NASA warned the GOP that cuts to the space program would hinder the agency’s push to end dependence on Russia to send astronauts to the International Space Station. NASA has relied on Russia to send American astronauts to the station but, recently the agency has been working on a plan to end the dependence.
The plan provides for Boing and SpaceX to build vehicles that could send Americans to space by the end of 2017. However, NASA contends that House and Senate bills to fund NASA and other agencies would delay that plan.
“By gutting this program and turning out backs on U.S. industry, NASA will be forced to continue to rely on Russia to get its astronauts to space and continue to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the Russian economy rather than our own,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said.
Between late 2011 and 2015 the U.S. paid the Russian Federal Spacey Agency $1.2 billion for trips to the International Space Station. Both spending measures provide less than the $1.24 billion that the Obama administration had requested for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The House version allocates around $250 million less, and the Senate version allocates more than $300 million less.
NASA awarded multi-billion dollar contracts to Boing and SpaceX to create the vehicles for American astronauts. NASA argues that in order to comply with the agreements it needs the full funding from Congress.
Stephanie Schierholz, NASA spokeswoman, said the agency cannot estimate how far back the deadline would be pushed if Congress did not allocate the $1.24 billion. Some Democrats have estimated that the lack of funding would mean at least four more years of depending on Russia.
American officials are upset with the partnership between NASA and Russia due to the crisis in Ukraine. As the crisis in Ukraine worsened, Russian officials threatened to ban American astronauts from Russian transports.
Once the vehicles are ready NASA says it would be able to send four astronauts to space for each mission. Instead of paying Russia $76 million per astronaut, it pay $58 million per astronaut, and the money would stay in the American economy.
The plan provides for Boing and SpaceX to build vehicles that could send Americans to space by the end of 2017. However, NASA contends that House and Senate bills to fund NASA and other agencies would delay that plan.
“By gutting this program and turning out backs on U.S. industry, NASA will be forced to continue to rely on Russia to get its astronauts to space and continue to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the Russian economy rather than our own,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said.
Between late 2011 and 2015 the U.S. paid the Russian Federal Spacey Agency $1.2 billion for trips to the International Space Station. Both spending measures provide less than the $1.24 billion that the Obama administration had requested for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The House version allocates around $250 million less, and the Senate version allocates more than $300 million less.
NASA awarded multi-billion dollar contracts to Boing and SpaceX to create the vehicles for American astronauts. NASA argues that in order to comply with the agreements it needs the full funding from Congress.
Stephanie Schierholz, NASA spokeswoman, said the agency cannot estimate how far back the deadline would be pushed if Congress did not allocate the $1.24 billion. Some Democrats have estimated that the lack of funding would mean at least four more years of depending on Russia.
American officials are upset with the partnership between NASA and Russia due to the crisis in Ukraine. As the crisis in Ukraine worsened, Russian officials threatened to ban American astronauts from Russian transports.
Once the vehicles are ready NASA says it would be able to send four astronauts to space for each mission. Instead of paying Russia $76 million per astronaut, it pay $58 million per astronaut, and the money would stay in the American economy.