spacetoday.net: Senate approves NASA authorization bill

Posted: Fri, Aug 6, 2010, 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)
US Capitol

The full Senate approved a NASA authorization bill late Thursday that would alter some aspects of the White House's plans for NASA. The Senate passed the legislation quickly on Thursday, making no substantive changes to the version that the Senate Commerce Committee approved in mid-July that authorizes funding for NASA for the next three fiscal years. The bill would allow NASA to fly one additional shuttle flight, and direct the agency to begin immediate development of a heavy-lift vehicle. The bill also authorizes some funding for commercial crew and technology development programs in the administration's proposed budget, but not at the same levels as requested by the White House. The full House failed to take up its version of the legislation, which contains a number of key differences from the Senate bill, before it went on summer recess at the end of last week.