[EDITORS NOTE:  This document is formatted in 10 point courier 
with right margin of 5.5]

         NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

                   FY 1996 BUDGET SUMMARY
                   (Millions of Dollars)

                                       FY 1995          FY 1996

HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT                     5,514.9          5,509.6

SCIENCE, AERONAUTICS & TECHNOLOGY      5,943.6          6,006.9

MISSION SUPPORT                        2,589.2          2,726.2

INSPECTOR GENERAL                         16.0             17.3

NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL FACILITIES         400.0

         TOTAL BUDGET AUTHORITY       14,463.7         14,260.0
         TOTAL OUTLAYS                14,239.4         14,125.3

                                       FY 1995          FY 1996

HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT                     5,514.9          5,509.6

SPACE STATION                          1,889.6          1,833.6
    Development                        1,752.4          1,612.8
       Construction of Facilities       [20.2]           [14.8]
    Utilization Support                   28.3             67.9
    Operations                           108.9            152.9

US/RUSSIAN COOPERATIVE PROGRAM           150.1            129.2
    Russian Space Agency Operations      100.0            100.0
    Mir Support                           50.1             29.2

SPACE SHUTTLE                         3,155.1           3,231.8
    Shuttle Operations                2,415.3           2,394.8
    Safety/Performance Upgrades         739.8             837.0
       Construction of Facilities      [12.3]            [17.4]

PAYLOAD & UTILIZATION OPERATIONS        320.1             315.0
    Spacelab                             98.6              97.0
    Tethered Reflight                     7.4               3.8
    Payload Processing and Support       36.3              30.3
    Advanced Projects                    12.2              12.2
    Engineering and Technical Base      165.6             171.7

Figures in parenttheses are included in the budget line item 
directly above.

                                       FY 1995          FY 1996

SCIENCE, AERONAUTICS & TECHNOLOGY      5,943.6          6,006.9

SPACE SCIENCE                          2,012.6          1,958.9

    PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY                1,195.5          1,131.1
Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility     234.3            237.6
Global Geospace Science                   40.0              5.4
Gravity Probe-B                           50.0            51.5*
Offsetting Reduction                                     -51.5*
Payload & Instrument Development          53.9             33.1
Explorer Development                     120.4            129.2
Mission Operations & Data Analysis       432.4            428.6
      Research & Analysis                 75.4             90.4
**         SIRTF                                         [15.0]
      Suborbital Program                  67.2            106.7
**         SOFIA                                         [48.7]
      Information Systems                 26.1             25.9
      Launch Services                     95.8             74.2

    PLANETARY EXPLORATION                817.1            827.8
      Cassini                            255.0            191.5
      Mars Instruments                     2.1              1.4
      Mars Surveyor Program               59.4            108.5
          Mars Global Surveyor          [58.0]           [58.2]
**       Future Missions                 [1.4]           [50.3]
      Discovery                          129.7            103.8
          Mars Pathfinder               [77.5]           [35.9]
          Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous [52.2]          [31.3]
**       Future Missions                                 [36.6]
**    New Millennium Spacecraft           10.5             30.0
      Mission Operations & Data Analysis 117.2            127.8
      Research & Analysis                108.4            109.1
      Launch Services                    134.8            155.7

* In October 1994, NASA requested that the National Academy of 
Sciences assemble a review panel to validate the technical 
feasibility and scientific merits of Gravity Probe-B relative 
to other science priorities within the NASA budget.  
Discussions are currently underway, with final results 
anticipated in mid-1995.  In the event the panel recommends 
continuation of Gravity Probe-B, equivalent offsets within the 
NASA budget must be identified.

**Items indicated are proposed new initiatives.

    Figures in parentheses are included in the budget line item 
directly above.

                                       FY 1995          FY 1996

LIFE & MICROGRAVITY SCIENCES
 & APPLICATIONS                          483.1          504.0
       Life Sciences                     140.7          134.4
       Microgravity Science Research     131.9          139.9
      Construction of Facilities                        [3.0]
       Aerospace Medicine                  7.0           7.0
       Shuttle/Spacelab Payload Mission
      Management & Integration           113.0          85.4
       Space Station Payload Facilities   90.5         137.3

MISSION TO PLANET EARTH                1,340.1        1,341.1
       Earth Observing System (EOS)      591.1          591.1
       EOS Data Information System       230.6          289.8
       Earth Probes Development           81.6           36.9
       Payload & Instrument Development   19.5            4.9
       Earth Science                     227.8          209.9
       Operations, Data Retrieval & Storage  116.5       98.5
       Global Observations to Benefit 
          the Environment (GLOBE)          5.0            5.0
       Advanced Communications Technology
          Satellite (ACTS)                 2.3
       Construction of Facilities         17.0           17.0
       Launch Services                    48.7           88.0

SPACE ACCESS & TECHNOLOGY                642.4          705.6
       Advanced Space Transportation     162.1          193.0
**     Reusable Launch Vehicle          [128.5]        [159.0]
       Spacecraft & Remote Sensing      144.3           177.5
       Advanced Smallsat Technology      61.9            33.9
       Space Processing                  18.3            18.1
       Flight Programs                   49.1            76.0
       Commercial Technology Programs    45.8            40.4
       Small Business Innovation Research   123.9       129.1
       Launch Services Mission Support   37.0            37.6

AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY      882.0           917.3
       Research & Technology Base       366.3           354.7

      Systems Technology                493.7           557.2
      High Performance Computing &
          Communications                 76.1            75.2
      Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation   46.2            48.1
      High Speed Research               221.3           245.5
      Advanced Subsonic Technology      125.8           188.4
      Advanced Composite Technology      24.3  [Included Above]

       Construction of Facilities        22.0             5.4

**Items indicated are proposed new initiatives.

   Figures in parentheses are included in the budget line item 
directly above.

                                       FY 1995          FY 1996

MISSION COMMUNICATION SERVICES           481.2            461.3
    Ground Network                       273.4            268.8
    Mission Control & Data Systems       175.8            162.2
    Space Network Customer Services       32.0             30.3

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS                        102.2            118.7
    Education Programs                    56.3             61.4
    Minority University Research
      & Education                         45.9             57.3

MISSION SUPPORT                         2,589.2         2,726.2

SAFETY, RELIABILITY & QUALITY ASSURANCE    38.7            37.6

SPACE COMMUNICATION SERVICES              226.5           319.4
   Space Network                          111.6           206.7
       TDRS Replenishment                [42.0]         [195.8]
    Telecommunications                    114.9          112.7

RESEARCH & PROGRAM MANAGEMENT           2,189.0        2,202.8

CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES                135.0          166.4

INSPECTOR GENERAL                          16.0          17.3

NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL FACILITIES          400.0 *         ---

* Legislation is being proposed to extend availability of these 
funds from July 15, 1995 until September 30, 1997.

  Figures in parentheses are included in the budget line item 
directly above.

          NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
            DISTRIBUTION OF WORKYEARS BY INSTALLATION
                      FY 1996 BUDGET SUMMARY

                                    FY 1995          FY 1996

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER                  3,214          3,209

SPACE STATION PROGRAM OFFICE            310            310

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER                  2,367          2,367

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER          3,300          3,300

STENNIS SPACE CENTER                    208            208

AMES RESEARCH CENTER                  1,678          1,677

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER           460            460

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER               2,788          2,784

LEWIS RESEARCH CENTER                 2,487          2,487

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER           3,810          3,806

HEADQUARTERS                          1,711          1,664

   FULL-TIME PERMANENT WORKYEARS     22,333          22,272

OTHER THAN FULL-TIME 
   PERMANENT WORKYEARS                  742             756

            TOTAL FTE                23,075          23,028

INSPECTOR GENERAL                       210             210

During 1995, each NASA installation is undergoing a workforce 
review including both civil servants and contractor support.  
It is anticipated that the preliminary conclusions from this 
review as well as the recently announced buyout will be reached 
by mid-1995.

          NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
           CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES BY APPROPRIATION
                    FY 1996 BUDGET SUMMARY
                     (Millions of Dollars)

                                        FY 1995        FY 1996

HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT                        32.5          32.2

SPACE STATION                             20.2          14.8
    Construction of Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory
      (JSC)                               20.2          14.8

SPACE SHUTTLE                             12.3          17.4
    Replace Chemical Analysis Facility (KSC)             7.5
    Replace Space Shuttle Main Engine
      ProcessingFacility (KSC)                           4.9
    Modernize Firex System, Pads A 
      and B (KSC)                           4.8          5.0
    Replace Components Refurbishment 
      Laboratory (KSC)                      7.5

SCIENCE, AERONAUTICS & TECHNOLOGY          39.0          25.4

MISSION TO PLANET EARTH                    17.0          17.0
    Construction of Earth Systems Science
                       Building (GSFC)     17.0          17.0

LIFE SCIENCES AND MICROGRAVITY                            3.0
    Construction of Addition to Microgravity
        Development Lab (MSFC)                            3.0

AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY           22.0         5.4
    Modernization of the Unitary Plan Wind
         Tunnel Complex (ARC)                22.0         5.4

                                      FY 1995          FY 1996

MISSION SUPPORT                         135.0           166.4

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER                      4.3             5.3
    Rehabilitate Utility Tunnel
        Structure & Systems               4.3
    Rehabilitate Electrical Distribution System, 
        White Sands Test Facility                         1.1
    Replace Main Substation Switchgear
        & Circuit Breakers                                4.2

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER                         1.5          1.8
    Modernize Payloads Hazardous Servicing
        Facility HVAC System                 1.5
    Replace 15kV Load Breaker Switches                    1.8

