Posted: Sun, Feb 2, 2003, 11:53 PM ET (0453 GMT)
The Bush Administration's fiscal year 2004 budget proposal includes a nearly half-billion increase in NASA's budget, Reuters reported Sunday, but the aftermath of the shuttle Columbia tragedy could dramatically alter that proposal. Reuters reported that the 2004 budget, to be released Monday, will offer $15.47 billion for NASA, up from the $15.0 billion in the 2003 budget proposal. The 2004 budget is supposed to include major funding increases for a space nuclear power effort called Project Prometheus, but the Reuters report offered no details regarding where the additional funds would be spent. The budget proposal was completed prior to Saturday's loss of the shuttle Columbia, and depending on the results of the investigation, as well as any decision to build a replacement orbiter or accelerate development of the Orbital Space Plane, the budget could be significantly altered. NASA announced Sunday that it has cancelled a briefing planned for Monday afternoon to discuss the budget, although the agency will still release budget documents on Monday.

Related Links:

•  Reuters article
•  NASA press release