Earlier today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met with National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator Bolden over the agency's 2011 budget. Many committee members spoke of the great achievements and promising plans made over its 52 year existence yet congratulatory remarks led to the condition of NASA and America's manned space flight future.
Committee Chairwoman Mukulski said NASA's new budget listed increases in science studies ($5 billion), extending the life of the International Space Station ($2.8 billion), properly retiring the Shuttle fleet ($990 million), and keeping astronauts safe but the hearing centered on the Constellation program(-$2 billion but around $8.8 billion in canceling costs), said to be cancelled then seemingly reinstated by the Obama Administration. The loss of the program would deny Americans access to Low Earth Orbit and would rely mostly on private companies for transportation ($1.4 billion). Many members voiced their opposition to this reality because companies are just starting up or have failed in the past, resulting in billions lost and a continued reliance on NASA vehicles.
NASA plans a 1.5% budgetary increase, which would bring the total budgetto $19 billion in 2011.