Washington Updates

April 11 The Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee held a hearing on NASA’s FY 2012 budget request. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden told lawmakers that, in the current tough fiscal environment, the space agency would have to push back the launch date of several missions. For example, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) had…

NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding that formalizes agency collaborations that use Earth science data to address developmental challenges, and to assist in disaster mitigation and humanitarian responses. The agreement also encourages NASA and USAID to apply geospatial technologies to solve development challenges affecting the…

On March 14, the Space Foundation hosted a breakfast briefing on the national security space strategy for Congress featuring Ambassador Gregory Schulte, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, who briefed attendees and fielded questions. Schulte outlined the strategy’s three major objectives: to maintain the advantages that space provides the U.S. to protect…

According to a story from The Associated Press, the Russians are hiking the price of rocket rides again for U.S. astronauts – to nearly $63 million. The price goes up in 2014 for an astronaut to fly to and from the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The previous contract charged just under…

The House Science, Space & Technology Committee held a hearing March 2 on NASA’s FY 2012 budget request, which proposes $18.7 billion in funds for the space agency. Administrator Charles Bolden testified before the Committee. Members of Congress from both parties voiced their concerns that the funding priorities outlined in NASA’s budget request did not…

The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing March 15 on the FY 2012 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for National Security Space Activities. Witnesses included: The Honorable Erin Conaton, under secretary of the Air Force, U.S Department of Defense General William Shelton, commander, Air Force Space Command Ambassador Gregory Schulte, deputy…