Odyssey and MER Budgets Cut |
Odyssey and MER Budgets Cut |
Mar 24 2008, 09:11 PM
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#1
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 3 Joined: 12-March 08 Member No.: 4062 |
Just found out today at a MER all-hands meeting that both MER and Odyssey will each be suffering an immediate $4 million budget cut to help defray the cost of MSL. Read more here: http://martianchronicles.wordpress.com/200...rs-budget-cuts/
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Mar 25 2008, 03:02 AM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 144 Joined: 17-July 07 From: Canberra Australia Member No.: 2865 |
I am not sure that outrage is warranted. My understanding is that despite requesting a budgetary increase overall, the NASA budget request for Mars for the period of 2009-2012 was around $340m, well down from the $620m in last years forward estimates. So the reduction in MER funding is not a Government imposed restriction, but rather is exactly what NASA requested. So now NASA has to work within this self imposed budget. I am not sure what other Mars programs should be diluted to keep the MER funding up to the required level. Nor does it seem smart to call for diversion of funds from other programs. After all in only a few years the shuttle will be retired and the US will lose the capability to launch people into space until Ares 1 comes on line.
Sigh. Perhaps the end run for Von Braun was the way to go for Spirit. |
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