The sparring came as both houses of Congress prepare to vote this week on spending plans for NASA. The House budget includes $275 million for a space station escape craft, plus $35 million for Kennedy Space Center improvements.
The Senate Appropriations Committee shifted $150 million from the space station to support shuttle safety upgrades and space station research.
The House of Representatives has "$400 million more in our bill than the Senate does," Weldon said, challenging Nelson to turn his comments into money for the space agency. "I never heard Bill Nelson use the word 'ominous' when Bill Clinton was in office."
Clinton cut NASA's budget seven of his eight years.
President Bush proposed a 2 percent increase for NASA next year, but Nelson argued that was far too little to cover the agency's needs, particularly in light of a $4.8 billion cost overrun on the International Space Station. NASA is trying to make up the rest by slashing science research on the outpost by $1 billion.
Shuttle safety improvements and refurbishment of the KSC infrastructure also have been bumped routinely to make up cash. KSC's Vehicle Assembly Building, where the shuttles are assembled, needs $150 million in repairs, NASA Administrator Dan Goldin said.
"They're trying to punish NASA for its cost overruns," Nelson said. "There's a considerable majority in Congress that wants to preserve an aggressive program of research (on the station), but without the science, there's not much to do in the way of research."
A deeper concern is the aging shuttle fleet itself, the senator said.
"Another major accident would cause a real threat to the manned space program," Nelson said. He said political support for NASA could evaporate if a Challenger-type disaster occurs. Nelson flew on shuttle Columbia in 1986 on the mission prior to the Challenger accident.
Saying NASA has "real tough budget challenges," Goldin told the audience of government, industry and military space leaders the strains would not compromise safety.
Emphasizing the NASA budget increase, Gov. Jeb Bush defended his brother's NASA blueprint and said he has spoken with the president about NASA's travails, though not recently.
"Some parts of the space program are going to go through tighter times than others," Bush said.
The younger Bush called for Monday's space workshop as a way to keep Florida in the forefront of the space business. He also rationalized the president's emphasis on military aspects of space, a position that far overshadows NASA efforts.
"He made a big point (during his campaign) of military readiness," the governor said.
The Pentagon had a sizeable presence at the summit, showing again the importance the Air Force and military place on the ultimate high ground.
"We can't go to war and certainly can't win a war without space," Undersecretary of Defense Pete Aldridge said.
While the Pentagon is publicly united on space, those who control the purse strings in Congress have divergent opinions, especially regarding the president's National Missile Defense program.
Sen. Bob Graham, D-Miami Lakes, said the missile shield is a good idea, but other proposals that do not rely on missiles hitting missiles may be better. Bush's plan calls for sophisticated radar bases to steer missiles into warheads in space.
"I think we need a national missile defense, but I think there may be better options, such as effective pre-emptive strikes, we should explore," Graham said. That approach may prevent a new arms race with Russia and China, he added.
President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have begun a crash program to develop a rudimentary antimissile system by 2005. Four tests of an experimental missile interceptor have been conducted, but two failed. The last, about two weeks ago, succeeded.
As the system progresses through increased testing, Gov. Bush foresees economic benefits for Florida, even though the tests are performed from bases in California and Alaska.
"It is the ultimate military space investment, and there are all kinds of spin-offs that Florida could benefit from," he said.
Florida companies involved in the missile defense program center run tests on rocket plumes to improve satellite and other tracking techniques for ballistic missile launches.
The Air Force also is pursuing other space weaponry, including a bomber that would fly briefly into space, would be able to reach any target in the world and return to base within 90 minutes. Testing is expected on air- and space-based lasers designed to destroy missiles just after launch.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Bill Looney said the White House is forming a national commitment to new military uses of space and is beginning to back it up with money.
"I truly believe the stars are aligning," Looney said.
Published under license from FLORIDA TODAY. Copyright © 2001 FLORIDA TODAY. No portion of this material may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of
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