The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is one of very few federal agencies seeing an increase in funding in the President's 2006 budget proposal. The 2.3% jump over 2005 would net NASA the funds it needs to begin mapping out the President's new vision for the agency, namely to go back to the moon and eventually send manned missions to Mars.
But while the space exploration budget is up, funding for science, education and aeronautics programs - the first "A" in NASA - is down. And the impact of those cuts is already being felt on several of the agency's national research centers, among them NASA Glenn here in Cleveland. One of Glenn's core areas of research over the years has been aeronautics, finding solutions to the need for quieter, cleaner, and safer airplanes. Now two of Glenn's major aeronautics programs are likely to be cut, along with 700 civil service jobs. And Northeast Ohio could lose millions of dollars in local economic impact.
But it's not a done deal yet. Ohio's Congressional delegation has vowed to fight the cuts and area business, education and government leaders are lending their support. And there's another way for NASA Glenn to regain some of the work and personnel it may lose, by bidding against other research centers for new projects not yet devised that support the lunar/Mars mission.
Guests:
* Dr. Julian Earls, Director NASA Glenn Research Center
* Congressman Dennis Kucinich
* Paul Senick, a project manager, Office of New Exploration and member IFPTE Local 28