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER                 4.9         11.5
    Modernize Metrology & 
         Calibration Facility                4.9
    Restoration of High Pressure Air
         Compressor System                                4.7
    Restoration of Information & Electronic
         Systems Lab                                      6.8

STENNIS SPACE CENTER                                      1.4
     Restoration of Canal Lock                            1.4

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER                   5.0         5.5
    Restore Exterior/Interior Systems,
          Buildings 3, 13, & 14               5.0
    Restoration & Modernization of 
          Chilled Water Distribution System               3.0
    Restoration of Primary Electrical Distribution 
          System, Wallops Flight Facility                 2.5

AMES RESEARCH CENTER                                      6.3
     Restoration of Flight Systems Research
           Laboratory                                     6.3

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER                  8.0
     Seismic Upgrade of Research, 
            Development, & Test Bldg           8.0

LEWIS RESEARCH CENTER                                     9.0
     Rehabilitation of Central
            Air Equipment Building                        9.0

JET PROPULSION LABORATORY                       4.3       4.8
    Modernize Condenser Water 
             Systems, Southern Sector           4.3
    Replace Chillers, Various Buildings                   4.8

                                             FY 1995    FY 1996

REPAIR OF FACILITIES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS,
NOT IN EXCESS OF $1,500,000 PER PROJECT         30.0      35.0

REHABILITATION & MODIFICATION OF FACILITIES AT
VARIOUS LOCATIONS NOT IN EXCESS OF $1,500,000
PER PROJECT                                     30.0      35.0

MINOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW FACILITIES & ADDITIONS TO EXISTING 
FACILITIES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS, NOT IN EXCESS OF $1,500,000 
PER PROJECT                                      2.0       3.8

FACILITY PLANNING & DESIGN                      10.0      10.0

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE & RESTORATION          35.0      37.0

    RELEASE TIME IS AT 2:00 PM, EST, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1995

OFFICE OF SPACE FLIGHT    (Code M)
Associate Administrator:  J. Wayne Littles
Public Affairs Contacts:  Mark Hess, 202/358-1776
                          Ed Campion, 202/358-1780

The Human Space Flight program leads the United States in its 
quest to expand the human presence in space.  The business of 
the Human Space Flight program is to provide safe, assured 
and economic transportation to and from space for people and 
payloads, and to develop and operate habitable space 
facilities, in order to enhance scientific knowledge, support 
technology development and enable commercial activity.

The Human Space Flight appropriation provides funding for 
NASA's human space flight activities.  This includes the on-
orbit infrastructure (Space Station and Spacelab), 
transportation capability (Space Shuttle program, including 
operations, program support and safety and performance 
upgrades), and the U.S.-Russian Cooperative program which 
includes the flight activities associated with the 
cooperative research flights to the Russian Mir Space 
Station.

Space Station $1.83 billion

The Space Station is unique because it will provide the world 
with a permanent outpost in space.  The schedule for the 
current design emphasizes an early permanent crew capability 
that provides an advanced  research laboratory for use by 
international crews for extended durations.  Therefore, very 
early into the program, the Space Station will provide 
enormous benefits to stimulate new technologies, enhance 
industrial competitiveness, further commercial space 
enterprises and add greatly to the storehouse of scientific 
knowledge.  In March 1994, a Systems Design Review (SDR) was 
completed, which validated the current system design as 
meeting program requirements.

The international Space Station is the culmination of the 
redesign work begun in 1993 to increase efficiency and 
effectiveness in response to lower projections for the Agency 
budget and growing emphasis on other programs, such as 
science and aeronautics.  Human presence in space is one of 
NASA's missions, and the redesigned Space Station has met the 
President's goal to reduce the program cost while still 
providing significant research capabilities.  An entirely new 
management approach has been implemented, in which a single 
contractor (Boeing) has been given total prime and 
integration responsibilities, with the previous prime 
contractors (McDonnell Douglas, Rocketdyne and Boeing 
Huntsville) serving as first-tier subcontractors to Boeing.  
This has produced clearer lines of authority and 
accountability.  In addition, program management has 
relocated to a streamlined Space Station Program Office 
(SSPO) in Houston, structured around integrated product teams 
with responsibility for bringing the systems and elements 
into integrated launch packages.  Project management 
organizations at the various centers have been eliminated.  
Efficiencies have been gained through these program 
management improvements, design changes, a simplified 
integration effort and the recent invitation to the Russians 
to enter into the international partnership.

U.S/Russian Cooperative Program $129.2 million

This program provides for:  (1) the funding ($100 million) of 
the contract with the Russian Space Agency; and (2) the 
mission specific costs for provision of the Spacehab, 
Spacelab, and Shuttle flights to Mir.

Significant U.S.-Russia cooperative effort milestones will be 
reached in FY 1996 when the second, third and fourth of seven 
joint Shuttle-Mir missions are conducted.  The primary 
objectives of these flights are to rendezvous and dock with 
the Mir, perform on-orbit joint U.S.-Russian life sciences 
and microgravity investigations, resupply Mir logistics and 
provide crew exchange.

The United States and the Russian federation have begun a 
joint cooperative space program to accomplish six major 
goals.  First, the program will permit NASA to develop, 
maintain and enhance capabilities and operations to allow 
humans to live and work continuously in space.  Second, by 
establishing a relationship with Russia as an international 
partner for the human exploration of space, the United States 
can reduce the cost of future U.S. space initiatives by 
applying Russian-developed technology.  Third, by flying 
Shuttle missions to the Russian Mir, the United States can 
enhance its understanding of long-duration operations, along 
with life sciences and microgravity research benefits from 
long-duration experimentation.  Fourth, early cooperation 
with the Russians will permit NASA to develop common systems 
and operating procedures that will increase the probability 
of success and mitigate risks in the design, assembly, and 
operation of the international Space Station in which Russia 
is a full partner.  Fifth, by engaging Russia in constructive 
space work, the United States can advance its foreign policy 
initiatives.  Finally, this relationship between the U.S. and 
Russian space agencies will advance both countries' national 
space programs as well as their respective national aerospace 
industries.

Space Shuttle Program $3,231.8 million

The FY 1996 budget for the Space Shuttle program provides for 
a program that will continue to improve safety margins, fly 
the established manifest, launch seven flights every year, 
provide a vehicle that must undergo significant modifications 
to operate with the international Space Station and continue 
to reduce cost.

The budget structure of the Space Shuttle program consists of 
two major components:  Space Shuttle Operations and Safety 
and Performance Upgrades.  The funding request for Shuttle 
Operations in FY1996 is $2,390.0 million.  This funding 
provides for the hardware and manpower required to support 
the launch of eight Shuttle flights and their associated 
payloads.  This includes the requirements for the Orbiter, 
external tank, redesigned solid rocket booster and manpower 
and support services required for launch and landing and 
mission operations for each flight.

The funding request for Safety and Performance Upgrades in 
FY1996 is $837 million.  This budget provides for 
modifications and improvements to the flight elements and 
ground facilities, including expansion of safety and 
operating margins and enhancement of Space Shuttle 
capabilities as well as the replacement of obsolete systems.

Payload and Utilization Operations $315.0 million

Funding requested for Payload and Utilization Operations 
supports the payloads flying on the Shuttle and Spacelab, as 
well as advanced technology projects and Engineering 
Technical base support for the field centers supporting Human 
Space Flight activities.

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS SCHEDULED FOR FY 1996
(October 1, 1995 - September 30, 1996)

STS-74 (October 1995) - Space Shuttle Atlantis will make its 
second trip to the Russian Space Station Mir in October 1995, 
this time to install a permanent docking module that will 
simplify future Shuttle linkups to the Russian complex.  
After Atlantis is docked to Mir, the astronauts will conduct 
a variety of science experiments and will transfer water and 
other consumables to the Russian station.  The Shuttle crew 
also will deliver two solar arrays that will be stowed on the 
side of the docking module.  The arrays, which were built as 
a cooperative project using technology from both the U.S. and 
Russia, will be installed on the Russian station sometime 
after STS-74 concludes.

STS-72 (November 1995)  STS-72 mission objectives include 
retrieval of an octagonally-shaped science satellite carrying 
14 experiments that is scheduled to be launched aboard a 
Japanese H-2 rocket in early 1995.  The Space Flyer Unit 
(SFU) was developed jointly by NASDA, the Institute of Space 
and Astronautical Science and the Ministry of Trade and 
Industry.

In addition to the SFU retrieval, the crew will use the 
Shuttle's robot arm to deploy and retrieve another science 
satellite, the Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for 
Astronomy (SPARTAN).  This multi-use spacecraft flies free of 
the Shuttle for several days, gathering astronomical data 
prior to its retrieval.

Also during the flight, astronauts Chiao and Barry will 
conduct two spacewalks designed to evaluate and better 
understand assembly requirements and techniques for the 
International Space Station.

STS-75 (February 1996)  STS-75 will see the reflight of the 
Tethered Satellite System (TSS), a joint project between NASA 
and the Italian Space Agency (ASI).  TSS originally was flown 
on the Space Shuttle STS-46 mission launched July 1992.  TSS 
deployment was curtailed when mechanical interference in the 
deployer reel assembly prevented full deployment of the 
satellite.  The TSS reflight will focus on science objectives 
not accomplished on the STS-46 mission.

The TSS could place a satellite into the Earth atmospheric 
regions that are difficult to study.  These regions lie above 
the range of high altitude balloon flights and below the 
altitude of free-flying science satellites.

