Slashdot Mirror
NASA Funding Boost, But No Shuttle Extension in Obama Budget
adeelarshad82 writes to point out that details have been provided for President Obama's proposed $18.7 billion in funding for NASA in 2010 (up from $17.2 billion in 2008). Quoting: "The budget calls on NASA to complete International Space Station construction, as well as continue its Earth science missions and aviation research. Yet it also remains fixed to former President George W. Bush's plan to retire the space shuttle fleet by 2010 and replace them with the new Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, which would fly astronauts to the space station and return them to the moon by 2020. The outline does make room for an extra shuttle flight beyond the nine currently remaining on NASA's schedule, but only if it is deemed safe and can be flown before the end of 2010."
As for the shuttle, Hubble, ect, I always feel like I'm betraying an old freind when I trade in my car but the smell of fresh leather more than compensates.
Even for multimillion to billion dollar vehicles, they eventually wear out and replacement becomes the safer and more economical choice.
There was talk on the radio today about Obama potentially canceling the F-22 - but said cancellation would put something like 90k people out of work.
A couple points that I think was missed is that 90+% of the expenses for the F-22, R&D, setting up manufacturing, have already been met. Shutting down acquisition of the planes wouldn't actually save you much money. Not even $23 million per plane canceled. Meanwhile, maintenance costs for F-15s and F-16s are starting to skyrocket due to age. One of the selling points for the F-22 is that it's supposed to be much, much easier/cheaper to maintain.
Consider that old '88 chevy. Parts are getting hard to find, the seats need to be reupholstered, the exhaust system is shot; the engine needs a rebuild, cylinder 4 only gets half pressure, etc...
At some point, it'd actually be cheaper to buy a new car.
I don't read AC A human right
Not to belittle the accomplishments of Opportunity and Spirit, but in their combined 10 rover years on Mars, they've covered 21km of terrain. Apollo 17 did 34km in 3 days and collected over 100kg in samples. Data from the Apollo missions is still being analyzed almost 40 years later. Manned and unmanned exploration each have their place, but neither trumps the other.