation is to stimulate our economy, support science, and maintain and create high-tech jobs, there is no better place to dedicate resources than to our human spaceflight program," the letter continued.

In addition to the climate-change research, the stimulus package also includes $50 million to repair NASA centers damaged last year by hurricanes and $150 million to improve aviation safety and air traffic control.

The stimulus bill still needs to clear hurdles being set up by House Republicans balking at the measure's price tag.

Editor's note: Give us your opinion. Should stimulus money be used to accelerate Constellation? Should it be spent on NASA at all? Tell us what you think.