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NASA Announces Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Request
President George W. Bush announced his fiscal year 2008 budget request for the federal government on February 5, which includes a $17.3 billion request for NASA. This is a 3.1 percent increase over the President's fiscal year 2007 request for the agency.
Image right: Seated at table, left to right, Associate Director Vernon "Bill" Wessel, Christiansen, Dr. Whitlow and Acting Chief Financial Officer Debra Watson, listen as Associate Director of Space Exploration Harry Cikanek shares highlights in the area of Exploration. Credit: NASA/Doreen Zudell
"This is a carefully considered, balanced request formulated over many months with the White House," said NASA Administrator Mike Griffin. "I believe that the FY 2008 budget request for NASA demonstrates the President's commitment to our nation's leadership in space and aeronautics research."
During a NASA budget briefing from Headquarters that afternoon, Griffin said there are no major strategic changes in the FY 2008 budget request as compared to last year. "Overall, I believe that we are heading in the right direction, that we have made great strides this past year, and that we are on track and making progress in carrying out the tasks before us," he said.
He cited four areas of significant effort that will be made in fiscal year 2008. They include:
Griffin acknowledged that the impact of the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution on NASA's multi-year programs, including those funded in the FY 2008 President's budget request, is not yet known. The House version of the 2007 appropriation is approximately $545 million less than the President's FY 2007 request. The Administrator promised that once the FY 2007 appropriation is enacted, the agency would keep stakeholders informed of the impacts through a FY 2007 operating plan.
Focus on Glenn
Following the Headquarters briefing, Glenn Center Director Dr. Woodrow Whitlow Jr. and center leadership held a news briefing for the local media. Under the FY 2008 budget request, Glenn would receive an estimated $556 million.
"The future looks bright for Glenn Research Center," Whitlow said. "Although there was some uncertainty with potential budget reductions last year, we [Glenn] have a stable, enduring role in the Vision for Space Exploration." He attributes this belief to a well-defined mission, the agency's Strategic Management Council's commitment to 10 healthy centers and Glenn's ability to apply its expertise to the current and future needs of the agency.
Whitlow noted that avenues such as buyouts, transfers and retraining have enabled the center to shift the skills of its workforce to meet these needs, thus avoiding a reduction in workforce. The center will continue to support all four of NASA's mission directorates.
"In some cases there's been a shift in emphasis from basic research to applying that research to practical applications for the International Space Station and future spacecraft," Deputy Director Richard Christiansen said. "But the strengths and capabilities of our workforce to do both still exist."
Whitlow and Christiansen stressed that although much of the new work at Glenn has been dedicated toward Exploration efforts, Aeronautics is still a vital part of the center's portfolio.
"NASA Glenn has always been a balanced, hybrid center of research and development," Whitlow explained. "We cannot be a strong and healthy center without aeronautics."
After a question and answer period, Glenn representatives in the areas of Aeronautics, Space Operations and Exploration briefed reporters on some of the current and expanding roles of this center within the agency.
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By Doreen Zudell
President George W. Bush announced his fiscal year 2008 budget request for the federal government on February 5, which includes a $17.3 billion request for NASA. This is a 3.1 percent increase over the President's fiscal year 2007 request for the agency.
Image right: Seated at table, left to right, Associate Director Vernon "Bill" Wessel, Christiansen, Dr. Whitlow and Acting Chief Financial Officer Debra Watson, listen as Associate Director of Space Exploration Harry Cikanek shares highlights in the area of Exploration. Credit: NASA/Doreen Zudell"This is a carefully considered, balanced request formulated over many months with the White House," said NASA Administrator Mike Griffin. "I believe that the FY 2008 budget request for NASA demonstrates the President's commitment to our nation's leadership in space and aeronautics research."
During a NASA budget briefing from Headquarters that afternoon, Griffin said there are no major strategic changes in the FY 2008 budget request as compared to last year. "Overall, I believe that we are heading in the right direction, that we have made great strides this past year, and that we are on track and making progress in carrying out the tasks before us," he said.
He cited four areas of significant effort that will be made in fiscal year 2008. They include:
- Three space shuttle missions last year, and four to five planned in 2007 to continue International Space Station assembly. Carefully considered shuttle transition to Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is underway.
- Orion CEV contract awarded last August. Plan to release Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) upper stage RFP in February.
- Aeronautics Research aligned with the recent President's policy, with projects, programs and a robust budget profile that will advance U.S. technological leadership in aeronautics.
- Science continues to develop world-class missions and research results, based on the priorities from the National Academy of Sciences surveys. During FY 2008, NASA plans to launch ten new missions, with over 50 Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science and Astrophysics missions in operations. Most of these missions involve international partners and other U.S. government agencies.
Griffin acknowledged that the impact of the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution on NASA's multi-year programs, including those funded in the FY 2008 President's budget request, is not yet known. The House version of the 2007 appropriation is approximately $545 million less than the President's FY 2007 request. The Administrator promised that once the FY 2007 appropriation is enacted, the agency would keep stakeholders informed of the impacts through a FY 2007 operating plan.
Focus on Glenn
Following the Headquarters briefing, Glenn Center Director Dr. Woodrow Whitlow Jr. and center leadership held a news briefing for the local media. Under the FY 2008 budget request, Glenn would receive an estimated $556 million.
"The future looks bright for Glenn Research Center," Whitlow said. "Although there was some uncertainty with potential budget reductions last year, we [Glenn] have a stable, enduring role in the Vision for Space Exploration." He attributes this belief to a well-defined mission, the agency's Strategic Management Council's commitment to 10 healthy centers and Glenn's ability to apply its expertise to the current and future needs of the agency.
Whitlow noted that avenues such as buyouts, transfers and retraining have enabled the center to shift the skills of its workforce to meet these needs, thus avoiding a reduction in workforce. The center will continue to support all four of NASA's mission directorates.
"In some cases there's been a shift in emphasis from basic research to applying that research to practical applications for the International Space Station and future spacecraft," Deputy Director Richard Christiansen said. "But the strengths and capabilities of our workforce to do both still exist."
Whitlow and Christiansen stressed that although much of the new work at Glenn has been dedicated toward Exploration efforts, Aeronautics is still a vital part of the center's portfolio.
"NASA Glenn has always been a balanced, hybrid center of research and development," Whitlow explained. "We cannot be a strong and healthy center without aeronautics."
After a question and answer period, Glenn representatives in the areas of Aeronautics, Space Operations and Exploration briefed reporters on some of the current and expanding roles of this center within the agency.
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