Also flying on the STS-75 mission will be the United States 
Microgravity Payload (USMP) which will be making its third 
flight on the Shuttle.  USMP-3 involves a series of missions 
designed to study the effects of microgravity on materials 
and fundamental sciences. USMP microgravity experiments are 
designed to be accomplished in the Space Shuttle payload bay.

STS-76 (March 1996) STS-76 will be the third of seven 
currently scheduled Shuttle/Mir missions through 1997.  The 
mission will see the transfer one of the six astronaut 
crewmembers for a four-month stay on the Russian space 
station.  The 10-day STS-76 mission also will include life 
and materials sciences experimentation in the Spacehab 
mounted in Atlantis' payload bay.

STS-77 (April 1996)  The commercial development of space 
activities continue with Shuttle Mission STS-77 and the 
fourth flight of the commercially developed SPACEHAB payload.  
NASA's primary objective for leasing the SPACEHAB Space 
Research Laboratory is to support the agency's efforts of 
providing access to space to test, demonstrate or evaluate 
techniques or processes in a weightless environment, and 
thereby reduce operational risks to a level appropriate for 
commercial development.

Also flying on the STS-77 mission are the Technology 
Experiments Advancing Mission in Space (TEAMS) payload 
consisting of a collection of experiments designed to enable 
or extend space flight technology and the Inflatable Antenna 
Experiment (IAE) payload which will validate the space based 
deployment of a large inflatable parabolic reflector antenna 
and characterize its mechanical performance.

STS-78 (June 1996)  Space Shuttle Columbia will carry the 
Life and Microgravity Sciences (LMS) Spacelab during Mission 
STS-78.  The crew will conduct research through a series of 
experiments in a stable low-gravity environment, emphasizing 
Life Sciences and Microgravity Sciences.  This mission will 
also accomplish the human science investigations previously 
approved for the Spacelab Life Sciences-3 mission which was 
cancelled.

STS-79 (August 1996) Shuttle Mission STS-79, the fourth in 
the series of joint missions with the Space Shuttle and the 
Russian Space Station Mir.  The fourth docking mission will 
drop off another astronaut and bring home the astronaut 
launched on STS-76.  In addition to conducting experiments 
within the Spacehab pressurized module, the mission will 
feature a spacewalk to transfer several experiments from the 
Shuttle's payload bay to the docking module on the Mir 
station.  The spacewalk also will be used to validate and 
demonstrate assembly techniques for the International Space 
Station.

February 1995

OFFICE OF SPACE COMMUNICATIONS (CODE O)
Associate Administrator:  Charles T. Force
Public Affairs Contact:  Dwayne Brown, 202/358-1600

The FY 1996 budget request for NASA's Office of Space 
Communications (OSC) is $780.7 million.  This funding is 
contained in two appropriations:  Science, Aeronautics & 
Technology and Mission Support.  Activities most directly 
related to support of NASA's science and aeronautics programs 
is contained in the Mission Communication Services program 
($461.3 million) under Science, Aeronautics and Technology.  
Activities whose support encompasses all of NASA's strategic 
enterprises are contained in the Space Communication Services 
program ($319.4 million) under Mission Support.  All Space 
Network major development activities are contained in Mission 
Support.

Reliable electronic communications are essential to the 
success of every NASA flight mission, from interplanetary 
spacecraft to the Space Shuttle to aeronautical flight tests.  
NASA's OSC manages the provision of telecommunication 
services needed to ensure that the goals of NASA's 
exploration, science, and research and development programs 
are met; that they are met cost-effectively; and that mission 
operations and planning are performed in an integrated and 
standardized way.  The OSC is committed to seeking and 
encouraging commercialization of NASA telecommunications 
capabilities and to participate with NASA's strategic 
enterprises in collaborative interagency, international, and 
commercial enterprises.  As NASA's agent for operational 
communications and associated information handling services, 
the OSC seeks opportunities for using technology in pursuit 
of more cost-effective solutions, highly optimized designs of 
mission systems, and advancement of NASA's and the nation's 
best technological and commercial interests.

The range of capabilities provided by NASA's Space 
Communications program is necessarily very broad.  This 
function provides all of NASA's capability to track, command, 
and acquire data from NASA spacecraft.  This function is 
performed through utilization of ground-based antennas and 
network systems; the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System 
(TDRSS) of geosynchronous communications satellites and two 
ground stations in New Mexico; a telecommunications network 
needed to relay data among NASA mission control facilities; 
and the mission control and data processing facilities for 
NASA's currently operational Earth-orbiting robotics systems.  
The function also provides for the telecommunications network 
used for all NASA administrative and scientific exchanges.  
All NASA telecommunications scheduling, network management 
and engineering, flight system maneuver planning and 
analysis, and preflight communications interface verification 
is performed by this strategic function.  Near-term 
demonstration and application of advanced communications and 
information systems technologies are conducted through the 
support of various sponsored labs and facilities.

Some NASA missions have unique needs -- e.g., communicating 
with spacecraft having low-powered transceivers flying in the 
outer reaches of our solar system and beyond or relaying very 
high rates of data from spacecraft anywhere over the roughly 
785 million square miles of surface area of the Earth.  
Specialized systems such as the TDRSS and the Deep Space 
Network (DSN) are required.  Other needs can be satisfied 
using alternate approaches, including smaller ground 
transceive systems and commercially-available systems and 
services.  Key to NASA's future is our ability to take 
advantage of emerging communications technologies, especially 
the increasing levels of automation and standardization of 
systems and procedures that these technologies allow.

Mission Communication Services $461.3 million

NASA's FY 1996 request provides $268.8 million for the Ground 
Network Systems and Operations; $162.2 million for Mission 
Control, Data Processing and Flight Dynamic Services; and 
$30.3 million for the Space Network Control Center and other 
activities.  

While the focus of this program is on the support of NASA 
science and aeronautics programs, the breadth of NASA 
missions receive some form of support from this program.  
Planetary and interplanetary missions; near-Earth and Earth-
orbiting spacecraft missions; and suborbital and aeronautical 
test flight systems are the primary beneficiaries of this 
program; support for NASA's Human Space Flight programs also 
is provided.  Services include ground network tracking, 
command and data acquisition on an operational and emergency 
basis; orbit and attitude determination and maneuver 
analysis; data acquisition networks scheduling; and mission 
control and science data processing for select NASA missions.  
Data acquisition and management technologies; flight mission 
planning and preflight testing and simulation; and management 
and coordination of NASA's use of radio frequencies also is 
performed.

NASA's DSN; Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network; Wallops 
Flight Facility; Western Aeronautical Test Range; Flight 
Dynamics Facility; Space Network Control Center, and selected 
mission control and data systems are contained in this 
program.  These activities are in the process of being 
automated and modernized so that the burgeoning workload of 
NASA flight systems can be accommodated.

Space Communications Services $319.4 million

The FY 1996 budget request provides $206.7 million for the 
Space Network major development programs and operation of its 
White Sands Complex; and $112.7 million for 
Telecommunications Systems.  

NASA's Space Network provides high data rate, near-continuous 
coverage of Earth-orbiting spacecraft, including the Space 
Transportation System, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Upper 
Atmospheric Research Satellite, the Compton Gamma Ray 
Observatory, and other spacecraft systems.  The unique 
requirements of some suborbital missions for continuous 
tracking and communication services also are supported by 
this program.  The Space Network performs as a complementary 
asset to NASA's other communications facilities and systems.  
Ground and space network systems and facilities coordinate 
their tracking, command, and data acquisition support of 
near-Earth NASA flight systems; flight dynamics and Space 
Network scheduling, planning and preflight verification 
testing services provided under the Mission Communication 
Services program are integral to the performance of Space 
Network systems.

The seventh Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) is 
scheduled to be deployed in FY 1995; a constellation of four 
fully functional and two partially functional TDRS spacecraft 
will then be on orbit.  The sixth TDRS was lost aboard the 
Space Shuttle Challenger.  Complementing this constellation 
of on orbit systems is the new Danzante, or Second TDRS 
System Ground Terminal.  This newly developed White Sands 
facility was recently transitioned to being the primary TDRS 
ground terminal.  In March, following a period of stable 
Danzante operations, the existing White Sands Ground Terminal 
will be shut down and its refurbishment begun.

In order to ensure a continuity of TDRS services into the 
middle part of the next decade, three additional TDRS 
spacecraft are being procured.  For FY 1996, $195.8 million 
is being requested for continuation of development of the 
TDRS Replenishment Spacecraft.  Funds to procure three launch 
vehicles also is included in this amount.  Source evaluation 
has been underway since last summer, and contract award is 
imminent.  This firm fixed-price contract will have 
provisions for spacecraft replacement and recovery of funds 
for loss of TDRS services.  The three functionally similar 
Replenishment Spacecraft are being procured under a unique 
commercial practices arrangement.

NASA's Telecommunications services for all of NASA's 
operational, research and analysis and administrative 
requirements also are included under the Space Communication 
Services program.  An upcoming demonstration of advanced 
switching technology promises to allow the consolidation and 
improved efficiency of service of NASA telecommunications 
systems.

February 1995

OFFICE OF SAFETY AND MISSION ASSURANCE (Code Q)
Associate Administrator:  Frederick D. Gregory

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER (Code AE)
Acting Chief Engineer:  Dr. Dan Mulville
Public Affairs Contact:  Dwayne Brown, 202/358-1600

The FY 1996 budget request for NASA's Safety, Reliability, 
Maintainability & Quality Assurance (SRM&QA) program is $37.6 
million.  The activities of NASA's Office of Safety and 
Mission Assurance and the Office of the Chief Engineer are 
funded under this program.

