This has not been a good year for public funding of anything, and NASA is no exception. So in addition to a somewhat rudderless mission with the cancellation of the Constellation program, we now have to watch as a worried Congress throws everything over the side of the boat. That said, NASA's proposed 2012 budget calls for $18.7 billion in funding to cover the ongoing Shuttle and International Space Station ($4.1 billion), science programs ($5 billion), future exploration ($3.9 billion), and other research ($0.6 billion).
What I find frustrating is how NASA's strategic plan still provides no "strategy" or vision for returning to the moon, or anywhere else for that matter, even though the first strategic goal is to "[e]xtend and sustain human activities across the solar system." I am not sure how you do that from low earth orbit. I understand that everything must be done in steps, but without an overarching goal in mind it is hard to get excited.
Since the Congress is still battling over the 2011 budget and trying to kill off existing programs, it is not clear whether the $18.7 billion will materialize. And this $18.7 is the same amount as the 2010 budget, so the program is actually shrinking over time when you factor in inflation, with a fair portion of the 2012 budget shutting down programs rather than starting them up.
Finally, the Department of Defense (DoD) is slated to get $553 billion, which includes a $22 billion increase and does not even include the $118 billion cost of maintaining two overseas wars (or whatever you chose to call them). So remember, we are planning to spend about 36 times more money maintaining peace on earth than exploring the stars. Just the cost of healthcare at DoD is expected to be about $53 billion, or about three times NASA's budget. I think we can do better than this in planning for the future of humankind, but this may not be the best debate to hold this year. Maybe our European friends can do more with their space program if they are having problems keeping up with us in the defense area, but I will not hold my breath. China may be the only nation right now interested in building its defenses and traveling to the moon.
Note: The fun graphic comes from a site called The Wizard of Yo. While it represents the 2008 budget, you get the point.
