NASA Announces Fiscal Year 2010 Budget

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http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/may/HQ_09-102_FY2010Budget.html
RELEASE : 09-102
NASA Announces Fiscal Year 2010 Budget

WASHINGTON -- NASA announced Thursday an $18.69 billion budget for fiscal year 2010 to advance Earth science, complete the International Space Station, explore the solar system and conduct aeronautics research. The budget request represents an increase of $903.6 million, or 5 percent, above funding provided in the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. All totaled, an additional $2 billion has been added to NASA's 2009 and 2010 budgets under the Obama administration.

NASA's fiscal year 2010 request funds a robust program to continue the agency's missions of exploration and research. It supports the administration's commitment to deploy a global climate change research and monitoring system. It funds a strong program of space exploration involving humans and robots with the goal of returning Americans to the moon and exploring other destinations. And it supports the safe flight of the space shuttle to complete assembly of the International Space Station by the shuttle's planned retirement.

Funds freed by the shuttle's retirement will support development of systems to deliver people and cargo to the station, the moon and other destinations. As part of the effort, NASA will invest in private-sector development and the demonstration of vehicles to support the agency's human crew and cargo spaceflight requirements.

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In conjunction with the budget release, the White House also announced the launch of an independent review of NASA's human spaceflight activities. The Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans will examine NASA development programs and possible alternatives. The goal is to provide options that will ensure the nation's human spaceflight program remains safe, innovative and affordable in the years following the space shuttle's retirement.
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You know, back in 2007 there was a panel of folks that met to evaluate the potential for going to the Moon and setting up a base at the south pole.
Lots of inputs, slides, presentations, and the like.

I hope this administration has looked at it.
I think I need to get up on a soap box and use a megaphone to shout over the crowd.
Here are some links so you won't be surprised if I bend your ear some in coming posts.
If you like what you see, I would hope you pass it on.
I would hate to just pick on you in the front row. :-)

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http://www.nasa.gov/offices/nac/home/lunar-exploration-science-workshop.html
Lunar Exploration Science Workshop
Final Report
› View PDF (15 MB)
Workshop Presentations
› View site
Recommendations
› View PDF (1.86 MB)

Or here as well if above links don't give you the URL.
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/LEA/
Workshop on Science Associated with the Lunar Exploration Architecture
February 27 - March 2 2007
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I signed back up with Twitter and maybe will add a few comments as I shout at the walls.
http://twitter.com/lrkellogg

The Moon Society Blog has some comments as well.
http://www.moonsociety.org/blog/index.php

The Lunar Networks blogspot has some links for making a case for a lunar base.
http://lunarnetworks.blogspot.com/2009/05/making-case-for-lunar-base.html

Look, I am 71 and waiting until 2020 to see humans go back to the Moon is bad enough.
I would really like to see a plan to put us there to develop the Moon as a resource for expanding our ventures into space.
I don't want to see just a pup tent.

If you feel the same way, feel free to drop me a line at my gmail address.
If you don't feel the same way, well feel free to throw some tomatoes at me.
I need a good salad. :-)

I have been studying Thai for 30+ years, I guess I could add Chinese.
I have some Japanese dictionaries.
Some of you will have to help me with the languages of India.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_India
My one college course in reading about some Russian novels isn't going to cut it.

Look at the NASA budget if you dare. I copied the NASA post below.

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
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May 7, 2009

Michael Cabbage/Stephanie Schierholz Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 mcabbage@nasa.gov stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 09-102

NASA ANNOUNCES FISCAL YEAR 2010 BUDGET

WASHINGTON -- NASA announced Thursday an $18.69 billion budget for fiscal year 2010 to advance Earth science, complete the International Space Station, explore the solar system and conduct aeronautics research. The budget request represents an increase of $903.6 million, or 5 percent, above funding provided in the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. All totaled, an additional $2 billion has been added to NASA's 2009 and 2010 budgets under the Obama administration.

NASA's fiscal year 2010 request funds a robust program to continue the agency's missions of exploration and research. It supports the administration's commitment to deploy a global climate change research and monitoring system. It funds a strong program of space exploration involving humans and robots with the goal of returning Americans to the moon and exploring other destinations. And it supports the safe flight of the space shuttle to complete assembly of the International Space Station by the shuttle's planned retirement.

Funds freed by the shuttle's retirement will support development of systems to deliver people and cargo to the station, the moon and other destinations. As part of the effort, NASA will invest in private-sector development and the demonstration of vehicles to support the agency's human crew and cargo spaceflight requirements.

With the fiscal year 2010 budget request, NASA will advance global climate change research. NASA's investment in Earth science research satellites, airborne sensors, computer models and analysis has revolutionized scientific knowledge and predictions of climate change and its effects. Using the National Research Council's recommended priorities for space-based Earth science research, NASA will develop new sensors to support the administration's goal of deploying a global climate research and monitoring system.

