AIP FYI #42: Final FY 2003 NASA Appropriation

As indicated in previous FYIs, the long struggle to enact the final FY 2003
appropriations bill has been followed by a long struggle to interpret the
over-3,000 page conference report. Budget numbers given for various
programs in the report must then be reduced by amounts described elsewhere
in the report. Even with such rescissions, it appears that NASA’s Space
Science, Earth Science, and Biological and Physical Research all received
increases over FY 2002 funding. Funding for the International Space Station
account was decreased, as was funding for Academic Programs. It is unknown
at this point whether findings from the space shuttle Columbia accident
investigation, or the impact on the space station of grounding the shuttle
fleet, will result in supplemental FY 2003 funding being requested for NASA.

Below are the final FY 2003 appropriations numbers for selected NASA
programs, as calculated by the House Science Committee. They are shown in
comparison with the numbers in NASA’s FY 2002 initial operating plan.
Portions of the explanatory language from the conference report, H. Report
108-10, are also provided.

The SPACE SCIENCE budget increases $634.3 million, or 22.1 percent, from
$2867.1 million in FY 2002 to $3501.4 million in FY 2003. The report
provides $95.0 million for the Pluto-Kuiper Belt mission, which was not
funded under the request. It reduces the funding for the Nuclear Electric
Propulsion and Nuclear Power programs by $10.0 million and $9.0 million,
respectively. It increases funding for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter
program, and contains numerous earmarks for other projects. The report
language commends NASA “for the continued success of the Hubble Space
Telescope [HST],” expresses concern that grounding of the shuttle fleet may
delay HST servicing, and directs NASA not to reduce funding for development
of the next generation space telescope “to cover HST shortfalls.”

The EARTH SCIENCE budget increases $82.1 million, or 5.1 percent, from
$1625.7 million in FY 2002 to $1707.8 million in FY 2003. The report
language provides a listing of earmarks.

The BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL RESEARCH budget increases $43.2 million, or 5.3
percent, from $820.0 million in FY 2002 to $863.2 million in FY 2003. In
addition to a list of earmarks, the report language provides an $8.0 million
increase “for procurement of animal and plant habitats” for the space
station, and an $11.2 million reduction from the Generations program.

The HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT budget decreases $686.3 million, or 10.1 percent,
from $6830.1 million in FY 2002 to $6143.8 million in FY 2003. The report
language states: “The conferees have included an additional $50,000,000 for
expenses related to the investigation into the tragic loss of the space
shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003. This funding may also be used to
correct identified deficiencies and to defray any other expenses which are a
consequence of the accident. The conferees recognize that the cost of the
investigation and any other implications of the accident may well exceed the
amount provided and will entertain operating plan changes to accommodate
necessary adjustments in the funding of the various components of this
account.”

Within Human Space Flight, the budget for the INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
decreases $239.3 million, or 13.9 percent, from $1721.7 million in FY 2002
to $1482.4 million in FY 2003. There is substantial report language
discussing the results of the Research Maximization and Prioritization
(ReMAP) task force, “which focused on prioritizing scientific research to be
conducted on the ISS through NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical
Research. The conferees agree on the need for a strategy of prioritized
research objectives across multiple disciplines, and commend NASA for
establishing the ReMAP activity.”

“However,” the report language continues, “the conferees have several areas
of concern related to the ReMAP process. The conferees are aware that a
number of the ReMAP task force members dissented with the conclusions in the
final report. Several task force members stated that the ReMAP process did
not allow sufficient time or resources to do a proper job of prioritizing
research programs. Concern was also expressed by some task force members
about a lack of time to review the information reported as ReMAP
conclusions. Finally, the conferees also note NASA’s acknowledgement that
the task force did not address ISS commercialization issues, nor did it
consider the research needs of the Office of Earth Science or the Office of
Space Science in its prioritization activity.

“Therefore, the conferees direct NASA to report to Congress on its plans to
establish a process by which prioritization of research conducted on the ISS
occurs on a regular basis, rather than as a one-time effort. Furthermore,
the conferees encourage that future ISS research prioritization activities
address ISS commercialization programs, as well as the needs of the Offices
of Space and Earth Science.”

Report language on the space station also states addresses the
recommendation of a NASA study that a non-governmental organization (NGO)
“be adopted as the preferred management approach. Furthermore, the plan
outlines a phased approach that would initially focus on leadership and
advocacy functions and would defer a decision on the possible inclusion of
engineering and integration functions…. The conferees endorse Phase 1
(inclusion of leadership and advocacy functions), which is similar to what
has been so successfully demonstrated in the Hubble Space Telescope
Institute (HSTI) model. The conferees wish to point out, however, that
management of research for the ISS is much more complex than that of the
HSTI, and acknowledge NASA’s recognition of this intricacy, demonstrated
through its proposal of a phased approach…. [T]he conferees have included
an administrative provision that limits any proposed contractual action to
that of leadership and advocacy [and] direct NASA to report on the status of
NGO implementation as well as means of determining research priorities. The
first report is due March 15, 2003.”

The ACADEMIC PROGRAMS budget decreases $25.1 million, or 11.0 percent, from
$227.3 million in FY 2002 to $202.2 million in FY 2003. In addition to a
series of earmarks, the report language provides an increase of $5.0 million
for the National Space Grant College and Fellowship program, and an increase
of $5.4 million for the EPSCoR program.

Audrey T. Leath

Media and Government Relations Division

The American Institute of Physics

fyi@aip.org

(301) 209-3094