The Huntsville Times reported this weekend that key members of Congress have asked NASA to retain funding for its robotic lunar exploration office, located at MSFC but slated for closure under the agency’s FY07 operating plan. The letter, written by keep appropriations subcommittee chairs Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Alan Mollohan, and endorsed by Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, directs NASA to retain the $20 million for the Lunar Precursor and Robotics Program office, although it doesn’t specifically indicate that the office should remain at Marshall. NASA wants to close the office as a cost-saving measure, particularly since the agency has decided it doesn’t need (or can’t afford) any follow-ons to the LRO/LCROSS mission in 2008. The same letter also directs NASA to continue work on the Space Interferometry Mission and restore funding for science education and a solar probe mission. (An article in this week’s Space News has more details.)
Here’s the curious part.
The article says, “Canceling the lander mission would save NASA $105.8 million this year, according to the operating plan.”
However, the Congressional letter is merely “directing the agency to spend $20 million this year to continue work on a follow-on to the 2008 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.”
Restoring 19% of the money might allow the office to remain open, but it’s hard to see how the mission could proceed unless it was redesigned along faster, better, cheaper lines.
RLEP landers could provide vital data for many potential business ventures that just cant close right now because of large unknowns. Water Ice ? Sunlight illumination conditions ? LunOX demo ?
I’d say it would be smart of the NewSpace people to get behind the robotic part of VSE, as its about the only useful thing that looks to be coming out of this. Certainly better value for the dollars spent than any of the Stick&Constellation thingies.
The question is, will you once drink mineral water bottled on lunar poles or not ? Think of the novelty value ..