NASA UPDATE-Budget slashing, page 1

NASA has revised its budget to the following

5.9 billion by phasing out or transferring to the new effort funding previously set aside for existing launch programs such as the Orbital Space Plane and the Next Generation Launch Technology program, an effort to develop reusable launch vehicle technology;
$1.5 billion from the shuttle program;
$1.2 billion by eliminating research aboard the international space station that is not tied to the president�s new exploration vision;
$2.7 billion by deferring the start of several planned new missions, including the Global Precipitation Measuring Mission, solar terrestrial probes and Beyond Einstein, a group of planned astronomy missions designed to investigate the origin and nature of phenomena like dark matter and black holes. In addition, spending on several Earth Science missions and Sun-Earth Connection missions will be held flat through 2009; and
$300 million from reducing space technology development and deferring institutional activities such as the construction of new facilities at NASA field centers.

The space shuttle and international space station would get $4.3 billion in 2005, including $200 million for dedicated return-to-flight activities. NASA plans to spend $680 million through 2007 on space shuttle changes in the wake of the Columbia accident.

The space station budget request also includes $10 million in new funding for "a flight demonstration initiative to pursue launch services with emerging launch systems." Industry and government sources said that money is earmarked for start-up firms such as Kistler Aerospace and Space Exploration Technologies.The budget also includes $70 million in funding for robotic lunar missions. According to budget documents, NASA plans to spend $420 million through 2009 on lunar exploration missions.

NASA plans to launch a robotic lunar orbiter in 2008 and a lunar lander in 2009. In addition, the New Horizons mission to Pluto remains funded.

Mars appears to be a big winner. It�s $691 million budget request for 2005 � $84 million more than it expected at this time last year -- includes $175 million, a nearly 50 percent increase for the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory, a nuclear powered rover in development.

It also includes $25 million to continue development of the 2009 Mars Telesat Orbiter. An additional $56 million was included in the budget for a laser communications demonstration payload on the 2009 Telesat mission.

Under Bush�s request, NASA�s 2005 Earth Sciences budget would drop $41 million to $1.485 billion in 2005. The decline is set to continue through 2008 before bumping up slightly to $1.474 billion in 2009.

SPACE.com's Jim Banke contributed to this report from Houston, Texas.

OK why are they cutting the the funding to the ISS. That is a great no the only training ground for long term missions. Ok its great there going forward with the nuke powered rover and the moon probes. But I cant understand the cut to the ISS they need that and its not even complete. Second I think that the reason bush wants to retire the shuttle is because he already has a contract waiting for an aerospace company to make the CEV. Why because it means a ton of cash. Way to get some retierment money Dubya.