These offices seek to ensure the safe and successful 
execution of NASA programs by providing oversight of NASA's 
flight and ground systems development and operations 
programs; by developing Agency-wide safety, reliability, 
maintainability, quality assurance and engineering policies, 
standards and practices; and providing for the identification 
and qualification of key technologies to improve the 
performance and reliability of NASA flight systems.  The 
offices provide leadership in promoting and ensuring the 
safety, innovation, and quality of all NASA programs; and 
improving the practice of engineering in NASA programs.  This 
work is performed in four programmatic areas.

Policy, Oversight and Standards $17.6 million

The FY 1996 budget request of $17.6 million supports the 
areas of safety, reliability, maintainability and quality 
assurance.  Activities include studies and investigations to 
formulate NASA safety and mission assurance policy; and 
safety oversight and flight readiness assessments for all 
NASA programs, including the Space Shuttle and the 
international Space Station.  Documentation and analysis of 
NASA experience in the SRM&QA disciplines, mishap 
investigations, NASA emergency preparedness, and range safety 
helps improve the safety and risk management practices of 
NASA programs.  Guidance to the Agency's SRM&QA organizations 
for the conduct of self-assessments will be used to augment 
OSMA's oversight role and enhance the implementation of 
SRM&QA policies.  Compliance with the Occupational Safety and 
Health Act is supported and monitored.  NASA is also in the 
process of adopting the international standard for quality, 
ISO 9000, in concert with the Department of Defense and other 
federal agencies.

Quality Management $8.1 million

The FY 1996 budget request of $8.1 million supports the early 
introduction of tailored safety, reliability and quality 
requirements into space flight systems design and manufacture 
in the early stages of a program.  This approach is expected 
to result in decreased life cycle costs in NASA programs by 
reducing or eliminating costly redesign of systems in the 
latter stages of development and test.  The Quality 
Management program provides direct assurance support to NASA 
robotics, aeronautics, and expendable launch vehicle 
programs.  Studies of optimized quality assurance 
surveillance for Space Transportation System processing also 
are performed.  Studies are conducted of risk factors in 
specific flight programs; the effectiveness of qualification 
test methods; and non-destructive evaluation techniques.  
Improved qualification methods for electrical, electronic, 
and electromechanical (EEE) parts and qualification of 
advanced EEE parts and packaging technologies for use by NASA 
flight programs is supported.  New focus will be given to 
qualification of parts manufacturing processes rather than 
the previous focus on auditing parts quality.

Software Independent Verification and Validation $6.4 million

The FY 1996 budget request of $6.4 million supports the 
management of NASA's IV&V facility located at Fairmont, West 
Virginia.  This program supports the development of software 
assurance standards, practices, and technology for evaluation 
of flight systems, mission control, and science data 
processing systems software.  This initiative is expected to 
result in enhanced performance and reliability of 
increasingly complex and critical software used throughout 
NASA facilities and systems.

Engineering $5.5 million

This program provides both oversight and improvement of 
NASA's technical ability to successfully execute its 
programs.  The Office of Chief Engineer provides direct 
support to the NASA Administrator by conducting independent 
evaluation of the performance of NASA programs and other 
engineering issues.  The office also coordinates the 
activities of NASA's Engineering Management Council.  The 
office develops NASA engineering policies, standards and 
guidelines; promotes increased use of industry and 
international standards to enhance the interoperability of 
NASA and other aerospace systems; encourages cooperative 
endeavors; and seeks to improve NASA-industry exchanges.  
Efforts to improve engineering practices in areas such as 
systems engineering, software engineering, structural 
analysis, and test methods will facilitate continuous 
improvement of NASA capabilities.  Validation of critical 
technologies, focusing on demonstration of potential program 
applications to improve system reliability and performance 
also is performed.

As a part of their responsibilities, the two NASA 
Headquarter's offices also coordinate NASA activities with 
various external groups and agencies, including the 
International Standards Organization and the Interagency 
Nuclear Safety Review Panel.

February 1995

OFFICE OF AERONAUTICS (Code R)
Associate Administrator:  Dr. Wesley L. Harris
Public Affairs Contact:  Barbara E. Selby, 202/358-1983

The FY 1996 total budget request for the Office of 
Aeronautics is $917.3 million, which includes $5.4 million 
for Construction of Facilities (CofF).

The NASA Aeronautics Research and Technology budget request 
for FY 1996 is $911.9 million.  This includes $245.5 million 
for the High-Speed Research Program, $188.4 million for the 
Advanced Subsonic Technology Program, $75.2 million for High 
Performance Computing and Communications and $354.7 million 
for the research and technology base.  

High-Speed Research $245.5 million

The High Speed Research Program, which is developing the 
technology necessary for a next-generation supersonic 
airliner, continues to be NASA's highest priority aeronautics 
effort. 

The FY 1996 budget request of $245.5 million will enable the 
program to achieve and advance beyond the planned Preliminary 
Concept Definition milestone.  This major event will include 
the selection of preliminary engine and airframe materials, 
engine components and flight deck concepts for focused 
technology development.

The FY 1996 budget also will continue funding for 
environmental research including atmospheric effects of 
aviation, community noise and sonic boom, to assure the 
technologies addressing economic viability also achieve 
environmental compatibility goals.  

Advanced Subsonic Technology $188.4 million

The Advanced Subsonic Technology program's FY 1996 budget 
request of $188.4 million will focus on development, in 
cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration and the 
U.S. aeronautics industry, of high payoff technologies to 
enable a safe, highly productive global air transportation 
system, including a new generation of environmentally 
compatible, economical U.S. subsonic aircraft such as 
commercial transports, general aviation and civil tiltrotor. 
There are thirteen critical elements that, as an integrated 
program, provide a focused technology foundation to ensure 
U.S. leadership in aircraft manufacture, aviation system 
efficiency and safety, and protection of the environment.

As a result of redirection within the ongoing NASA 
aeronautics program, the FY 1996 request includes funds for 
two new areas of research vital to the future health of the 
U.S. aviation industry and aviation infrastructure:  air 
traffic management and affordable design and manufacturing.  
In air traffic management, NASA plays a pivotal role by 
leveraging its expertise in aircraft guidance and air traffic 
controls technology to develop and validate high risk 
elements of new air traffic architecture.  In affordable 
design and manufacturing, NASA plans to study, in close 
collaboration with industry, generic "building block" 
technologies for affordable aircraft and engine design and 
manufacturing processes.

The FY 1996 budget also contains funding to continue research 
in aircraft and engine noise reduction, terminal area 
productivity, aging aircraft, integrated wing design, 
propulsion systems, environmental assessment, short-haul 
aircraft (general aviation and civil tiltrotor), fly-by-light 
(fiber optic) and power-by-wire control systems and 
composites.

High Performance Computing and Communications $75.2 million

NASA's High Performance Computing and Communications program 
is part of the multi-agency effort to boost supercomputer 
speeds one thousand-fold to at least one trillion arithmetic 
operations per second -- one teraflops -- and communications 
capabilities one hundred-fold.  The FY 1996 budget request 
for this program remains flat at $75.2 million.

The FY 1996 request continues research on advanced computing 
tools for computational aerosciences, Earth and space 
sciences, and information infrastructure technology for the 
"information superhighway," including access to schools, 
libraries and museums.  Efforts begun in FY 1995 in cost 
effective high performance computing for aerospace design 
will continue to be emphasized in FY 1996.  A new focus for 
research in FY 1996 is the remote exploration and 
experimentation effort addressing Agency emphasis on reduced 
mission costs.

Research and Technology Base $354.7 million

Working closely with its customers, NASA's Research and 
Technology Base program has led the world in aeronautical 
breakthroughs and advanced aviation concepts, many of which 
are being used by industry today.  The FY 1996 budget for the 
R&T base is $334.7 million.  For FY 1996, hypersonic research 
has been reintegrated into the R&T Base program. 

The R&T base program emphasizes the development of knowledge-
based technologies important to aeronautics customers, 
providing an essential foundation to respond to critical 
needs.  The Supercritical Wing for the B-757 and B-767 
aircraft; Winglets for the MD-11 and B-747-400; Active 
turbine cooling for the JT9D Engine and the B-747; Digital 
Fly-by-wire for the F-18A, F-16C/D; Stall, Spin & Crash-
worthiness for General Aviation; and Wind Shear Detection for 
all transports are all concepts that originated in the R&T 
Base.

The program develops tools for use in analysis and design 
processes in the technology areas of aerodynamics; propulsion 
and power; materials and structures; controls, guidance, and 
human factors; flight systems, and systems analysis.  The R&T 
Base Program supports the capability to implement and conduct 
the research activities described above by providing a 
facilities infrastructure for our focused technology 
programs, and industrial development activities.  The major 
aeronautical facilities and services are at the four 
aeronautical research centers -- Ames Research Center, Dryden 
Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center and Lewis 
Research Center.  The program encourages partnerships among 
industry, universities, and government agencies to take 
advantage of their cumulative strengths.  Typically, work is 
performed through cooperative agreements with industry and 
other Government agencies facilitating rapid technology 
transfer.

Construction of Facilities $5.4 million

The FY 1996 Aeronautics Construction of Facilities request of 
$5.4 million represents the final phase of funding for 
modernization of the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel Complex at 
NASA's Ames Research Center.  Planned improvements include 
upgrading, automating and replacing controls, improving 
airflow quality and repairing the pressure vessel shell.

