The Final End of the Final Frontier?

Abstract

The elections have now passed, but the planetary exploration effort of the United States remains anything but settled. Deadlocks remain, with a continuing resolution in place through next March, no relief in sight for sequestration to be averted, and the $309 million cut in planetary exploration for the proposed fiscal year 2013 (FY2013) budget already in play. The proposed FY2014 level in the President's FY2013 budget release mandates an additional cut of $58.6 million on top of the already precipitous drop from the FY2012 budget numbers to those of FY2013. The potential for planetary exploration is a drop of about $370 million in 2 years, a decrease of one-quarter of the total planetary exploration program, with further cuts slated for FY2015 ([ 1 ][1]). NASA currently accounts for a nearhistorical low of 0.46% of the U.S. government budget ([ 2 ][2]). After 50 years of robotic planetary exploration, we know the high cost of space exploration, robotic and human. Doing worthwhile things is not cheap, but slashing budgets in opposition to long-term national goals is a policy error. These NASA dollars enable activities in space but are spent on the ground. NASA funding has led to advances in electronics, robotics, and aeronautics. Space-based, scientific investigation of Earth's resources and climate are of increasing importance. And of course, the money goes toward salaries for high-wage, high-skill jobs. NASA has time and again delivered the best value per dollar back to the American taxpayer, providing new knowledge and understanding that we can all be proud of as a joint American undertaking. The return on investment, in our current quality of life, in future generations, and in the achievements of our country has been immense. We urge the Administration, the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and Office of Science and Technology Policy, along with both houses of Congress and both political parties, to deal with the current imbroglio and work together to continue the nation's investment in our successful program of solar system exploration. Even in tight budget times, the return is well worth the price. 1. [↵][3] FY 2013 Complete Budget Estimate at NASA, Budget Documents, Strategic Plans and Performance Reports, p. BUD-3 ([www.nasa.gov/news/budget/index.html][4]). 2. [↵][5] Office of Management and Budget, Historical Tables, Table 4.1: Outlays by Agency: 1962–2017 ([www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals][6]). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [4]: http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/index.html [5]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [6]: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals