Northwest Slobovia wrote:Ailiailia wrote:Different source doesn't even mention Mars, and it seems the budget increase is even less (ie, a budget
cut considering inflation).
Scant mention hereHere it says Space Launch System and Orion capsule are part of a Mars program. I'm pretty sure they have other purposes though. They're about $3 billion in 2017, and the House version is similar.
So $3 billion ..?
Neither the House nor Senate committees killed the Europa mission, so I suppose that's good.
Yay!
This PDF gives NASA's 2016 budget estimate for "Exploration Systems Development", which seems to mean SLS and Orion, as $2.8B. So, this bill adds $200M and tells them to go to Mars. Eventually. Whee?
It wouldn't surprise me if a couple of science missions got killed, though, even though those are generating all of NASA's good PR these days.
Adding "Space Launch System" to my search for "2017 NASA budget", found me this:
http://www.universetoday.com/130996/approval-nasa-authorization-bill/ which has a link to the bill.
The bill, as amended SEC. 412. Goals and objectives.
Section 202(b) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18312(b)) is amended—
...
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(5) to achieve human exploration of Mars, including the establishment of a capability to extend human presence, including potential human habitation, on the surface of Mars.”.
SEC. 413. Vision for space exploration.
Section 20302 of title 51, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting “in cis-lunar space or” after “sustained human presence”; and
(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
“(b) Future exploration of Mars.—The Administrator shall manage human space flight programs, including the Space Launch System and Orion, to enable humans to explore Mars and other destinations by defining a series of sustainable steps and conducting mission planning, research, and technology development on a timetable that is technically and fiscally possible, consistent with section 70504.”.
Also from the bill, but boxed instead of quoted because I've put the NASA requests from your source in:
There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA for fiscal year 2017, $19,508,000,000, as follows:
(1) For Exploration, $4,532,000,000. (NASA requested $4,482.2 million)
... includes Exploration System Development (SLS and Orion) $2,895.7 million)
(2) For Space Operations, $4,950,700,000. (NASA requested $4,191.2 million)
(3) For Science, $5,395,000,000. (NASA requested $5,367.9 million)
(4) For Aeronautics, $601,000,000. (NASA requested $580.0 million)
(5) For Space Technology, $686,500,000. (NASA requested $735.7 million)
(6) For Education, $108,000,000. (NASA requested $90.2 million)
(7) For Safety, Security, and Mission Services, $2,796,700,000. (NASA requested $2,885.7 million)
(8) For Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration, $400,000,000. (NASA requested $436.1)
(9) For Inspector General, $38,100,000. (NASA requested $38.0 million)
Yeah, so a $49.8 million increase, presumably all to Exploration System Development ... but maybe a bit more if "Commercial Spaceflight" in the same category was cut.
"Exploration Research and Development" which makes up the rest of the category ($401.7 million) seems relevant to Mars, so it makes no difference if that was cut in favor of ESD.
There's other spending (advanced space suit and other things mentioned in your source) but the specific increases for those aren't in the bill ... maybe the House bill but I haven't checked that.
The Daily Fail, like the OP's hysterical source, is reporting this as "$19 billion for a mission to Mars" which it
so isn't.
Not entirely relevant, but it's got
Bill Nye and the first line suggests there might be something else to look forward to on Monday, besides a geriatric donnybrook in the evening.