Toward a New Era in Space Realigning Policies to New Realities (1988) / Chapter Skim
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TOWARD STABLE BUDGETING: A BALANCED BASE PROGRAM AND SPECIAL INITIATIVES
TOWARD STABLE BUDGETING: A BALANCED BASE PROGRAM AND SPECIAL INITIATIVES
Pages 4-13
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From page 4... ...
competence in fundamental space activities -- for example, astronomical observation, Earth observation missions, microgravity research, planetary exploration that is not a specific precursor to manned missions, space commercialization, tracking and data processing, a robust research infrastructure and its associated human resources, technology development, some space transportation, and some manned space flight. (It would not include major, multibillion dollar programs such as a space station, a return to the Moon, an automated Mars sample return mission, or human missions to Mars.)
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From page 5... ...
Figure 1 shows historical and current NASA budgets, and Figure 2 illustrates the decline in the NASA portion of the federal budget over time. The notion of the NASA program consisting of national special initiatives and a base program need not be translated into formal separate budget or organizational terms; it is rather related to the character of the presidential and congressional support required to initiate and carry out the different types of activities.
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From page 6... ...
SBillions 10 Figure 1 NASA Appropriations* o 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 Budget Dollars ~^~ 1988 Dollars •Including DOD Transfers Figure 2 NASA Budget as Percent of Federal Budget Percent | 1 ; 0 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989
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From page 7... ...
Further discussion within both the technical and political communities and between the United States and other spacefaring nations is in order before a commitment to a specific program for human expansion beyond Earth orbit. Another type of special initiative that would not require substantial inspace human involvement has been termed "Mission to Planet Earth." As conceived, it would be an international multisatellite program to provide simultaneous remote sensing information of all the Earth and predictive models of the global environment in conjunction with ground-based observations.
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From page 8... ...
If the United States is to be in the forefront in space, however, it must soon take action to fill the pipeline with the most advanced technologies. Programs designed to enable future missions, such as the Pathfinder and Civil Space Technology Initiative, are steps in the right direction but are not of sufficient magnitude to satisfy future needs for technology.
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From page 9... ...
Figure 3 NASA R&T Funding* 1000 800 600 400 200 Millions 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 SffiS Budget Dollars -- -- 1988 Dollars •Excludes Nuclear and Standards and Practices Percent Figure 4 NASA R&T Funding as a Percentage of NASA Appropriations*
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From page 10... ...
There should be a spectrum of flight opportunities, with major facilities such as the Hubble Space Telescope balanced with increased opportunities on Explorerclass missions and continued availability of low-cost opportunities using aircraft, balloons, rockets, and shuttle-carried experiments. There also must be a strong program of research and data analysis that sustains intellectual vigor both through the development of the scientific and technical basis for future missions and through detailed study of results from current and past missions.
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From page 11... ...
Possible special initiatives beyond the base program include an automated Mars sample return mission (which is also a logical precursor to a manned Mars mission) , space-based interferometry, and a Mission to Planet Earth.
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From page 12... ...
program is in jeopardy, the transfer of land remote sensing capabilities to the private sector is foundering, and there are no firm plans to capitalize on remote sensing of the oceans to meet research and operational needs. Last, with the lack of space flight opportunities and problems in developing a long-term program, other nations are challenging the United States in microgravity research and applications experiments.
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From page 13... ...
Factory tooling, launch facilities, range safety facilities, and down range tracking support during launch represent capital investments that the commercial launch industry cannot afford to provide. These facilities should be made available when their use does not compromise the government mission.
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