NASA has postponed two programs aimed at searching for potentially habitable planets. Instead, the agency is focusing on developing a new generation of spacecraft to return to the Moon in the next decade.
 |
Simulation image of the Terrestrial Planet Finder twin telescopes, which include two observatories. |
The Sim PlanetQuest and Terrestrial Planet Finder projects are managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
The goals of these projects are to search for Earth-like planets that have conditions suitable for life or are evolving in that direction.
NASA is working to implement President Bush’s space exploration plan, which involves developing a crewed exploration spacecraft to replace the current space shuttle fleet. The new spacecraft is expected to return astronauts to the Moon by 2018.
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin stated that the 2007 budget reflects this priority.
According to Bush’s proposed budget for the 2007 fiscal year, NASA will receive $16.8 billion, a 3% increase from the previous year. Of this amount, approximately $5.3 billion will be allocated for the agency’s science missions.
The Sim PlanetQuest project is set to receive $98.5 million in the 2007 fiscal year. However, its planned launch in 2011 has been postponed to 2015 or later. The purpose of Sim is to measure the distance and position of stars to locate Earth-like planets, which are about 100 light-years away from the target stars.
The Terrestrial Planet Finder twin telescopes are expected to launch in 2016 and 2019. They will use information from Sim to capture images of these planets in search of evidence of life. However, this program has been indefinitely postponed.
Other projects managed by JPL continue, including the launch of robotic landers to Mars. NASA has allocated $90.5 million to launch the Phoenix Mars Lander in 2007. This stationary robot will land at the northern polar region of Mars and use its robotic arm to dig into the terrain in search of signs of water.
A total of $348 million has been allocated for the Mars Science Laboratory. This rover will roam Mars to collect rock and soil samples for analysis, with a planned launch in 2009.
The NASA center currently employs about 5,000 staff members. It is reported that last year, NASA laid off approximately 300 employees. The 2007 budget does not affect the current staffing levels.
Minh Sơn
