Proposed budget gives KSC a boost toward Mars

Florida Today

WASHINGTON — A NASA spending bill making its way through the Senate would provide Kennedy Space Center in Florida with $640 million to upgrade its infrastructure that are key to sending astronauts to Mars.

Orbital ATK
A rednering of Orbital ATK's Next Generation Launch vehicle is shown.
Artist concept of Orbital ATK's Next Generation Launch vehicle standing on pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center.

The money that was approved Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee as part of a $19.5 billion appropriation bill for NASA in 2018 would represent a $210 million increase in such funding from the current year.

That amount includes $545 million that Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson requested for Exploration Ground Systems and $95 million for related constructions.

Launch Complex 39B is seen during a recent aerial survey of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The survey was performed to identify structures and facilities that may have sustained damage from Hurricane Matthew as the storm passed to the east of Kennedy on Oct. 6 and 7, 2016. Officials determined that the center received some isolated roof damage, damaged support buildings, a few downed power lines, and limited water intrusion. Beach erosion also occurred, although the storm surge was less than expected. NASA closed the center ahead of the storm’s onset and only a small team of specialists known as the Rideout Team was on the center as the storm approached and passed.

The funding is needed to upgrade launch pad 39b and related facilities that will be used for the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule being built to send humans to Mars.

“Getting this additional money for the launch pad is a big win for KSC and the effort to land humans on Mars,” said Nelson who has been pushing for the money.

The $19.5 billion is about $124 million less than the amount Congress approved for NASA this year but $437 million more than President Trump requested in his budget proposal.

The bill, which now heads to the full Senate for consideration, would also provide:

— $2.15 billion for the Space Launch System (SLS), which is $212 million above the request. The funding would include $300 million for upper stage engine work for future crewed missions.

—$1.35 billion for the Orion crewed spacecraft that will sit atop the rocket.

—$5.6 billion for Earth and planetary science missions.

—$732 million to continue development of a program to resume launches of astronauts from U.S. soil to the International Space Station.

—$100 million for education programs that the administration is proposing to eliminate entirely.

Contact Ledyard King at lking@gannett.com; Twitter: @ledgeking