Biden administration proposes more budget increases for NASA
In releasing its proposed federal budget for 2024 with many major spending increases, the Biden administration has also proposed a significant increase in NASA’s budget. the third year in a row it has done so.
The shortened summary version of the Biden budget proposal [pdf] covers its proposals for NASA in two pages, with the most important proposals as follows:
- A half billion dollar increase in the budget for the Artemis program for a total of $8.1 billion.
- A commitment to partner on Europe’s ExoMars Franklin rover mission, replacing Russia.
- $949 million to develop the Mars sample return mission to bring back Perseverance’s core samples.
- $180 million to begin development of “a space tug” that can de-orbit ISS as well as “be useful for other space transportation missions.”
- $1.39 billion for developing new space technologies, an increase of $190 million.
The last two items will likely be money offered to many new commercial startups.
Though we can expect some resistance by the Republican House to most of the budget increases in the overall Biden budget proposal, expect Congress to rubber stamp the NASA increases, as it has done routinely in recent years. Congress might shift or reject some of these ideas, but generally, when all is said and done, it will only make superficial changes. NASA will likely more money.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
In releasing its proposed federal budget for 2024 with many major spending increases, the Biden administration has also proposed a significant increase in NASA’s budget. the third year in a row it has done so.
The shortened summary version of the Biden budget proposal [pdf] covers its proposals for NASA in two pages, with the most important proposals as follows:
- A half billion dollar increase in the budget for the Artemis program for a total of $8.1 billion.
- A commitment to partner on Europe’s ExoMars Franklin rover mission, replacing Russia.
- $949 million to develop the Mars sample return mission to bring back Perseverance’s core samples.
- $180 million to begin development of “a space tug” that can de-orbit ISS as well as “be useful for other space transportation missions.”
- $1.39 billion for developing new space technologies, an increase of $190 million.
The last two items will likely be money offered to many new commercial startups.
Though we can expect some resistance by the Republican House to most of the budget increases in the overall Biden budget proposal, expect Congress to rubber stamp the NASA increases, as it has done routinely in recent years. Congress might shift or reject some of these ideas, but generally, when all is said and done, it will only make superficial changes. NASA will likely more money.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
“$949 billion to develop the Mars sample return mission …”
I hope it’s not starting out that bad. $949 million?
Call Me Ishmael: Typo fixed. Thank you.
Like everything else Biden does, this budget is motivated by a desire to destroy the greatest government system ever devised.
“Biden’s Budget Is Tax-And-Spend On Steroids
So where does Biden get his $2.9 trillion in deficit reduction? It all comes from tax hikes.
What Biden is proposing is so reckless it should constitute an impeachable offense.
Thankfully, Biden’s budget plan has no chance of being enacted with Republicans in control of the House.
When he ran for president, Biden promised to restore honesty in government. This budget is arguably the most dishonest one that any president has ever offered up.”
https://issuesinsights.com/2023/03/10/bidens-budget-is-tax-and-spend-on-steroids/
Meanwhile a dozen Silicon Valley banks failed today. The beginning of the end?
“$949 million to develop the Mars sample return mission to bring back Perseverance’s core samples.”
Almost a billion dollars? Why, when a handful of SpaceX Starship crewmen could just divvy them up and put them in their return carry-on? Maybe even some of the crew-women could have room.
James Street wrote, “Thankfully, Biden’s budget plan has no chance of being enacted with Republicans in control of the House.”
You must certainly be younger than I, for you exhibit here the same optimistic faith I once did in the ability of the Republican leadership to stand up and do the right thing.
I doubt seriously there will be any serious trims to the budget. In fact, I expect the Republicans will claim “cuts” when in fact these will once again simply be reductions from the amount of increase Biden proposed. The budget will rise, the debt will increase, and civilization will continue its drive towards collapse.
A space tug to deorbit the ISS?
How about a couple of Russian freighters? They have proven they can move the ISS and also turn the ISS around or over. Use one to turn it over and the next to push it down.
Done no real costs involved. Well maybe a few hundred million doing engineering studies for the next 10 years.
Would it help if NASA constructed another KSC sized space port? A location that commercial launch providers could operate from without having to shoulder the time and expense of achieving FAA approval.
Is there a rational reason to not be sending rover missions to Mars every 2 years? It cost $2..2 billion to develop and build Perseverance. Could Falcon Heavy send even more weight to Mars? I would like to see a rover and orbiter sent every occurrence of the Mars launch window.
