NASA's Plans for the Future

FleaPlus writes "ABC News, Pasadena Star-News, and Space Politics report on a recent statement by NASA chief Michael Griffin on NASA's plans for the future and how it will be reflected in their annual budget. Griffin has ordered preparations for one last shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. He also plans to greatly accelerate development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle to have it ready when the Space Shuttles retire in 2010, stating that the CEV 'needs to be safe, it needs to be simple, it needs to be soon.' Some other highlights include $34 million for the Centennial Challenges prize program and the possibility of completing the space station with unmanned rockets after the shuttles retire. However, due to budget limitations, the cost of returning the Space Shuttles to flight, and over $400 million in Congressional earmarks, a number of other areas will see delays, including space station, aeronautics, and exploration research. NASA also plans on restructuring Project Prometheus to focus on developing space-qualified nuclear power systems for use in human and robotic surface operations, instead of a probe to Jupiter's moons." The Washington Post has a look at NASA's future as well.

Comments

Re:Nukes are the way to go

[ziggamon2.0]

Nukes are the way to go

Nah... Nuclear propulsion is just standing in our way of getting to the Improbability Drive!

Re:No Hubble Mission Decision

[Monkeman]

So? If you're a nerd, and you ask a really hot girl out, would you rather she say "no" or "maybe" with a wink and a blush? The latter is clearly the better option, to which all nerds will attest.

Wait one darn minute...

[xeon4life]

Weren't slashdotters recently getting huffy-puffy over the Hubble not getting it's last servicing mission...?

You mean we trolled for no reason!?

Re:Nukes are the way to go

[Dog's_Breakfast]

No, nukes are evil! What we need is wind power, biodiesel and hybrid engines. If NASA wants to explore Europa, then a Toyota Prius is the way to go. Now excuse me while I get back to my home energy project (I'm building a windmill, driven by an electric fan - why did nobody else think of us?). cheers, DB

Re:Nukes are the way to go

[UnrefinedLayman]

Also a lot more people died in the Bhopal Gas leak in India from a fertilizer factory than from Chernobyl but people are shit scared of Nuclear plants.

That's because when nuclear plants have accidents they don't just kill in the initial explosion. They can kill every day for hundreds of years.

It's estimated that it will be six hundred years before it is safe for people to live in some areas around Chernobyl. For a sense of scale, six hundred years ago people didn't know there were continents on this side of the Atlantic. People are scared of nuclear power for a reason, and it's their right to be.