NASA's fiscal year 2006 budget request would boost funding for space exploration to $3.165 billion from $2.684 billion in FY '05, while putting the agency's aeronautics budget on a fairly steady decline through FY '10.

The agency's exploration systems area includes all the technologies NASA is developing to return astronauts to the moon by 2020 and pave the way for a human Mars landing. By FY '10, its annual budget is slated to rise to $5.125 billion.

The FY '06 request includes $1.12 billion for Constellation systems, which includes $754 million for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). NASA plans to select two CEV contractors by late August or early September.

NASA is requesting $852.3 million for aeronautics research in FY '06, down from $906.2 million in FY '05 (see chart on Page 7). The total includes $193 million for aviation safety and security - a 4% increase over FY '05 - and $200 million for air traffic system modernization. Aside from a small boost in FY '08, the aeronautics budget is projected to decline steadily to $717.6 million by FY '10.

The Prometheus nuclear systems program, part of the exploration systems area, is requesting $319.6 million for FY '06. After backing away from the multi-billion Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (DAILY, Feb. 7), NASA plans to pick a smaller mission to demonstrate the space nuclear power and propulsion technologies being developed under Prometheus.

NASA is requesting $5.476 billion in FY '06 for its science mission directorate, down from $5.527 billion in FY '05, although it is scheduled to bounce back up to $5.96 billion in FY '07 and continue increasing through FY '09. The request includes $858 million for Mars and lunar robotic exploration - a 17% increase above FY '05. The agency plans to spend $1.9 billion for solar system exploration overall, which is up from $1.858 billion the previous year.

Station, shuttle

NASA plans to boost the International Space Station (ISS) FY '06 budget request up to $1.856 billion from $1.676 billion the year before. The space shuttle is slated to receive $4.53 billion, down from $4.543 billion in FY '05. The shuttle's budget is scheduled to drop to $2.419 billion by FY '10, when NASA plans to complete the ISS and retire the fleet.

In total, the Bush Administration is requesting $16.456 billion for NASA in FY '06, an increase of 2.4% over FY '05. Under the current plan, the agency's topline would rise to $16.9 billion in FY '07 and $17.3 billion in FY '08.