Washington Updates

In mid-November, the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing on Exploring Mars and Beyond: What’s Next for U.S. Planetary Science. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., called the Mars Sample Return Mission a “very expensive undertaking” and suggested an “obvious option would be to engage with the European…

At a Nov. 16 Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard hearing on Weathering Change: Need for Continued Innovation in Forecasting and Prediction, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, expressed concern about recent Government Accountability Office (GA0) reports indicating that the Joint Polar Satellite System JPSS-1 mission may be delayed by technical development problems. A…

 Republicans on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee recently sent a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction recommending “over $1.5 billion in savings in FY 2012,” including cutting $177 million from the NASA budget by taking the following actions: • Cancel the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)-2 missions • Reduce the Other…

 The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report last month on the proposed Department of Defense (DoD) block buy acquisition strategy for Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELVs), recommending that the DoD “assess engine costs and mission assurance activities, reassess the length of the proposed block buy and consider how to address broader launch acquisition and…

 The Senate has begun a debate on a “minibus” appropriations bill, H.R. 2112, that combines the bills for Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Commerce-Justice-Science. The Commerce-Justice-Science bill includes funds for both NASA and NOAA. Although subject to numerous amendments, the package has not affected funding levels for NASA or NOAA space programs. The…

In October, the Space Foundation held a senior executive luncheon focused on cyber security featuring Air Force Space Command Vice Commander Lt. Gen. Michael Basla, USAF. Attended by 26 Space Foundation corporate member executives, the event was hosted by Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham and Vice President – Washington Operations Brendan Curry. Basla…