NASA
will need billions of dollars in additional funding to keep its current
schedule for both retiring the space shuttle next year and for bringing its
replacement, the Constellation program, online by 2015, according to a report
released Thursday by federal budget watchdogs.
The
Congressional Budget Office analyzed several budget scenarios for carrying out
the space
exploration plan announced in 2004 by then-President George W. Bush.
Each
scenario predicted schedule slips, unless NASA received increasing funding.
"If
NASA's funding was maintained at $19.1 billion annually and the agency realized
cost growth in its programs consistent with the average for 72 of its past
programs, its planned schedules for spaceflight programs would be
delayed," the report said.
It
also addressed the schedule for the shuttle's replacement, the Constellation
program, which is expected to send Americans back into space in 2015 in the new Ares
rocket and Orion space capsule.
With
current funding levels, "the initial operating capability for Ares 1 and
Orion would be pushed to late 2016; the return of humans to the moon would slip
(from 2020) to 2023; and 15 of 79 science missions would be delayed beyond
2025," the report said.
The
Congressional Budget Office also listed other scenarios. They are:
Increasing
NASA funding to $23.8 billion, which would allow the agency to close the
expected five-year
gap in manned spaceflight by keeping the space shuttles flying to 2015.
Under this plan, the United States also would extend support for the
International Space Station for another five years, to 2015.
Raising
NASA funding to $21.1 billion. This would allow Constellation to stay on
schedule and the shuttles
to retire next year. However, this plan would cut 15 of the science
missions NASA currently has planned, or delay them until after 2025.
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