NASA could get billion-dollar boost in funding

Spending bill must pass Congress by today to avoid shutdown

NASA would get a billion-dollar boost in its budget in the newest federal spending bill, on which Congress is expected to vote this week.

The bill would increase total NASA funding to $20.73 billion, up from $19.65 billion in the same bill for the 2017 fiscal year. The amount Congress is seeking is more than $1 billion above President Donald Trump’s 2018 NASA budget request amount of $19.09 billion.

It would also double funding for Kennedy Space Center’s launch systems and facilities to $895 million, up from $429 million. Those improvements are needed if talk of launching people in rockets to the Moon or to Mars is ever to be realized, whether that’s on NASA’s planned Space Launch System, on a SpaceX rocket or other privately owned vehicles.

Those numbers were provided Thursday by Sen. Bill Nelson, DFla., who was involved in requesting the new funds and said the inclusion of more funding in the federal omnibus build was “fantastic news.”

The money was included in a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill, which funds the government through Sept. 30. The bill must pass Congress by today to avert another government shutdown this year, according to Nelson’s announcement.

“Not only could it create hundreds of jobs at the center, but it will also enable us to begin work on a second mobile launch structure. Bottom line, this money will get us down the path to Mars sooner and safer,” Nelson said.

Nelson also highlighted $121 million in the bill aimed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to buy a reliable backup for its aging hurricane hunter jet. During the past two years, the jet NOAA uses to measure storms was grounded during hurricane season because of maintenance issues.

Vice President Mike Pence visited KSC recently and talked about the need for the government and commercial space industry to cooperate more.

Pence officially appointed a