Budget Details: Good News for Kistler and SpaceX

01/31/04 00:00:00    

By Michael Mealling

Via HobbySpace: NASA Seeks $16.2 Billion; Cuts Shuttle, Station, Next eneration Launch Tech Programs. to me the most interesting part is this: bq. The space station budget request also includes $10 million in new funding for “a flight demonstration initiative to pursue launch services with emerging launch systems.” Industry and government sources said that money is earmarked for start-up firms such as Kistler Aerospace and Space Exploration Technologies.The budget also includes $70 million in funding for robotic lunar missions. According to budget documents, NASA plans to spend $420 million through 2009 on lunar exploration missions.

Clark laments the small amount but I'm much more concerned with whether or not O'Keefe will drive the institutional changes to make that happen. IMHO, some of that should be sent to Andrew Beal as an apology.