From: rsherme@diamond.nswc.navy.mil (Russel Shermer (R43))
Newsgroups: sci.research
Subject: fyi #113: SACR: NASA Space Science
Date: 18 Aug 92 19:50:35 GMT
Organization: NAVSWC DD White Oak Det.

Posted for:
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
Contact:  Audrey T. Leath
Phone: (202) 332-9662
Email: fyi@aip.org



Senate Appropriations Committee Report:  NASA Space Science

FYI No. 113, August 18, 1992

The Senate Appropriations Committee has produced the report, S.
Rept. 102-356, to accompany its version of H.R. 5679, the VA, HUD,
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 1993.  The
Committee recommendation with respect to NASA is as follows
(details of the recommendation for Space Station Freedom will be
given in FYI #114):

NASA:

Appropriations, 1992               $14,316,050,000
Administration Request, 1993        14,993,027,000
House Bill                          13,633,390,980
Senate Committee Recommendation     14,153,200,000

Below are selected portions of the report as it pertains to space
science and applications.  All amounts are changes made to the
President's budget request:

     -$7,500,000 from the advanced x ray astrophysics facility.
The Committee believes that NASA has acted appropriately in
restructuring the AXAF mission into two separate flight
opportunities.

     +$30,500,000 to physics and astronomy payload and instrument
development for the gravity-probe b mission.

     -$13,500,000 from the search for extra terrestrial
intelligence mission [the full request].

     +$10,000,000 to space biological sciences for research and
flight experiment opportunities to implement the NASA-NIH
biomedical protocol in microgravity sciences only.

     -$60,000,000 from materials processing.  To strengthen the
agency's relationship with NIH, particularly in biomedical sciences
for microgravity flight opportunities, NASA should consider
consolidating common functions in both the life sciences and
materials processing divisions.

     +$694,300,000 for space science mission operations and data
analysis only, to be allocated as follows:

          $420,900,000 for physics and astronomy, a reduction of
$20,000,000 below the budget request.  The Committee recommends the
full request for Hubble Space Telescope operations, servicing, and
data analysis;
          $161,300,000 for planetary exploration, $9,000,000 below
the budget request;
          $112,100,000 for Earth science and applications,
$30,000,000 below the budget request.

     +414,100,000 for space science and applications research and
analysis only, to be allocated as follows:

          $70,400,000 for physics and astronomy, $11,000,000 below
the budget request;
          $51,600,000 for life sciences, $4,000,000 below the
budget request;
          $100,400,000 for planetary exploration, $6,500,000 below
the budget request;
          $174,200,000 for Earth science and applications;
          $17,500,000 for materials sciences, the same amount as
the budget request.

"The Committee has created separate program elements within space
science and applications for mission operations and data analysis
[MO&DA], and for research and analysis [R&A], due to its ongoing
concern about NASA's willingness to use these funds to accommodate
cost overruns in flight development projects.  This practice
hinders sound contract management by giving program managers access
to reserve funds over and above what they have initially budgeted.
In addition, it limits the scientific analysis done through funds
in these two areas."

"The Committee has included the full amount requested, $391,000,000
for the Earth observing system [EOS].  The Committee notes the
enormous effort which NASA and the Office of Space Science and
Applications have undertaken to restructure this important project.
Nevertheless, future restraints on Federal spending make it likely
that the fully restructured baseline for the EOS project,
$11,000,000,000 through fiscal year 2000, is not attainable.  As a
result, the Committee directs NASA to adjust the EOS program..."
[The Committee report caps the total project cost of EOS, through
2000, at $8,000,000,000, exclusive of construction of facility,
launch, and tracking requirements.  The report also recommends that
NASA "adopt a common spacecraft approach for all EOS platforms
after the initial EOS AM-1 spacecraft."]

Other report sections include: Space transportation capability
development, Commercial programs, Aeronautical research and
technology, Space research and technology, Other programs, and
Space station.

The full Senate intends to vote on the VA/HUD bill when it returns
from recess on September 8.


###############
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
Contact:  Audrey T. Leath
(202) 332-9662
##END##########