In addition, the $74 million appropriated in FY 1994 will 
fund a high level of activity in FY 1995 on studies of the 
two National Wind Tunnels now under consideration.  Congress 
appropriated $400 million in FY 1995 for the initial 
construction phase, but attached a number of conditions.  
These conditions, if not met, would result in rescission of 
the funds on July 31, 1995.  The Administration has requested 
Congress to extend the availability of the $400 million, with 
the proviso that none of these funds would be outlayed until 
October 1, 1996.  These wind tunnels would provide greatly 
improved design evaluation and test capabilities in the 
transonic and subsonic speed regimes.

February 1995

OFFICE OF SPACE SCIENCE   (CODE S)
Associate Administrator:  Dr. Wesley T. Huntress, Jr.
Public Affairs Contacts:  Don Savage, 202/358-1727; 
                          Doug Isbell, 202/358-1753

In fiscal year 1996, NASA's Office of Space Science intends 
to build upon the momentum it gained during 1994 through a 
series of major discoveries regarding the nature of the solar 
system and the Universe.  Many of these findings, such as 
those surrounding the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with 
Jupiter, generated intense public interest and showcased the 
excitement of space science.

The FY 1996 request of $1.959 billion (including launch 
services) represents a balanced effort that continues to 
pursue the fundamental scientific questions in astrophysics, 
planetary exploration, space physics and related research, 
while addressing the challenges that will define space 
science in the 21st Century.  Of this amount, $1.057 billion 
is for physics and astronomy research, $672 million is for 
planetary exploration, and $230 million is for launch 
services. 

Highlights of the Space Science budget request include:

New Millennium Spacecraft $30.0 million

A proposed new program, New Millennium spacecraft is an 
aggressive flight technology demonstration effort that will 
precipitate a revolution in the design, development and 
operation of scientific spacecraft.  With simultaneous 
objectives of increasing the capability of NASA spacecraft, 
their instruments and their flight rates, while significantly 
reducing their mass and lifecycle costs, this program is 
another step NASA is taking toward achieving science and 
technology goals. 

The FY 1996 budget requests $30 million to begin the 
development of New Millennium spacecraft through investments 
in potential breakthrough technologies such as 
microelectronics and micromechanical devices.   The program's 
aim is to create a fleet of microspacecraft returning a 
continuous flow of information to Earth about the solar 
system and large-scale dynamic systems within it, and the 
possible existence of planets in neighboring solar systems.  
The first New Millennium technology demonstration flight test 
could occur as early as FY 1997, with missions launched at a 
rate of one or more every 12-24 months.

Infrared astronomy:  SOFIA and SIRTF

Space and ground-based observatories have provided a wealth 
of information and scientific discoveries in almost every 
wavelength of the spectrum.  The investigation of infrared 
wavelengths with high sensitivity and resolution has required 
development of better detection instruments.  In FY 1996, the 
NASA budget request includes funding to open a new era in 
infrared astronomy and begin development of two complementary 
missions:  the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared 
Astronomy (SOFIA) and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility 
(SIRTF).  SIRTF's exquisite sensitivity and large detector 
arrays are designed to search for faint galaxies at the edge 
of the observable universe, while SOFIA will capitalize on 
its superior spatial resolution and spectroscopic sensitivity 
to study close galaxies, protostars and transient cosmic 
events.  The two missions are described below.

SOFIA $48.7 million

SOFIA is an infrared airborne observatory designed to replace 
the aging Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO), which has been 
in operation since 1974.  SOFIA consists of a 2.5 meter 
telescope that will be carried by a specially modified, used 
Boeing 747 aircraft.  SOFIA will be developed and operated in 
partnership with the German space agency, DARA.  Initial 
operations for SOFIA will begin in late 2000.  With spatial 
resolution and sensitivity far superior to KAO, SOFIA will 
enable significant advances in the study of star and planet 
formation, the makeup of the interstellar medium, galactic 
structure and evolution, and the Sun and the solar system.  
In addition, SOFIA will be the first NASA space science 
program with a significant educational outreach component 
built-in from the beginning.  The program will build upon a 
very successful program of flying teachers on the KAO, by 
reaching out to Kindergarten - 12th grade teachers, as well 
as science museums and planetaria around the country.

SIRTF $15.0 million

The FY 1996 budget request includes a significant increase 
for mission studies of the SIRTF observatory, in anticipation 
of entering development in FY 1998.  SIRTF is the last of the 
four Great Observatories and has been the highest priority 
new mission (as ranked by the National Academy of Sciences) 
in astrophysics for many years.  Recent technological 
breakthroughs in infrared detector technology in the United 
States have excited scientists and enabled an improved, less 
costly mission design.   The SIRTF mission, planned for 
launch in 2002, has been vastly simplified from its original 
design, resulting in a dramatic five-fold reduction in life-
cycle costs.  SIRTF also may include a collaboration with 
Japan to achieve a portion of its science objectives.

Mars Surveyor $108.5 million

NASA's new Mars exploration strategy reaches full development 
in FY 1996 under the Mars Surveyor program.  It consists of 
an initial orbiter, Mars Global Surveyor, and a subsequent 
series of two small missions launched every two years.  With 
these missions, the U.S. will be able to resume the detailed 
exploration of Mars begun by Viking in the late 1970s.  

The FY 1996 budget request for Mars Surveyor will support 
Mars Global Surveyor instrument testing and integration with 
the spacecraft, and final spacecraft assembly and testing.  
It also will support the start of  development of a small 
orbiter and a lander to be launched in 1998, built by 
contractors due to be selected this spring.

Mars Global Surveyor will carry five science instruments -- 
comprised largely of parts from the Mars Observer program -- 
aboard a small, industry-developed spacecraft that will 
aerobrake into its final Martian orbit using techniques 
refined by the Magellan mission to Venus.  Scheduled for 
launch in November 1996, it will capture much of the data 
that would have been obtained by Mars Observer.  Following 
Global Surveyor will be a series of small scientific and 
communications orbiters.  A separate series of landers will 
make surface measurements of the Martian climate and soil 
composition.   

In the pursuit of answers to long-held questions about the 
possibilities of ancient free flowing water and life on Mars, 
the Mars Surveyor effort should provide clues about the long-
term processes of atmospheric and geologic changes on Earth. 

Discovery Program $103.8 million

Previously, NASA's Discovery program consisted of two 
Discovery missions initiated in FY 1994 and currently under 
development:  Mars Pathfinder and the Near Earth Asteroid 
Rendezvous (NEAR).  The FY 1996 request augments the previous 
budget plan by $36.6 million and provides the new funding 
required to continue the Discovery program.  Within the next 
several months, NASA intends to select one or more new 
Discovery missions for detailed study, followed by 
development starting in 1996.  Twenty-eight formal proposals 
have been received and are currently under evaluation.

Mars Pathfinder, scheduled for launch in December 1996 aboard 
a Delta II, is designed to demonstrate the technology, 
systems and mission elements involved in landing a series of 
small surface stations and rovers on Mars.  The FY 1996 
funding request of $35.9 million supports completion of 
instrument and subsystem deliveries, spacecraft integration 
and final spacecraft systems testing before launch.

Following its February 1996 launch, NEAR will rendezvous with 
its main target, the near-Earth asteroid Eros, in early 1999.  
The spacecraft will orbit and study Eros for at least one 
year.  The FY 1996 funding request of $31.3 million supports 
completion of final spacecraft systems testing and 
preparation for its launch aboard a Delta II launch vehicle.

Explorer Program  $129.2 million

FY 1996, funding will continue development activities on the 
highly successful Explorer program.  These include the 
Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), the Transition Region 
and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), the Wide-field Infrared 
Explorer (WIRE), and the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic 
Explorer (FUSE).  ACE, scheduled for a 1997 launch, will 
study the composition of the solar corona, interplanetary and 
interstellar media, and galactic matter.  TRACE, scheduled 
for launch in late 1997, is a solar science mission that will 
observe the Sun to study the connection between its magnetic 
fields and the heating of the Sun's corona.  WIRE, scheduled 
for launch in late 1998, will detect and study the evolution 
of starburst galaxies, ultraluminous galaxies and luminous 
protogalaxies, all at extreme distances from Earth.  

The Explorer program currently is being restructured, with 
the goal of reducing costs in order to enable funding for a 
class of medium explorers with a one-per-year flight rate.  
The FUSE mission, pending approval of a restructuring plan, 
will be the first of these missions.  FUSE will conduct high 
resolution spectroscopy in the far ultraviolet region.

During the summer of 1995, three Explorer spacecraft are 
expected to launch.  These include the X-ray Timing Explorer 
(XTE), the Fast Auroral Snapshot (FAST) small explorer, and 
the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) small 
explorer.  XTE will provide a comprehensive record of the 
source of x-rays with varying intensity over time.  FAST will 
provide high resolution data on the Earth's aurora.  SWAS 
will provide discrete spectral data for study of the water, 
molecular oxygen, and carbon monoxide in dense interstellar 
clouds.

Cassini $191.5 million

Significant progress has been made toward preparing the 
Cassini mission for its scheduled launch to Saturn in October 
1997, including the recent successful completion of Critical 
Design Reviews for its ground system and the majority of 
spacecraft subsystems.  FY 1996 funding will support the 
completion of spacecraft subsystem and instrument integration 
and testing, and the initiation of system-level environmental 
testing. 

