When does the current mission extension end? According to this press release the 5th mission extension runs “through 2009.” I assume this means that it ends at the end of FY2009; September 30th. As far as I can tell this is the latest press release regarding MER funding.

But according to NASA’s FY2010 budget the mission is on its 6th extension and has “Ops” funding till September 2010. Have we gotten to the point that the mission extensions are simply being folded into NASA’s FY budget releases?

I believe that the formal extension process included two fiscal years last time, i.e., FY09 and FY10. However, this refers to the formal review process for the mission extension. The actual funding amount was subject to change and contingent on many factors including the health of the rovers, etc. The ongoing missions have been periodically subjected to the "Senior Review" process in order to provide a "peer review" component to the competition for the fixed number of mission operation dollars. So, there is no "simply" about the extended missions for any operating spacecraft...particularly given the growing needs of certain projects in development.

On page 51 of the FY2010 budget they mention that the last Senior Review Panel Meeting was in March 2008 and the next one will be in March 2010. The thing is that the press release for the latest mission extension was published in October 2007?

I don't think that I can provide the level of detail that will provide closure to your question. I can well believe that there was an FY09 budget published prior to the last Senior Review...but the results of the Senior Review were critical in the actual budget allocation for MER. My memory is that they did not get what they "requested" (I believe) for FY09, but they got a large fraction of it (~75%)...and given that more than one instrument/group received $0, it turned out well for MER. Certainly, my budget took a big hit from FY08 to FY09 (~30%)...I can't comment about others on the science team (both due to propriety and a lack of information ;-) ).

Ah well...maybe here...Doug?

Here thinking...with my share of consumed American products, thinking taxes here, and when I say myself I'm thinking about world citizens, have I indeed contributed finantially to the MER mission? Has my sweat contributed to the fantastic journey? And if so, how much of it? An infimous drop certainly...but one that I am proud of certainly. M-U-S-T drink more Coke!...
Any accountant out there?...

If you and I buy lots of Coca Cola, and the Coca Cola corporation pays corporation tax, then in some tiny tiny way - yes

(Or Nike, or Universal Studios, or whatever )

You guys could just buy 30 year US Treasury Bills at 1% interest and consider yourself part of the funding. It would be rather generous on your parts, I'd think.