14 DAY TRIAL // The United States Congress decided not to slash funds for the American space agency's Planetary Science Division (PSD), as proposed in the FY2014 Omnibus spending bill proposed by the White House. This action ensures that NASA will be able to fund all relevant projects throughout this year.
According to the latest developments, the PSD could receive a FY2014 budget of $1.345 billion (€990 million), which is around $127 million (€93.4 million) over levels proposed by the White House. Even with these numbers, the PSD is under-funded compared to its average historic budget of $1.5 billion (€1.1 billion) per year.
If this funding level is secured, then NASA will be able to keep its planned 2020 sample-return mission to Mars on track. Another mission currently under development, aimed at exploring the icy moon Europa around Jupiter, will also receive the necessary funding to take it through this year, SpaceRef reports.
“Congress and tens of thousands of Planetary Society members will continue to make the case for $1.5 billion. It's for the potential science gain and it's especially for the innovations that will come forth as we solve problems that have never been solved before. Planetary exploration is what NASA does best. We will keep up the fight,” commented Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye.