Wednesday, December 09, 2009

New Spending Plan Protects Project Constellation

The House and Senate reached an agreement this week on a 2010 spending bill that would provide NASA with $18.7 billion and prevent the agency from scaling back or canceling the Ares I rocket or other human spaceflight projects without approval from congressional appropriators.

The spending bill represents an $942 million increase over NASA's 2009 budget and includes $3.8 billion for human spaceflight activities for 2010.

"In the absence of a bona fide proposal from the (Obama) Administration on the future of U.S. human spaceflight activities and investments, the bill provides the budget request of $3.8 billion for activities to support human spaceflight in fiscal year 2010," the U.S. Congress House and Senate Committees on Appropriation said this week.

"However, the bill requires that any program termination or elimination or the creation of any new program, project or activity not contemplated in the budget request must be approved in subsequent appropriations Acts."

Check out the summary report HERE.

The report summarizes the 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which combines six spending bills, including those for Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, which direct NASA spending.

NASA is designing and developing the Ares I rocket and Orion spacecraft to transport U.S. astronaut crews and the Ares V heavy-lift launch vehicle to haul up large cargoes required for human expeditions beyond Earth orbit. NASA's has invested four years and $9 billion in its Project Constellation, which is developing the Ares rockets and Apollo-like Orion capsules.

A White House panel that reviewed NASA plans for future human space expeditions delivered a report in October that included six options that would essentially kill the Ares I project. The Augustine Commission favored investing in the development of commercial capability to launch astronauts on private sector space taxis that do not yet exist.

Such a move would mark a major shift in national space policy. NASA for 50 years has designed and developed rockets and spacecraft to fly U.S. astronauts.

ABOUT THE IMAGE: Click to enlarge the NASA image of the Ares I-X rocket blasting off on the first of a series of test flights aimed at certifying the Ares I rocket to launch astronauts and Orion spacecraft. You can also click the enlarged version to get a bigger, more detailed view. The Ares I-X generated more than 23 times the power output of the Hoover Dam when it blasted off from launch pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in late October. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connel


18 comments:

Gaetano Marano said...

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more Ares-1 design flaws found show it's a WEAK rocket

read the "Why the Ares-1 is already DEAD" article UPDATE

http://www.ghostnasa.com/posts2/058ares1dead.html

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Anonymous said...

Late last night the Senate Dems finally consolidate around a health plan that drops the dreaded "public option" in favor of an extension of Medicare to people 55-64. Brilliant! Today we learn House and Senate negotiators have agreed on a plan to boost NASA funding, continue funding Constellation and prevent termination of the program without their consent. Awesome!!

Two smart and timely decisions from the Congress. Who'd a thunk it ??? If they can stick, there's actually some hope for the Republic... :]

Jim Hillhouse said...

Wow! What a strong "sense of the Congress" the statement,

In the absence of a bona fide proposal from the Administration on the future of U.S. human spaceflight activities and investments, the bill provides the budget request of $3.1 billion for activities to support human spaceflight in fiscal year 2010; however, the bill requires that any program termination or elimination or the creation of any new program, project or activity not contemplated in the budget request must be approved in subsequent appropriations Acts.

represents.

For 2010 at least, it's pretty safe to say Constellation is going to be OK. Some I'm sure are surprised. But those who have heard of the latest TO mitigation efforts, it shouldn't be too surprising to know that Ares I's TO issues are done...finis...the Fat Lady has walked on the stage and is getting in position to belt a great song.

Anonymous said...

Don't bother with Marano's link. It's totally spam. Although, he does have some nice souvenir tinfoil hats you can order. You can even get your initials engraved for an additional $9.95.

Great news on the additional funding. Now, if they would just extend the ANNUAL budget, rather than just a one-time increase, it would be even better!

Anonymous said...

LOL @ Anonymous 5:27 PM . Spend like there's no tomorrow. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0418093920091204
Record deficit spending will lead to the end of NASA as we know it.

Space Geek said...

This nis great news, having spoken to a few people at Johnson Space Center's PAO and COnstellation office earlier in the week this could not have come at a better time!

Its not that nothing was being done on Constellation, we see Ares 1 test program proceeding, it was the greater aspects of future mission planning and feasibility studies that were....up in the air.

