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March 17, 2004

NASA, Congress Kick Off 1st Round Of Budget Fight

Agency Battles Proposed Congressional Budget Cut

In what NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe described as the first inning of a long ball game, the first attempt by Congress to cut the substantial budget increase the White House wants for NASA in 2005 was reversed. The Senate Budget Committee, citing the record budget deficits the United States is experiencing, cut back the money it would make available for many White House spending priorities, including a proposed 5.6 percent budget hike for NASA for 2005. The committee's budget resolution, adopted March 4, would have trimmed about $600 million from President George W. Bush's $16.2 billion request for NASA.

General Takes Agency's Helm

Russia replaced without explanation its long-serving space agency chief on Friday and appointed a top general to replace him, Russian media reported. For the past 12 years Yuri Koptev has overseen Russia's space program -- the sole launcher of missions to the International Space Station since the United States grounded its shuttles in February 2003 after the Columbia disaster. The agency's new chief will be Colonel-General Perminov, 58, previously commander of the army's space division.

Mars Rovers to Last Longer Than Expected

It took more than a month for NASA's Spirit Mars rover to finish the drive to its destination, a crater called "Bonneville," but mission planners are already looking toward more distant pastures, confident that their robust robot -- and its twin, Opportunity -- will last twice as long as originally expected. Spirit was scheduled to travel the last few feet to the rim of Bonneville Tuesday, then look around with its panoramic camera for anything interesting enough to nuzzle its science instruments against.