That's probably enough
to point some sensors at Earth. It's good that the current administration recognizes that this planet is worth studying as well.
NASA's request for $24bn in funding for its 2022 fiscal year will be considered by US lawmakers this month. This comes at an awkward time for the space agency: it was just recently criticized for underestimating the cost of Artemis – its mission to set foot again on the Moon – and the future of the International Space Station …
@ravenviz
"Although (hopefully) the proportion is higher now with all the cash freed up after evacuating Afghanistan."
Is money freed up from leaving Afghanistan? I can believe less is being spent but isnt it more of what the US doesnt have. It would be nice if governments didnt try to keep spending ever increasing amounts but when a project stops just dont look for somewhere else to spend that money.
Thats not only for the US either especially after the covid blowouts
During the first lockdown two years ago I watched a lot of "space porn": SpaceX Falcon launches, Tim Dodd's articles, Starship development... Amazed at Congress' cheeseparing for anything not SLS, I estimated that NASA's budget was the same as what Americans spend on cigarettes every year.
> (= 0.0008 NHS Budgets)
You may need to try that conversion again.
Reg standard NHS budget is ~£118bn, or ~$155bn at current exchange rate, so I reckon 10 NASA budgets is around 1.5 Reg-standard NHS budgets.
Of course the Reg-standard NHS budget is woefully out of date; the budget for 2022/3 is £178bn, which I think makes it pretty much the same as 10 NASA budgets.
I would think we are getting closer to the point where its cheaper to let others build the rockets to send stuff up there. The US had 3 competing companies developing and delivering working rockets and at least one aiming for reaching mars. The original development and build was beyond the financial ability of business back in the first space race and so it was restricted to rich governments, but now its falling into reach for the private sector.
Maybe some tax payer money could be saved.