[X] My Assistant

[john_s]

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/fea...s/20090218.html

[Mariner9]

I'm a bit concerned about this statement by Louis Friedman I read over on the Planetary Society blog:

While the previous FY 09 budget request included new initiatives including a Mars Sample Return mission, an Outer Planets Flagship mission, and a Joint Dark Energy mission, among others, that could not realistically be accommodated within the FY 09 budget proposal, the FY 10 budget plan for space science no longer includes these or other major new initiatives. For example, NASA selected the Europa Jupiter System target as the focus of an Outer Planets Flagship mission, but elected to proceed with technology development, further definition, and discussions on a potential partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) on a potential future mission. The FY 10 budget plan for planetary sciences does not include a Mars Sample Return mission. NASA officials have indicated their interest in working more closely with ESA on potential Mars missions for the 2016 and 2018 launch opportunities.

I had always assumed that the Mars Sample Return would return to the back burner, but this part really worries me:

- the FY 10 budget plan for space science no longer includes these or other major new initiatives.

I realize that initially the mission is mostly design and study, with no metal being cut for several years, but does his statement mean that mean that the Europa flagship has been downgraded, and s not going to be funded as a real mission, but just as a technology development with hopes of becoming a real mission later?