The U.S. Congress approved the 2021 NASA budget amounting to nearly $23.3 billion. However, the space agency's officials said it will not be enough to support its lunar lander program.
According to 2021 omnibus spending bill released on Dec. 21 after reaching a compromise between the Senate and House bills, NASA will get a total funding of $23.271 billion for the 2021 fiscal year. This was $2 billion less than what the agency's initial request of $25.246 billion, although it was higher than $642 million from its 2020 budget.
Despite the deductions, NASA will still be able to push through its some science missions, including the Roman Space Telescope, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, PACE and CLARREO Pathfinder Earth science missions. These programs were earlier being cancelled in the administration's original request as well as the NASA's education programs, which the bill also includes funding for.
The bill also includes several provisions related to NASA's various programs, instructing Europa Clipper' launch on the SLS, if it already available and "Clipper's appropriateness for SLS" is confirmed by torsional loading analysis. If Europa Clipper is not suitable for SLS, NASA can seek for a commercial alternative.
NASA associate administrator for space technology Jim Reuter warned in September that reduced overall funding to specific programs will greatly restrict the agency's buying power for "other things we want to do."
This is owned by Tech Times
Written by CJ Robles
