It is going to be interesting as we watch for what becomes the reality of NASA funding, now under the majority direction of the conservative element of our government. It is the conservatives that generally take the position of the more we spend directed toward increasing space engineering/space exploration efforts, the more mankind directly benefits from NASA's accomplishments. Of course, the Democrats continually want to spend more directed toward self-serving Earth-bound missions. Will be interesting to see what happens!! :)
The Hill.com
A battle of interplanetary proportions is brewing on Capitol Hill.
It's not "Star Wars," but partisan lines are quickly being drawn in a budget battle over the future of NASA, which could have a long-term impact on the space agency's ability to explore the deepest corners of space as well as the ground beneath our feet.
On one side are Republicans who accuse the Obama administration of taking its eye off the ball by funneling too much money into research about the planet Earth, rather than focusing on distant worlds and stars.
On the other, Democrats argue that the administration's plan is critical to harness the best of NASA's talents, protect our planet and consistent with the agency's wide-ranging mission.
Now that Republicans control both chambers of Congress for the first time in years, the fight is spilling into the open.
"In the past six years, too much of NASA's focus has been driven by the political agenda of politicians in Washington rather than the core mission of focusing on space exploration," said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who leads the Senate subcommittee on Space, after a hearing on the agency's budget this week.
"That's what NASA was created to do and it's where its energy should be focused."
Cruz pledged to flex Capitol Hill's muscle by passing a NASA authorization bill that "continue this discussion of getting back to the core priorities of NASA."
But Democrats are likely to push back.
Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), the top Democrat on Cruz's panel, warned against "false choices" between exploring distant worlds and studying our own planet.
"Rather, we should seek a set of complementary initiatives that will pay returns to our civilization for centuries to come," he said.
"Earth science directly relates to everything that we're doing in exploration," echoed Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).
In its budget request for fiscal 2016, NASA asked for a total of $18.5 billion, a 3 percent increase from last year.
Of that, more than $1.9 billion is slated to go to earth science programs, which will pay for high-quality mapping and the development of a slew of satellites for monitoring the planet, among other issues.
About $4.5 billion is requested for exploration, meanwhile, including development of rockets to be launched into deep space. Another $4 billion is slated for space operations, including support of the International Space Station.
According to Cruz, that represents a 41 percent increase in earth science funding since 2009, compared to a 7 percent decrease in funding for exploration and operations.
"Are we focusing on the heavens in NASA or are we focusing on dirt in Texas?" asked Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.).
More: http://thehill.com/policy/technology/235719-battle-brewing-over-nasa-funding