Saturn and its distinctive rings have been a source of 
fascination for Earth-bound astronomers for more than 300 
years.  Information relayed from the Pioneer and Voyager 
spacecraft flybys has provided some insights into this unique 
planetary system, while raising many more intriguing 
questions.  As a planetary orbiter, Cassini is designed to 
investigate in-depth why the gaseous outer planets have 
evolved so much differently than the rocky inner planets like 
Earth, and whether the Saturn's icy moons preserve a record 
of this formation.  The mission's European Space Agency-
provided Huygens probe will seek to determine whether the 
necessary building blocks for the chemical evolution of early 
life exist on Saturn's mysterious moon Titan.

AXAF $237.6 million

The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics program has made excellent 
progress over the past year.  Grinding and polishing of all 
AXAF mirrors has been completed five months ahead of schedule 
and ten months before the need date, and the shape and 
smoothness of the mirrors exceeds required specifications. 
Schedule margin towards the 1998 launch has increased by two 
months.  AXAF development will be about 2/3 complete by the 
end of FY 95, and about 80% complete by the end of FY 1996.  
During FY 1996, detailed design activities for the spacecraft 
should be completed, and fabrication of the flight structure 
will begin.  The spacecraft Critical Design Review is 
scheduled for February 1996.  AXAF will study the composition 
and nature of galaxies, stellar objects and interstellar 
phenomena as well as basic issues in theoretical physics.  

International Programs

A number of on-going international and U.S development 
projects are funded in the FY 1996 request.  These include 
the Japanese Astro-E mission; the Japanese and French High 
Energy Transient Experiment, a small satellite for study of 
gamma-ray burst phenomena; cooperative programs with Russia 
including the U.S. Stellar X-ray Polarimeter and Monitoring 
Experiment instruments to be flown on Russia's Spectrum X-
Gamma mission; and U.S. cooperation on Europe's Infrared 
Space Observatory, X-ray Mirror Mission, and the Rosetta 
comet mission.  The FY 1996 budget reflects the decision to 
proceed with U.S. participation in the Astro-E mission.  On 
the Astro-E mission, NASA is providing the x-ray spectrometer 
and will contribute improved foil mirrors and an x-ray 
calorimeter previously planned for the canceled AXAF-S 
mission. 

Gravity Probe-B Mission $51.5 million

The Relativity Mission proposes a major test of Einstein's 
general theory of relativity, which could have profound 
implications on science's understanding of the nature of the 
Universe.  Due to agency budget constraints, continuation of 
this mission beyond FY 1995 is currently under review.  An 
assessment of the  technical feasibility and scientific 
merits of the Gravity Probe-B Mission relative to other 
science priorities within the NASA budget by the National 
Academy of Sciences will be completed in mid-1995.  If the 
Academy recommends continuation of the Relativity Mission, 
equivalent offsets within the NASA budget must be identified 
to support the program in FY 1996 and beyond.

Mission Operations and Data Analysis (MO&DA) $556.4 million

MO&DA funds are used to support the prime missions of science 
spacecraft, ongoing analysis of selected mission data sets 
and support for future servicing requirements of the Hubble 
Space Telescope (see HST section below).  For FY 1996, $556.4 
million is requested.

*  In Planetary Exploration, operations for the Galileo 
spacecraft at Jupiter, NEAR during its cruise phase, and 
multimission support for other deep space missions will 
amount to $127.8 million.  

*  In Physics and Astronomy, the requested funds of $428.6 
million will support continuing operations and data analysis 
of the HST, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, Extreme 
Ultraviolet Explorer, International Ultraviolet Explorer, 
XTE, SWAS, ROSAT, the Astro-D/ASCA mission, Pioneer 10, 
Voyagers 1 & 2, Wind, Polar, SOHO, Cluster, FAST, Ulysses, 
IMP-8, Geotail, SAMPEX and Yohkoh missions.  

In FY 1996 the complete set of missions in the International 
Solar-Terrestrial Physics program are expected to be 
operational with the launches in FY 1995 and FY 1996 of FAST, 
SOHO, Polar, and Cluster which join Geotail and Wind in orbit 
to study the Sun and its influences on the Earth's space 
environment.

With a highly successful first servicing mission completed, 
followed by a year of unparalleled scientific discoveries, 
the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is expected to continue to 
generate an ongoing stream of major discoveries, as well 
generating great public interest.  The $226.2 million in 
MO&DA funds also will support planning and development of 
instruments and other critical components for future HST 
servicing missions.  These components include the recently-
selected Hubble Advanced Camera for Exploration to be 
installed on the third servicing mission in 1999, as well as 
the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and the Near 
Infrared Camera/Multi-Object Spectrometer, scheduled for 
installation during the 1997 servicing mission.

February 1995

OFFICE OF LIFE AND MICROGRAVITY SCIENCES AND APPLICATIONS 
(Code U)
Associate Administrator:  Harry Holloway, M.D.
Public Affairs Contact:  Michael Braukus, 202/358-1979

A total of $504 million is requested in the FY 1996 budget 
for the Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and 
Applications (OLMSA), including $134.4 million for Life 
Science Research, $139.9 million for Microgravity Science 
Research, $85.4 million for Shuttle/Spacelab mission 
management, $137.3 million for Space Station payload 
facilities, and $7 million for Aerospace Medicine and 
Occupational Health.

Life and Biomedical Sciences

OLMSA's Life and Biomedical Sciences program seeks to advance 
medical and biological knowledge and to develop technologies 
needed to protect the health of humans living and working in 
space.  The program works to facilitate the transfer of the 
knowledge and technology it gains to improve our nation's 
competitiveness, education and quality of life on Earth.

The life sciences program includes the ongoing Shuttle and 
Spacelab flight experiment programs; the cooperative research 
program with Russia, including the cooperative research 
aboard the Russian Mir Space Station; and the research 
program planned for the international Space Station.

During FY 1996, NASA will launch the Life and Microgravity 
Spacelab (LMS) into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.  
This 16-day Spacelab mission will carry 21 science 
investigations:  15 in life sciences and six in microgravity 
sciences.  NASA will launch its last scheduled Life Sciences 
spacelab in 1998, and OLMSA will begin supporting Neurolab's 
science investigators and developing their experiment 
hardware in FY 1996.

Life sciences will apply FY 1996 resources to continue the 
U.S./Russia cooperative research program.  The NASA/Mir 
investigations will enable the life sciences program to 
conduct research, develop new technologies, enhance 
capabilities for on-orbit environmental monitoring and expand 
basic knowledge of the effects of space walks on humans.  

Life sciences will continue to fund an expanding list of 
collaborative activities with the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH) in FY 1996.  Life sciences and NIH will continue 
to provide mutual support to a NASA-NIH specialized center of 
research and technology for research on the balance system at 
Northwestern Medical Center in Chicago.  Other collaborative 
research and technology projects include neurological and 
behavioral sciences research; developmental physiology and 
human development research; cardiovascular, pulmonary, and 
hematological systems research; and several cancer research 
projects, including work on advanced digital mammography 
techniques.  The agencies also are examining similarities 
between the effects of space flight and the aging process.

The life sciences small payloads program provides flight 
opportunities aboard the Space Shuttle or unmanned vehicles.  
In FY 1996, the program will finance 20 investigations 
including the NIH-Rodent 3 payload, which is a verification 
payload for Neurolab, and the Aquatic Research Facility, 
developed by the Canadian Space Agency.

Microgravity Sciences and Applications

OLMSA's microgravity sciences program works to develop a 
deeper understanding of important physical, chemical and 
biological processes by observing phenomena that are obscured 
by gravity in laboratories on Earth.  The results derived 
from conducting experiments in the Space Shuttle, the Mir 
space station and the International Space Station will 
stimulate the imagination of the academic and industrial 
science community, enhance the nations technological and 
industrial base and foster international cooperation.

Microgravity sciences will expend FY 1996 funds to continue 
experiment payload development for use in the Space Shuttle 
middeck, Spacelab, and Shuttle cargo bay.  Scheduled future 
missions include, the Life and Microgravity Spacelab  (LMS) 
mission, the Microgravity Science Laboratory mission and the 
United States Microgravity Payload (USMP) series of missions.  
NASA plans to fly the LMS and USMP-3 missions during FY 1996.  
Microgravity science funds also support principal 
investigators and data analysis during and after a mission.  
Ground-based research and analysis will continue in FY 1996 
in the areas of biotechnology, combustion sciences, fluid 
physics, material science and gravitational physics.

The continued NASA/Mir research program will include funding 
to support launching U.S. science hardware to Mir and support 
of science operations for the Mir experiments.  Microgravity 
sciences will use FY 1996 funding to develop experiments and 
support principal investigators, especially in the fields of 
combustion science and fluid physics, for the approaching 
operational phases of the International Space Station.

The requested FY 1996 funding level includes the continuation 
of the NASA/NIH cooperative program in biotechnology using 
the NASA developed bioreactor.  The microgravity program's 
cell culture technologies and protein crystal growth research 
will receive major emphasis for the next 5-6 years.

Shuttle/Spacelab Mission Management and Integration

The Mission Management and Integration program is responsible 
for mission planning, integration and successful execution of 
all NASA Spacelab, NASA/Mir and attached Shuttle payloads.

Mission management activities in FY 1996 will continue with 
the launch of several Space Shuttle module missions including 
LMS, NASA/Mir 3, NASA/Mir 4 and USMP-3.  Other mission 
planning efforts will support the final three flights of the 
NASA/Mir program, the MSL and the fourth flight of USMP.  
NASA will intensify Space Station planning and integration 
efforts as the first element launch date of space station 
approaches (12/97).

Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Health

This program provides for the health care and well-being of 
all NASA employees in their ground- and space-based work 
environments; and promotes applications of knowledge and 
technologies developed in the public and private sectors.