Lets hope industry (private and federal contractors) will show not just America, but the world, what we truly are capable of. More funds will be needs in time, but lets show them why we deserve the support!

loutefre said...

No help from republicans on NASA or Health care. If it dose not put money in a rich man's pocket republicans are Not interested. These wing nuts hate democracy, hate saving trees, hate saving water from pollution, hate cleaning up Air from pollutions, hate government creating jobs, hate balancing budgets, hate paying for war, hate kindness towards others, love torturing, love stealing peoples constitutional rights, love corporations and want them to have supreme rights over the public.

Anonymous said...

It is one thing to order NASA to not cancel projects, but how about either funding the program so we could have success, or killing it already?? We still do not have enough money to pay for this expensive and underperforming rocket. It is gonna cost a lot to fix this darn Ares and make it somewhat useful.

Anonymous said...

Great news. It's interesting that Congress had to add money during the Bush Administration also.

Anonymous said...

Nice little biased twist at the end. "The Augustine Commission favored investing in the development of commercial capability to launch astronauts on private sector space taxis that do not yet exist."
SpaceX Dragon does exist. A prototype is sitting on a launch pad at this very second. Yes it still needs work to be human rated. But it does exist. In fact it is closer to being ready than Orion which only exists at this point on paper.
It is one thing for the hometown paper to support NASA, that's fine. But publishing false, derogatory information on competing spacecraft is wrong.

Patrick said...

>SpaceX Dragon does exist. A prototype is sitting on a launch pad at this very second. Yes it still needs work to be human rated. But it does exist. In fact it is closer to being ready than Orion which only exists at this point on paper.

Convoluted statements...

Dragon is NOT on the pad and will not be for 6 -11 months. :)

http://www.spacenews.com/venture_space/091203-spacex-sets-window-first-dragon-flight-iss.html

Second, THAT flight will be CARGO only...NOT A MAN RATED CAPSULE.

So your statement makes no sense.

Patrick said...

Also, THAT flight is NOT to be counted as a NASA sponsored flight...its an "un-named agency" that is sponsoring it.

http://www.spacenews.com/launch/091102-spacex-february-falcon-maiden-flight.html

Anonymous said...

Could someone please name just one practical benefit that Constellation will provide for the American taxpayers, in return for $150 billion?

Anonymous said...

It's an Ares I love fest for the Palin American Retard Party!

Graham said...

I will say thank god.! I knew they would see sense eventually.This project is TOO important to not fund it properly.!!.

Anonymous said...

Hey Patrick did you even read the article you posted the link to?

My statement was that a "prototype" is at the launch pad. According to that article "Dragon’s launch vehicle, the Falcon 9 rocket, is expected to make its debut in early 2010. That mission will carry aloft a Dragon capsule, but it will not rendezvous with the space station."

Not existing and not being rated are not the same thing. It does exist. According to SpaceX, the capsule itself was built to meet human rating standards, but they have not yet built an abort system. The article you cited only says that the first Dragon to actually dock with the space station will not launch until later in 2010.

Anonymous said...

I've always thought Orion needs a better launcher than Ares 1. I still maintain that belief, however, it's too late to retrofit Atlas 5 and Delta 4 if you want to narrow "the gap". Now I look forward to Obama's much-vaunted speech on NASA's future. It will be the most important speech by a US president since Kennedy announced the birth of Apollo. Our world is in such a mess right now, leaving it and sending humans to live on the Moon or explore Mars may be the only way to unify us! Yes it's expensive but no more than war. Just my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone name any practical benefits Constellation will provide for America? We will spend $150 billion for a dozen or so trips to the moon. Then what will we have? Some pictures? Constellation uses obsolete technology which will cost over a billion dollars for each moon flight, much to expensive to send scientists or tourists to the moon. We cannot do earth observation or microgravity science on the moon, and astronomical observation would be much more expensive than in earth orbit. ISS and Shuttle at least have the potential to do useful work, but they will be canceled or severely limited because Constellation needs all the money.

The taxpayers of America won't provide their hard-earned dollars unless NASA can provide a profitable return. NASA can provide useful technology for America, but not if we spend all our money re-enacting Apollo.