ORLANDO, Fla. — More than 40 California members of Congress are calling on the White House to reverse cuts NASA made to the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, threatening job losses and “10 lost sciences.” 2018,” he warned.
February 1 letter The remarks to White House Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young come after many of the same members told NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in November to reverse the slowdown in MSR spending due to uncertainty in fiscal year 2024. This further escalates the request to do so. Spending.
The letter was led by Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and other members of California’s congressional delegation. 41 people signed it. MSR’s flagship center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is located in California.
NASA officials said in November that they would “resume activities” related to MSR, citing differences in spending. The House appropriations bill provides the agency’s full request for MSR, $949.3 million, while the Senate appropriations bill includes only $300 million.
NASA, like the rest of the federal government, operates under a Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds NASA at 2023 levels, which in the case of MSR is $822.3 million. NASA says cuts in MSR spending are needed if the Senate bill becomes law, out of concern that it could run out of funding for 2024 if MSR spent months at higher rates in 2023. said.
In their letter, the lawmakers rejected that argument. “This short-sighted and misguided decision will result in the loss of hundreds of jobs, a decade of lost science, and is contrary to the authority of Congress,” they wrote.
Congress has not yet finalized its full-year 2024 spending package, but it has made progress in recent weeks, including providing appropriations to 12 appropriations subcommittees and understanding available funding. The CR, which funds NASA, lasts until his March 8th.
This letter signals progress toward closing the disparity between House and Senate funding levels for MSR. “While we are deeply concerned that the Senate Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act proposes only $300 million for the program in fiscal year 2024, House Appropriations Committee leadership continues to work with our Senate colleagues to We are working closely together in a compromise position.” state.
If current cuts are not reversed, the letter warns: “This decision will force JPL to miss the next launch window, cancel billions of dollars in contracts, and lay off hundreds of highly skilled employees.” “
The effects of the reductions are already being felt at JPL. The center laid off 100 contractors in early January, most of them involved with MSR. JPL cited uncertainty about its 2024 budget as the primary reason for the layoffs and other cost-cutting efforts.
“We’ve been told by NASA to do a low-level plan, and we’re doing it systematically,” JPL Director Laurie Leshin said in a Jan. 8 interview. “So the first thing to do is to look at not only where MSR is using on-site contractors, but other locations where JPL contractors can backfill for that as well.” MSR funding If the amount approaches the Senate bill’s numbers, the cuts could extend to full-time employees, he added.
Adding to the level of uncertainty is the agency’s reassessment of the entire MSR architecture in the wake of an independent review that found the current approach to MSR is behind schedule and over budget. is underway. The effort is expected to be completed in March.
“We understand that the revised mission architecture will simplify the program and reduce annual costs, thereby addressing the concerns expressed regarding MSR in the fiscal year 2024 Senate appropriations bill,” the letter reads. It has been stated. NASA has not released details about potential alternative mission architectures.