In FY 1996 Aerospace Medicine will continue to develop and 
demonstrate an operational telemedicine system for medical 
consultations between U.S. and Russian sites.  The program 
will provide operational medical support for NASA/Mir 
missions and the International Space Station.  It will 
perform a comprehensive risk assessment and review of medical 
requirements in preparation for Space Station, and continue 
and/or initiate collaborative efforts with national and 
international agencies to apply NASA derived technology for 
health applications.

Space Station Payload Facilities

The International Space Station will be the world's premier 
laboratory facility for studying the role of gravity in 
biological, physical and chemical systems.  OLMSA plans to 
use the Space Station as a science and technology research 
institute in space to advance fundamental scientific 
knowledge and to contribute new scientific discoveries for 
the benefit of the United States.  OLMSA will manage its 
Space Station effort to accelerate the rate at which it 
develops beneficial applications.  The program will deliver 
the capability to perform unique, long-duration, 
microgravity-dependent, space-based research in cell and 
developmental biology, plant biology, human physiology, 
biotechnology, fluid physics, combustion science, materials 
science and benchmark physics.

OLMSA's life sciences Space Station payload facilities 
program will develop three important Space Station hardware 
facilities: the Human Research Facility (HRF), the 
Gravitational Biology Facility (GBF) and the Centrifuge 
Facility (CF).

During FY 1996, the HRF project will continue the development 
of four racks of research hardware.  The initial design of 
the first rack of GBF hardware will be completed and members 
of the science community will conduct tests to evaluate the 
science utility of the design.  OLMSA will select a 
centrifuge contractor which will develop the centrifuge 
rotor, its habitat holding racks and the support rack.  The 
CF project plans to complete preliminary design reviews in FY 
1996.

The microgravity sciences Space Station payload facilities 
program will develop three major facilities for the Space 
Station; the Biotechnology Facility (BTF), the Fluids and 
Combustion Facility (FCF) and the Space Station Furnace 
Facility (SSFF).  These facilities, coupled with 
investigator-class payloads, will support a wide array of 
research in biotechnology, combustion science, fluids 
science, materials science and gravitational physics.

In FY 1996, the BTF experiment control computer will control 
cell and tissue culture experiments onboard the Mir space 
station.  This Mir precursor flight will reduce risk in the 
design and development of full facility operations for Space 
Station.  The BTF program will conduct its Critical Design 
Review near the end of FY 1996.  The SSFF core will be 
fabricated after the critical design review in December 1996.  
Modifications to the U.S. Spacelab furnace will begin in 
early 1996 to allow it to be the first U.S. furnace module in 
the facility .

In addition to the major facility-class payload facilities, 
NASA plans to fly smaller, less complex payloads on the 
International Space Station which will typically have more 
focused research objectives and shorter development time 
cycles.  The Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space 
Station (EXPRESS) rack project provides a means for 
accommodating these smaller payloads.   The EXPRESS rack will 
enable a simple, streamlined analytical and physical 
integration process for small payloads by providing standard 
hardware and software interfaces.  The project includes a 
precursor flight of an EXPRESS rack in FY 1997 on the MSL 
Spacelab mission.  EXPRESS racks will be available to support 
initial payload operations in the U.S. Laboratory on the 
Space Station.

February 1995

OFFICE OF SPACE ACCESS AND TECHNOLOGY (Code X)
Associate Administrator:  Dr. John E. Mansfield
Public Affairs Contact:   Jim Cast, 202/358-1779

The goal of the Office of Space Access and Technology is to 
pursue, in partnership with industry and government, new and 
innovative technologies that will meet the challenges and 
lower the costs of future space missions.  The Space Access 
and Technology program stimulates the development of advanced 
space technologies which improves the international 
competitiveness of U.S. aerospace and non-aerospace 
industries.  The ability of the U.S. to compete in the global 
market mandates that it develop new and innovative 
technologies that will dramatically lower the cost to 
develop, build and launch new spacecraft.  The OSAT budget 
request of $705.6 million in FY 1996 supports these new 
technologies and brings us closer to meeting the overall 
goal.  Highlights of the program are listed below.

Advanced Space Transportation $193 million

The goal of the Advanced Transportation program is to develop 
new technologies aimed at revolutionizing access to space.  
These new technologies are targeted at reducing launch costs 
dramatically over the next decade, increasing the safety and 
reliability of both current and next generation launch 
vehicles and increasing the reliability of spacecraft 
propulsion systems while reducing cost and weight.

In accordance with the National Space Transportation Policy 
released in August 1994, NASA is taking the lead in 
developing the technology for the next generation reusable 
space transportation system.  FY 1996 funding for the program 
provides for systems engineering and concept analysis ($4.7 
million), ground-based technology development ($59.3 
million), and a series of flight demonstrators ($95.0 
million) -- the DC-XA, the X-34 Small Booster technology 
testbed and the X-33 Large-Scale Advanced Technology 
Demonstrator.

Each part of this integrated program contributes to the 
process of validating key component technologies, proving 
that they can be integrated into a functional vehicle and 
demonstrating that they can be operated as required to make 
low-cost access to space a reality.

Spacecraft and Remote Sensing $177.5 million

The Spacecraft and Remote Sensing program has the primary 
goals of developing advanced spacecraft technology and 
systems concepts to reduce cost and increase performance of 
current and planned missions; to enable future missions; and 
to support the commercial development of space.  The program 
also has the goal of establishing and maintaining technical 
expertise not only critical to the success of NASA missions, 
but also valuable to the success of other government 
initiatives.

The Spacecraft and Remote Sensing program encompasses a range 
of technology, from far-term basic research to identify and 
exploit major new scientific and technical discoveries, 
through more near-term focused efforts aimed at specific user 
needs.  Organizationally, the program is focused along three 
general thrusts emphasizing the development and delivery of 
technology products.  The first thrust, Earth applications, 
focuses on scientific Earth observing systems technology to 
better understand global change and to develop commercial 
remote sensing as a viable new space industry.  The second 
thrust is technology for space science missions including 
space physics, deep space observation and planetary 
exploration.  The third technology thrust supports 
developments for Earth-orbiting platforms such as occupied 
space stations.  All three efforts are supported by specific 
activities implemented through cross-cutting technology areas 
including power and propulsion, materials and structures, 
operations, robotics, sensors and instruments and electronics 
and avionics.

In addition, NASA's efforts in the government-industry 
collaboration in automotive technologies, referred to as the 
Partnership for a Next Generation Vehicle (PNGV), are funded 
in this budget at $7.0 million.  PNGV, established by the 
President and the "Big 3" U.S. automobile manufacturers in 
1993, has the goals of:  (1) advancing manufacturing 
technology to improve productivity; (2) developing technology 
to improve the emissions and economy of conventional 
automobiles (3-5 years); and, (3) designing and developing 
technology and production prototype vehicles to triple 
current fuel economy in a "Taurus/Lumina/Concorde"-like 
automobile within 10-years.  NASA's role in the PNGV is 
primarily to develop advanced aerospace technology with 
direct application to the goals of the partnership.  The 
agency also uses its systems experience to lead the PNGV 
systems analysis activity and guide overall investment in the 
most promising vehicle concepts and technologies.

Advanced Smallsat Technology $33.9 million

The major goals of the Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative 
(SSTI) are to demonstrate how to reduce the cost and 
development time of space missions for science and commercial 
applications; to demonstrate new design and qualification 
methods for small spacecraft, including use of commercial and 
performance-based specifications and integration of small 
instrumentation technology into bus design; and to 
proactively promote commercial technology applications.

NASA is capitalizing on recent U.S. industry developments in 
the early generations of lightweight satellite concepts and 
critical subsystem component technology.  These developments 
have demonstrated the potential capability for small 
spacecraft design and methodology to greatly reduce the cost 
of civil and military space missions.  At the present time, 
international competition to design and launch more advanced 
commercial spacecraft for remote sensing and communications 
is impacting market opportunities for current products of the 
U.S. space industry.  This major national effort will exploit 
the "next generation" of miniaturization techniques for 
spacecraft components, advanced instrumentation and sensors 
in order to integrate them into U.S. advanced design 
concepts.

By using highly integrated teams of industry, small business, 
academia and government technologists, SSTI will demonstrate 
on-orbit--in a fast-track timeframe--advanced technologies 
for future space systems and develop new ways of conducting 
business that are unfettered by government specifications and 
excessive oversight.  As an example, NASA currently has 
contracts with TRW and CTA, Inc., for the design, 
development, production and launch of two advanced smallsats, 
named "Lewis" and "Clark", respectively.  These innovative, 
cost-plus-incentive-fee contracts contain clauses which 
should mitigate any cost overruns.  The integrated 
development team concept was emphasized in these contracts 
and resulted in a significantly larger percentage of small 
and disadvantaged business involvement.

Space Processing $18.1 million

The Space Processing program within Space Access and 
Technology has three major goals.  The first is to foster the 
development of new products using the unique micro-gravity 
and vacuum attributes of space.  The second is to increase 
U.S. business participation and investment in space-linked 
commercial goods and services in order to benefit the U.S. 
industries involved and the economy as a whole.  The third is 
to provide the opportunity for students to engage with 
industry in space program activities.