The budget request also renews NASA's commitment to aeronautics research to address aviation safety, air traffic control, noise and emissions reduction, and fuel efficiency. And NASA's diverse portfolio of science, technology, engineering and mathematics educational activities is aligned with the administration's goal of improving American innovation and global competitiveness.

In conjunction with the budget release, the White House also announced the launch of an independent review of NASA's human spaceflight activities. The Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans will examine NASA development programs and possible alternatives. The goal is to provide options that will ensure the nation's human spaceflight program remains safe, innovative and affordable in the years following the space shuttle's retirement.

The review team will work closely with NASA and seek input from the Congress, the White House, the public, industry and international partners as it develops these options. The panel's results will support an administration decision by August 2009 on how to proceed. Acting NASA Administrator Christopher Scolese expressed his support for the effort.

"The thousands of workers who have given so much over the years to bring human spaceflight to where it is today deserve nothing less than a full assurance their commitment will be applied in the smartest and most practical ways," Scolese said.

A blue-ribbon panel of experts will conduct the review, led by Norman Augustine, a former aerospace industry executive who served on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and is a recipient of the National Medal of Technology, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Distinguished Public Service Award and the Department of Defense's Distinguished Service Medal. Augustine also has served as chairman of the American Red Cross and the National Academy of Engineering, and was president of the Boy Scouts of America. Michael Hawes, the associate administrator of NASA's Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation in Washington, will serve as the lead of the NASA team supporting the review.

"It is an honor to be asked to lead this important human spaceflight review, and I am excited about working with my fellow panel members to examine these difficult and complex questions," Augustine said. "I am a real believer in the value of this nation's human spaceflight activities and will do everything I can to provide the information needed to help the country maintain the spectacular arc of progress NASA has fueled for five decades."

Work will continue on NASA's missions of exploration and research while the review is underway.

"With this budget," Scolese said, "NASA is able to support a balanced portfolio of priorities in space exploration, Earth and space science, and aeronautics research."
The NASA budget and supporting information are available online at:
http://www.nasa.gov/budget
-end-

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http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2009/05/03/05032009wachickaminterview.html
Shooting for the stars in life, dreams: Bestselling author Homer Hickam takes your questions
Sunday, May 03, 2009

In a Waco Trib Live Chat, Homer Hickam, 66, bestselling author of the memoir Rocket Boys, the One Book, One Waco spring selection, answered questions from online readers about space travel, filmmakers, backyard rockets, the challenge of writing memoirs and meeting John F. Kennedy.

Hickam’s visit to Waco on Monday includes a tour of SpaceX’s rocket-testing facilities in McGregor and an address at 7 p.m. at Baylor University’s Waco Hall.

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Q Memoirs such as your trilogy of books about Coalwood remain immensely popular, yet memoirs in general have become controversial in literary circles lately, owing to the invention of entire episodes by some authors. How hard was it turning real life into a compelling memoir?
A Writing Rocket Boys was difficult. I threw away hundreds of pages trying to rediscover the story and the people involved. Finally, I knew I had to get inside the head of 14-17-year-old “Sonny” Hickam and let him tell it. It was not easy finding that boy again.

Q How did you recall these events so vividly? Did you keep a journal?
A I didn’t keep a journal, but my father did. Every day! He was very disciplined about that. I only had to refer to it to see what was happening in Coalwood. I also surprised myself in that I remembered in detail each rocket. Of course, I would never forget (high school girlfriend) Dorothy Plunk and everything about her!

Q Tell us of your conversation with John F. Kennedy. Did it really happen like your book describes?
A Yes, Sonny really met JFK and asked him what he would do in space. When the future president wasn’t certain, Sonny suggested we should go to the moon. That’s one of those things that, upon recollection, seems unreal even today to me.

Q As an engineer with NASA for many years, do you have any feelings about what NASA’s mission should be in the coming decades?
A I think we must go back to the moon and utilize its resources for the betterment of our earth and our society. I consider the moon part of our earth — it actually is, carved off by a collision — and we should extend our civilization to it. Mars, for now, can better be explored robotically. To go there utilizing chemical rockets with humans aboard makes no sense. Just too far, too much radiation, etc. For that, we need big bad nuclear rockets which I would love to see NASA build.

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[Note: Think it is time to re-read "Back To The Moon". The Shuttle is Hijacked. Now the Countdown to Adventure Begins...
http://www.homerhickam.com/
http://www.homerhickam.com/books/
http://www.amazon.com/Back-Moon-Novel-Homer-Hickam/dp/0440235383/ ]
With all the recent exposure of financial wrong doings, Homer's novel is getting too close to home.
Who really makes the decisions on what we spend our taxes on? ]
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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