Regarding the return mission, is that a single craft or more of a team effort? Where first, the launch pad is put in place. Then a craft is capable of launching into Mars orbit. Which then hands off to an orbiter which has been refueled and is capable of traveling from Mars orbit to Earth orbit. Finally, a tug that can enable the return craft to dock with the ISS. The idea being that every two years ( Mars launch window ) the necessary pieces for the return mission are put in place.
Stephen Richter, Sir ….
It makes no difference where an American or his company Launches from, even the middle of the South Pacific Ocean ? on it’s own repurposed drilling platform …the US Government by Law has control over its citizens Space Launch Efforts. PERIOD.
Now you could sue and after a decade and say $5-10 million Win at The USSC…or ? NOT.
James Street wrote: “Meanwhile a dozen Silicon Valley banks failed today. The beginning of the end?”
One bank failed that I know of. Silicon Valley Bank Group (SVB), a HUGE bank failure, second largest in U.S. history. I don’t know how many branches they have if that’s what you meant, but it is still one bank.
The implications of this are concerning, to put it mildly. The Federal Reserve has a tough job ahead of it to get this contained before the situation becomes even more serious than it already is. That a financial institution the size of SVB could fail so fast that the Fed could not even arrange a shotgun marriage is head-scratching. Not the way the Fed prefers to operate.
That and the huge amount of money that companies and individuals have in SVB accounts far exceeding the insured account limits. They’ll probably be made whole in time of course. But right now, when/how that will occur is not yet determined. I hope the country’s taxpayers don’t end up on the hook for yet another bailout in the future.
Meanwhile, for those who have one, it might be a good time to talk to their financial advisor to keep abreast of what is going on. Just a suggestion.
“… That and the huge amount of money that companies and individuals have in SVB accounts far exceeding the insured account limits. They’ll probably be made whole in time of course. But right now, when/how that will occur is not yet determined. I hope the country’s taxpayers don’t end up on the hook for yet another bailout in the future. …”
There have been no reports of fraud or speculative lending by the bank. Which means that all depositors will get their money once the dust settles. And the Feds win as they now own the assets of the SVB.
Keep in mind that Mr Potter was eager to buy Jimmy Stewart’s Bailey Building and Loan. He did that because the assets held by the bank were sound. Those who lose money in a bank run are those who want immediate cash after a bank closes. Mr Potter gives them a fraction of their deposit in cash in exchange for them releasing any claim on their remaining deposit. A great deal for Potter as he gets the assets of the bank and the monthly stream of income those assets are generating.
A billion dollars for Mars sample return and not one screw will be turned or one wire soldered but the CGIs will be awesome!
At a nominal cost of $1000 per Power Point slide, that comes to a million slides or about an 8 year long presentation at a minute a slide.
Hop to it guys! That money isn’t going to spend itself!
I am glad to see NASA increases. It should be $50 billion…paid by killing the USAF. Army Air Corps it should be.
Stephen Richter asked: “Is there a rational reason to not be sending rover missions to Mars every 2 years?”
A quarter century ago, that was the policy. Send one or two small, inexpensive missions to Mars at each window. So the short answer is “no.” There is not a rational reason to not be sending missions to Mars every 2 years. Rovers tend to be a bit expensive, so that modifies the answer a little bit, as the rovers would likely have to be small and inexpensive.
However, the U.S. government is in charge, so the long answer is “yes.” There is an irrational reason to not be sending missions to Mars every 2 years. It all depends upon governmental priorities.
The government operates the Deep Space Network, and the number of antennas limits the total number of missions that can be operated at a time, or limits the times that any given mission can be controlled. This is one reason why the Voyager probes are contacted so rarely. Of course, if the priorities were different, the Deep Space Network would get more antennas to support more missions.
It is clear to me that SpaceX will want to control its own deep space network when it starts sending many Starships to Mars. These SpaceX missions to Mars will likely contain rovers and other experiments, and the plan is to send them at each window. SpaceX, legally called Space Exploration Technologies Corp., has incentive to explore Mars to determine where to place bases, settlements, and the colony that is the company’s goal. Orbiters, landers, and rovers may be part of that future exploration strategy.
Stephen Richter:
My point was that FDIC only insures $250,000 per person per bank. That money should be available this Monday for account holders to get based on what I read early Saturday morning.
However, there are many account holders who have huge amounts of money in excess of the $250K on account at SVB. Based on what I read, FDIC has said that these amounts “special dividends” are planned to be available at some point in the future.
The Feds will only hold onto the assets until such point that a new corporate entity is formed or otherwise created via merging SVB assets with an existing commercial financial company.