Wednesday, May 23, 2012

space

« Social Media | Tech Daily Dose Home | Archives | Spectrum »

Obama's NASA Budget Mirrors Last Year's Appropriations

By Josh Smith
February 13, 2012 | 10:55 a.m.

He may have come close to matching last year's approved budget for NASA, but President Obama's expected budget proposals for the space agency are already eliciting criticism from Congress.

When the White House unveils its budget on Monday it is expected to ask for $17.7 billion for NASA with a slight drop from the $17.8 billion budget Congress approved last year, but it's a 5 percent cut compared to the $18.7 billion that Obama envisioned when he submitted his budget last year, according to Space.com.

Some departments would suffer more cutbacks than others. The budget for NASA's planetary science division, which studies other planets and moons, would be reduced by 20 percent from $1.5 billion to $1.2 billion. The cuts would end a joint NASA program with the European Space Agency to send probes to Mars.

Last year the House Appropriations Committee proposed up to $578 million in cuts from NASA, but members of Congress from states with NASA facilities had already voiced their opposition to Obama's plans.

Tags:

, , ,

NASA To Announce Where New Mars Rover Will Land

By Maggie Fox
July 18, 2011 | 3:55 p.m.

NASA will announce on Friday where its new Mars rover will land. The original two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, were sent to different sites in 2003. Spirit sputtered out in March, but Opportunity is still rolling. Both far exceeded their original 3-month missions.

The first two rovers were sent up on a Delta II rocket. The next mission will go on an Atlas V, and the maker of the rockets hopes the same Atlas V will carry the next astronauts into space from U.S. soil. Read more on that here.

Rain Still Threatening Shuttle Launch

By Maggie Fox
July 8, 2011 | 12:25 a.m.

It's still raining on the Cape and chances look dismal for NASA to get an on-time launch of the space shuttle Atlantis -- the very last time a shuttle will go into space. Our full story here and some NASA video of Thursday's lightning here.

Tags:

, ,

Shuttle Discovery Blasts Off For Final Time

By Josh Smith
February 24, 2011 | 5:47 p.m.

NASA's most traveled space shuttle safely took off for its 39th, and final, mission Thursday.

The 27-year-old Discovery carried six astronauts into space Thursday afternoon as crowds cheered. Two more shuttle missions are planned before the entire program comes to an end.

"Good to be here," Discovery Commander Steve Lindsey radioed soon after reaching orbit, according to NASA.

Although the launch looked smooth, foam could be seen falling off in television coverage of the liftoff. Damage from broken off foam insulation was blamed for the 2003 Columbia disaster, in which all seven astronauts died.

House Science, Space and Technology Chairman Ralph Hall, R-Texas, joined several members of his committee in traveling to Florida's Kennedy Space Center to witness Discovery's final launch.

"Our nation's Shuttle Program has been a point of pride for the last 30 years, ferrying astronauts into earth orbit to build and utilize the International Space Station, and launching a multitude of scientific satellites that have expanded our knowledge of the universe," said Hall, who added the "space" to the panel's name after taking over the chairmanship at the beginning of the year. "The Space Shuttle is a truly remarkable capability that will be missed after it is retired."

« Social Media | Tech Daily Dose Home | Archives | Spectrum »

 

Search This Blog
Archives

Monthly Archives

Categories

Recent Posts

Recent Comments


Blogroll

New Media

Online Politics

Tech Policy

Contributors
Juliana Gruenwald

Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.


Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.


Adam Mazmanian

Adam Mazmanian

Tech Correspondent

E-Mail: amazmanian@nationaljournal.com.


Adam Mazmanian reports on technology for National Journal. He comes to NJ from SmartBrief, where he was a senior editor on the advertising, media and digital beats. Before moving to Washington, D.C., he worked as worked in New York City as an editor at AOL, About.com and the alternative newsweekly New York Press. He’s contributed book reviews, pop music criticism and film writing to Washington City Paper, the Washington Times, the Washington Post, Newsday, Architect Magazine and elsewhere. He lives in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, D.C. with his wife and son.


Josh Smith

Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

E-Mail: joshsmith@nationaljournal.com.


Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.