White House Releases NASA 2020 Budget
What’s Up in Astronomy
By Joe Maginnis
The Presidential Budget Request for fiscal year 2020 was released on Monday, March 11, and it included a proposed budget of $21 billion for NASA – a ~$500 million cut from what was appropriated for fiscal 2019. In the budget proposal, The Trump Administration stayed true to several initiatives they have been pushing since signing Space Policy Directive-1 (SPD-1). They include: manned missions to the Moon and Mars; commercialization of low Earth orbit; development of in-space manufacturing technology; and programs that will support the American private space sector. It also re-engaged on a hotly debated space topic – transitioning the International Space Station to commercial use by 2025 to free up budget space for deeper space exploration.
Speaking of deeper space exploration, one of the stars of the 2020 budget proposal was the Lunar Gateway Project, which had its funding nearly doubled to $820 million. The project is focused on establishing a human outpost in orbit around the moon. The requested budget increase is aimed at supporting continued development of the first module, the Power and Propulsion Element, which is scheduled for launch in 2022. The International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG), which includes NASA, deemed The Gateway a critical next step to expanding human presence to the moon, Mars and beyond. It will also develop technologies for in-space manufacturing, satisfying one of the President’s major goals of developing technologies for later commercial use. Looking forward, The Administration expects funding for NASA to plateau. New funding for vital project needs will likely be drawn from the $3 billion in annual U.S. support for the International Space Station, which The Administration plans to end by 2025.
