PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER
Volume 1, Number 37 (December 30, 2007)

PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org
Editor: Mark V. Sykes 
Co-Editors: Matt Balme, Nic Richmond
Email: pen_editor at psi.edu

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year from the PEN Editors!

o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o

1. Special Report: NASA Planetary Science Budget Passed

o---------------------------------------------------------------------o


SPECIAL REPORT: NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE BUDGET PASSED

On December 26, President Bush signed the Omnibus spending bill passed 
by Congress that includes fiscal 2008 funding for NASA. The fiscal year 
began October 1, so nearly a quarter of the year has already passed. A 
summary of planetary science funding is provided below. Numbers 
following the line item are as follows:

FY08 Omnibus [FY06 actual, FY07 Requested, FY08 Requested] in $M.

SMD $5577.31 [5244.6, 5466.8, 5516.1]
- Planetary Science $1405.5 [1298.9 1411.2 1395.8]
- Discovery $181.6 [131.8 179.9 184.9]
- New Frontiers $146.8 [118.1 158.1 147.3]
- Technology $66.4 [56.7 73.4 67.6]
- Planetary Science Research $384.3 [330.0 278.8 370.5]
- - Planetary Science Research and Analysis $146.6 [UNK, UNK, UNK]
- - Outer Planets Mission Studies $5.0 [UNK, UNK, UNK]
- - Cassini (not detailed) [UNK, UNK, UNK]
- - Rosetta (not detailed) [UNK, UNK, UNK]
- - Hyabusa (not detailed) [UNK, UNK, UNK]
- - PDS & Astromater. curation (not detailed) [UNK, UNK, UNK]
- - Lunar Science Research (not detailed, new) [N/A, N/A, UNK]
- Mars Exploration $626.4 [662.2 721.1 625.7]

Comments from the Budget Explanatory Statement:

"The Nation's investment in research at NASA has made the U.S. the 
undisputed leader in the study of space and the earth's environment. 
NASA's programs in space science, Earth science, microgravity science, 
and astrobiology are the types of basic research investments advocated 
in the National Academies 'Rising Above the Gathering Storm report.'"

"The amended bill includes an increase of $24,000,000 above the request 
for the research and analysis program. The program has suffered 
significant cuts in recent years. This program is important to 
maintaining the scientific vitality of the agency and also provides 
opportunities for young scientists and researchers to analyze data 
collected from current NASA missions. The research and analysis funds 
should be used to support both in-house and academic research. Further, 
there has not been an assessment of the appropriate balance between 
flight missions and research and analysis activities in NASA's space 
and Earth science programs. Therefore, NASA is directed to enter into 
an agreement with the National Research Council for an assessment of 
NASA's research and analysis activities. 

"The Appropriations Committees agree with the comments in the House 
report commending NASA for its robotic Mars program which is one of the 
agency's most successful programs that has made major scientific 
discoveries and engaged the public. The Appropriations Committees 
continue to strongly support a robust Mars Exploration Program with a 
rate of at least one mission at every opportunity (every 26 months)..."

"Further, the Appropriations Committees are concerned that NASA may 
reduce support for the Arecibo Observatory which is used by NASA to 
observe and detect NEOs ... NASA is directed to provide additional 
funding for the Arecibo Observatory."

On a positive note, earmarks were explicitly excluded from the mission 
directorate budgets. Under Science, Aeronautics and Exploration, 81 
earmarks totaling $83,243,800 were assigned to Cross-Agency Support 
Programs.

For more details, including a listing of all earmarks, go to 

http://planetarypolicy.org/fy08_analysis.html


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