May 1983:news from KSC

FY 1984 BUDGET

NASA unveiled its FY 1984 budget (effective from 1 October 1983) at a press briefing on 31 January under rather unusual circumstances. Usually, like other Federal agencies, NASA held embargoed briefings two days before a Presidential budget was handed to the Congress. Press handouts were dated 29 January, indicating NASA planned to continue that policy. But the briefing actually took place after President Reagan's spending plan became public.

Administrator James Beggs spoke of a "constrained" budget, adding that it reflects Reagan's commitment to a strong national space and aeronautics programme. There may have been implications in Beggs' opening remark concerning "NASA's obligation to help strengthen the national security and maintain US leadership in space and aeronautical technology,which placed priority on military requirements.

The budget is $7,100 million or 4 percent higher than FY 1983. Eighty percent of the total, $5,700 million, is requested for research and development. Sixty one percent, or $3,500 million, of that will be spent for STS, including Shuttle production and operation, upper stages for Shuttles, Spacelab, the US-Italian tethered satellite system, expendable vehicles and other support equipment. Why the agency considers production money as part of its R&D programme was not explained. Beggs said that parcelling out the $3,500 million reflects a trend begun last year to spend more on Shuttle operations and less on capability development (a term for upgrading Orbiter performance) and a new Centaur-based upper stage which was turned down several years ago). So "capability" will require $1,900 million ($2,100 million in FY 1983) and "operations" $1,600 million, an increase of $100 million. Shuttle funding for the new year will permit:five flights in FY 1983, eight to nine in FY 1984, including the first rendezvous and repair of a satellite in orbit (the Solar Maximum Mission satellite); completing the fourth Orbiter and purchase of spare parts for the four-Orbiter fleet; the first Spacelab mission and preparations for a second in FY 1984;new facilities for increasing Shuttle flight rates; a joint NASA-Air Force programme to modify Centaur and complete the Inertial Upper Stage to launch TDRSS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellites); continued procurement of Shuttle tanks, Solid Booster Rockets and other flight hardware: and beginning hardware development for the tethered satellite that will permit flying experiments up to 100 km from the Orbiter.

The budget proposal includes:

• a project to map Venus using radar imaging at much less cost than the Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar authorised (but not funded) by Congress in 1982:

• an advanced communications technology satellite to develop and flight test high risk technology. This will be financed with industry participation, reducing government outlay;

• a numerical aerodynamic simulation capability project;

• a large computer system which will have "major impact on aircraft design, improving accuracy and reliability while cutting down on long and costly wind tunnel and flight testing. This requires $300 million compared to $20 million in 1983.

The budget continues development of the Space Telescope (Shuttle launched and tended), a Galileo orbiter and probe to Jupiter, the International Solar Polar Mission (with Centaur in 1986), a Gamma Ray Observatory in 1988 and support of Pioneer Venus Orbiter, Pioneers 6 to 11, and Voyagers 1 and 2. Funding will continue the level of employment at NASA centres.