The Space Processing program is conducted in partnership with 
NASA's Life and Microgravity Science and Applications 
program, industry, universities, state governments and other 
federal agencies.  Utilizing program bases at universities 
and NASA field centers provides excellent opportunities to 
seek numerous and varied industrial affiliations.  The Space 
Processing program provides the required access to 
experimental facilities and offers frequent access to space 
utilizing the Space Shuttle middeck, SPACEHAB, Spacelab and 
Wake Shield facilities.  Such access is prohibitively 
expensive for most single corporations or small businesses, 
and this barrier to entry has greatly retarded the commercial 
development of space-linked products.  Through the cost-
sharing partnerships among NASA, the universities and 
industry offered by the Space Processing program, private 
enterprises of all sizes are able to afford the research most 
important to the development of space-linked commercial 
products.

Flight Programs $76 million

The primary goal of the Flight Programs budget element is to 
support the development and launch of flight experiments that 
will validate advanced space technologies, promote the 
creation of new knowledge, expand learning opportunities for 
students and produce new jobs, products and industries.  The 
primary goals of the In-Space Technology Experiments Program 
(IN-STEP) funded in the Flight Experiments budget element 
($30.1 million) are:  to reduce the cost and risk associated 
with future space missions; and to improve U.S. industry 
competitiveness by developing and operating the innovative 
flight experiments required to validate advanced technologies 
or investigate space environmental effects.  A secondary goal 
of the IN-STEP is to support U.S. educational objectives 
through the use of the "fast-track" student experiment 
program.

The goal of the Space Station Utilization program ($37.1 
million) is to support the development and operation of space 
processing and technology research using space stations as 
long-duration orbital facilities.  The long-duration space 
experiments created by the Space Station Utilization program 
will allow development of new products for both aerospace and 
non-aerospace applications, and for both commercial and 
government use.  An additional goal for the Phase I Space 
Station experiments is to reduce risk for follow-on Phase 
II/III Station experiments.

NASA's Commercial Middeck Augmentation Module contract ($8.1 
million) with SPACEHAB, Inc., enables industry participation 
in the commercial development of space by providing 
additional Shuttle middeck-type accommodations.

Commercial Technology Programs $40.4 million

NASA's goal is to elevate the commercial technology mission 
to a fundamental NASA mission, as important as any in the 
agency, by reinventing the way that the agency imparts the 
benefits of its knowledge, capabilities and research efforts 
into the national economy and the way that NASA derives 
benefits from the technological strength of American 
industry.

NASA is in the process of implementing a new way of doing 
business in the area of technology transfer.  Changes in the 
national R&D investment guidelines have elevated the 
commercial technology mission to a fundamental NASA mission.  
NASA's Agenda for Change, approved by the Administrator in 
July 1994, is the agency's blueprint for achieving this 
mission.  The Agenda for Change is organized into six 
sections, each reflecting an important aspect of this new way 
of doing business.  The six sections are:  Commercial 
Technology Policy; Commercial Technology Business Practices; 
Marketing NASA's Capabilities; Commercial Technology Metrics; 
Cultural Change Through Training and Education; and the 
Commercial Technology Electronic Network.  Each section 
implements components of the national and agency policies in 
order to reinvent the way that NASA transfers technology to 
and from the national economy.

Launch Vehicle Support $37.6 million

Through the Launch Services Mission Support budget, the 
Launch Vehicles Office (LVO) aggregates NASA and NOAA and 
international cooperative mission requirements and 
establishes appropriate acquisition strategies for purchasing 
firm, fixed-price launch services from the U.S. industry to 
support the various mission requirements.  The LVO also 
provides the required technical oversight of the commercial 
expendable launch vehicle (ELV) operator's delivery of 
service.  The objective is to provide affordable, 100-percent 
successful delivery to space.

Since the re-introduction of a national mixed fleet strategy 
in 1987, the LVO has delivered 100% successful launch 
services (24 ELV and 9 upper stages).  

Small Business Innovation Research Programs $129.1 million

The goal of NASA's Small Business programs is to promote the 
widest possible award of NASA research contracts within the 
small business community and to facilitate commercialization 
of these research results by the small business community.

Established by Congress, the Small Business Innovation 
Research (SBIR) program helps NASA develop innovative 
technologies by providing competitive research contracts to 
U.S.-owned small businesses.  NASA typically receives 2,300 
or more individual proposals each year.  Proposals are 
evaluated by the NASA field centers for scientific and 
technical merit; key staff qualifications; soundness of work 
plan; and anticipated commercial benefits.  NASA HQ program 
offices provide additional insight into commercial 
applications, program balance and critical agency 
requirements.  Selections are made by NASA HQ based on these 
recommendations and other considerations.  Typically, about 
600 awards are made each year.

The NASA Small Business Technology Transfer Pilot program 
(STTR) is a three-year program established in 1994.  In STTR, 
small businesses and research institutions with technological 
and business expertise submit joint proposals to convert 
intellectual property resident in the research institution 
into products that meet a NASA need and have commercial 
potential.  The STTR program, though modeled after the SBIR 
program, is a separate activity with separate funding and 
important differences in scope relative to SBIR.  The STTR 
program is to stimulate and foster scientific and 
technological innovation, including increasing 
commercialization of federal R&D.  

February 1995

MISSION TO PLANET EARTH (Code Y)
Associate Administrator:  Charles Kennel
Public Affairs Contact:  Brian Dunbar, 202/358-1547

The total Fiscal Year 1996 Budget Request for the Mission to 
Planet Earth (MTPE) Office is $1.3411 billion.

The overall goal of the Mission to Planet Earth is to 
understand the total Earth system and the effects of natural 
and human-induced changes on the global environment.  To 
preserve and improve the Earth's environment for future 
generations, governments around the world need policies based 
upon the strongest possible scientific understanding.  The 
vantage point of space provides information about the Earth's 
land, atmosphere, ice, oceans, and life that is obtainable in 
no other way.  In concert with the global research community, 
the MTPE is developing the understanding needed to support 
the complex environmental policy decisions that lie ahead and 
is establishing the foundation for long-term environmental 
monitoring and climate prediction.

Earth Observing System $591.1 million

The EOS program consists of a series of U.S. and 
international spacecraft, with the first launch--EOS-AM-1--
planned for 1998.  The overall goal of the Earth Observing 
System (EOS) is to advance the understanding of the Earth's 
global environment by improving our knowledge of its 
components, the interactions between them, and how the Earth 
system is changing.  EOS will study the atmosphere, oceans, 
ice, biosphere, land surface and solid Earth, particularly 
the flow of energy and the cycling of chemicals through the 
environment.

EOS Data and Information System $289.8 million

The EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) will produce the 
data and information products from the EOS, preserve them and 
all other MTPE observations and make all these data and 
information easily available to users ranging from the 
scientific communities to local governments and the education 
community.  EOSDIS is critical to achieving the goals of 
Mission to Planet Earth by enabling the public to benefit 
fully from our increased understanding and observations of 
the environment.

Earth Probes $36.9 million

The Earth Probes program addresses specific, highly-focused 
mission requirements.  It has the flexibility to take 
advantage of unique opportunities presented by international 
cooperative efforts or technical innovation, and to 
complement EOS by providing the ability to investigate 
processes that require special orbits or have unique 
requirements.  The currently approved Earth Probes are three 
Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometers (TOMS), scheduled for 
launch in mid-1995 aboard a Pegasus launch vehicle, February 
1996, aboard Japan's Advanced Earth Observing Satellite 
(ADEOS) and 2000 in a cooperative mission with the Russians; 
the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT), also aboard ADEOS; and the 
U.S.-Japanese Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), 
scheduled for launch from Japan in 1997.

Payload and Instrument Development $4.9 million

Payloads and instrument development has two parts, 
atmospheric payloads and solid Earth payloads.  The goals of 
the atmospheric payloads program are to provide information 
related to the chemical constituency and dynamics of the 
Earth's atmosphere, and to provide highly calibrated 
measurements against which other measurements, particularly 
satellite data, can be compared.  The goal of the solid Earth 
payloads program is to demonstrate the technology and 
analytical techniques needed to make multi-frequency, multi-
polarization active radar measurements of the Earth's surface 
(i.e., land, sea, and ice).  

Applied Research and Data Analysis $308.4 million

The goal of Applied Research and Data Analysis is to advance 
our understanding of global climate and to provide the 
computer models and other tools necessary for understanding 
global climate change.  The program is divided into two major 
components:  Mission to Planet Earth Science (MTPE Science) 
and Operations, Data Retrieval and Storage.  MTPE Science 
contributes unique interdisciplinary scientific understanding 
of the global environment and the effects human activities 
have on it.  Operations, Data Retrieval and Storage consist 
of several independent activities responsible for spacecraft 
operations, the purchase and management of scientific data, 
and the provision of computing infrastructure.

GLOBE $5.0 million

NASA is participating in an interagency program involving 
NOAA, NSF and EPA.  The GLOBAL OBSERVATIONS TO BENEFIT THE 
ENVIRONMENT (GLOBE) Initiative will link scientific discovery 
with the education process in the study of the Earth's global 
environment.  The objective is to bring school children, 
teachers, and scientists together to: (1) enhance 
environmental awareness of individuals throughout the world; 
(2) contribute to scientific understanding of the Earth; and 
(3) help all students reach higher standards in science and 
mathematics.  In April 1995, on Earth Day, the first major 
observing event will occur, involving approximately 200 
schools worldwide.

Launch Services $88.0 million

This line item provides funding to NASA's Launch Vehicle 
Office to procure launch services for MTPE missions.  FY 1996 
funds will support continued preparations for the 1998 
launches of Landsat 7 and the first EOS satellite.

Construction of Facilities $17.0 million

The MTPE budget request includes funds to continue 
construction of the Earth System Science Building at GSFC.

February 1995

             -end 1996 Budget Briefing Package-