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FYI
The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News
Number 42: March 31, 2003

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. 

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Audrey T. Leath
Media and Government Relations Division
The American Institute of Physics
fyi{at}aip.org
(301) 209-3094
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