Obama’s Budget Proposal Funds NASA, Cuts Moon Landings
On February 1, President Obama unveiled his new budget proposal. Not found in its pages was funding for a Department of Socialism. On the other hand, an increase for NASA was included. The space agency would receive an additional $6 billion over the next five years, but funding for return trips to the moon.
According to the budget draft, NASA’s Constellation program, which “was planning to use an approach similar to the Apollo program to return astronauts back to the Moon 50 years after that program’s triumphs,” would be canceled. An independent panel found that the program was behind schedule and over-budget, and the Obama budget proposes turning over much of future space exploration to the private sector.
The new funding, which would increase NASA’s operating budget to $19 billion in 2011, would refocus the agency towards general science and away from space exploration. As long as I can still get my freeze-dried ice cream and Tang, I’m okay with that.
Source: Associated Press
