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NASA Expected to Slash Budget

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    Missions to Mars in jeopardy?

  • Duration 2:10
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The country out of it that is being proposed that's what -- -- that.

All the planetary science budget is gonna take a big cut and a big part of the reason for that is because the Hubble telescope's replacement the James Webb space telescope.

It's going to be a hundred times more powerful but.

It's also more than four billion dollars over budget now that telescope is getting preference over the fourth planet from the -- -- basically came out said.

That they need to tighten the belts on their spacesuits a spokesman explains that NASA is reassessing its current Mars exploration initiatives to maximize what can be achieved.

And that's the will still have some missions to Mars but we're likely get -- backed out of two proposed trips to the red planet with the Europeans -- -- sixteen and -- -- eighteen.

The very idea of these cuts -- actually led to the resignation.

Of NASA's former associate administrator for science Edward Weiler back in September he says he was exhausted fighting the uphill battle to try to save these trips to Mars and Al.

He says to me.

It's totally irrational and unjustified we're the only country on this planet that as the demonstrated ability to land on another planet namely Mars.

It is a national prestige issue and Weiler also says that he's frustrated because he thinks.

These -- strips -- nicely with the president's space policy of increasing foreign collaboration.

-- interesting but NASA it looks like it NASA may not -- be the lead at least on sending men to Mars in this that's an area theater.

Right and it's not clear necessarily -- gonna affect the United States -- ability to send Americans to Mars but you remember it was less than two years ago that the president said this.

It's.

Of the mid 20s30s.

I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to -- And landing on Mars will wallop and I expect to be around to Syria.

So again no word just yet about exactly how these cuts will impact the president's timeline but as we talk about all these big numbers hundreds of billions of dollars it is worth noting that -- total budget.

It's one half of 1%.

Of the overall federal budget these cuts are going to be announced.

Tomorrow tiny sliver the budget Peter thank you so much.

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