Up to three missions in the Earth System Observatory program of Earth science missions would be canceled, with delays to the Roman Space Telescope, future astrophysics missions and Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, among others. The cut in science would delay or cancel several missions in development, including Mars Sample Return, the DAVINCI mission to Venus and the Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. That would, NASA stated, “threaten ability to fly Artemis IV and defer lunar exploration beyond Artemis IV.” That cut, according to documents provided in the letter, would “significantly restructure or terminate” various elements of Artemis 4, including the upgraded version of the Space Launch System and lunar Gateway elements. “To fund NASA at such a level in FY 2024,” Nelson wrote in the letter of the latter scenario, “would have devastating and potentially unrecoverable impacts upon the objectives that the President and Congress have set for NASA, and weaken our Nation’s position as a global leader in exploration, science, technology innovation, and discovery.” NASA estimated in that scenario its budget would be cut by 22% from 2023 levels to about $19.8 billion. A second scenario proposed exempting defense spending from that cut, requiring deeper reductions for non-defense discretionary agencies. One scenario considered rolling back discretionary spending across the board to fiscal year 2022 levels, which for NASA would mean $24 billion, $1.4 billion less than what NASA received in 2023. DeLauro published the letter this week along with similar letters she requested from other federal agencies. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, Nelson outlined the effects on NASA of two budget-cutting scenarios being considered by House Republican leadership. “We’re waiting to see what happens,” he said.WASHINGTON - NASA Administrator Bill Nelson claims proposed spending reductions for fiscal year 2024 could have “devastating and potentially unrecoverable” effects on NASA programs, delaying or canceling many missions. Budget uncertainty also prompted NASA to delay formal confirmation of the Dragonfly mission to Titan this month. NASA announced earlier this month it was ramping down work on the Mars Sample Return program under the CR because of the large gap between funding offered in the House and Senate bills for 2024. Other parts of the agency are taking similar approaches. “If a number significantly below 1.2 arises, it’s going to be difficult, but it will be less difficult because we’re being a little conservative,” he said. He said STMD is taking a “conservative” approach with how it is spending that funding now to protect against any cuts below 2023 levels in the final 2024 spending bill. NASA is operating under a continuing resolution (CR) that funds the agency at 2023 levels through Feb. Some programs with directed funding in either bill also face reductions. Desai’s presentation stated that STMD programs not mentioned in either the House or Senate bills could face a 22% cut if the directorate receives the overall funding in the House bill and a 27% cut if it gets the Senate funding. Other programs, though, could suffer sharp funding cuts. The agency requested $17.5 million for that work in its proposal, but the House and Senate bills instead provide $110 million. NASA small business programs, located in STMD, would also be fully funded at about $300 million.īoth the House and Senate bills sharply increase proposed funding for nuclear thermal propulsion. Both the House and Senate bills fully fund the largest single project in STMD, the OSAM-1 satellite servicing demonstration mission, at $227 million. That impact would be distributed unevenly across the directorate’s portfolio. “It will have a significant impact if it’s near the Senate proposal.” “The Senate proposal is very problematic if it comes to fruition,” he warned. The Senate bill, though, offers $1.118 billion, a 7% reduction from 2023. That would be essentially the same as what space technology received in 2023, excluding inflation adjustments. The House version would provide the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) with $1.205 billion. 30 meeting of the NASA Advisory Council’s technology, innovation and engineering meeting, Prasun Desai, acting associate administrator for space technology at the agency, said that both House and Senate spending bills for fiscal year 2024 fall short of the administration’s request of $1.392 billion for space technology. WASHINGTON - The head of NASA’s space technology directorate warned an advisory group of a “significant impact” to some programs if the Senate version of an appropriations bill for 2024 becomes law.
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