NASA’s space technology efforts received 18 percent less than requested in President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2015 budget request, according to legislation approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC).
The civil space agency requested $705.5 million for space technology, but only received $580.2 million from appropriators. The report accompanying the bill notes that the funds allocated are $4.2 million more than appropriated in FY ’14. For its part, the full House approved $620 million for NASA space technology, thanks in part to an amendment issued by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) that increased space technology funding by $7 million, offset by a reduction in space operations.
The SAC report describes the space technology program as funding basic research that can advance multi-purpose technologies to enable new approaches to NASA’s current missions. The program includes NASA’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
The committee says it prioritized funding for ongoing activities including Crosscutting Space Technology, which covers projects like advancing nanotechnology research and applications, innovation in rapid prototyping for low-cost manufacturing, composite cryogenic propellants and advancing technology readiness of materials and devices critical for future space exploration. Within the funds provided for Crosscutting Space Technology, SAC provides $17 million for flight opportunities, according to the report.
Exploration was a big winner in the bill, receiving 9.9 percent more than requested, thanks largely to $2 billion appropriated for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). The bill text states that of the money allocated for SLS, $1.7 billion is for launch vehicle development and $351 million for exploration ground systems. The bill also calls for SLS to have a lift capability not less than 130 metric tons and an upper stage and other core elements developed simultaneously. The committee appropriated for $4.4 billion for exploration while NASA requested roughly $4 billion.
The biggest winner in the bill was education, receiving $108 million, 22 percent more than the $89 million requested. SAC, overall, appropriated $17.9 billion for NASA. The agency requested $17.5 billion.
The Senate Democrats website said at 11:56 a.m. on June 19 the upper chamber resumed consideration of the motion to proceed to the CJS appropriations bill, which also includes the Transportation, Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) departments.