20 Percent Budget Cut for NASA Planetary Science

Money for the Senate Launch System (SLS) has siphoned off funding for the things that NASA does best – Planetary Science Missions. Examples of these over the past three decades include: Viking I and II Mars Landers looked for life in 1976 Galileo was launched in 1989 and plunged into Jupiter’s crushing atmosphere on September of 2003 to protect the possible ocean on the moon Europa. The Ulysses Solar Polar Explorer was launched in 1990 and ceased operation in 2009 Mars Global Surveyor photographed Mars from 1997 through 2006. MESSENGER was launched in 2004 and arrived in orbit around Mercury in March 0f 2011 after three flybys. The Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn arrived in 2004 to Study Saturn and the moon Titan. Exploration continues. Phoenix Mars Lander explored the Martian Polar Region in 2008 The money has been saved for the SLS and building rockets, the things for which NASA is worst: X-33 Venture Star – 1996 to 2001 – 1.2 Billion – Canceled DC-X Delta Clipper – 1991 to 1995 – Transferred to NASA – 1996 -Canceled Constellation and Ares I – 2005 to 2010 – 10 Billion – Canceled