[FPSPACE] 1.3 gigabucks for robotic lunar exploration?

[DwayneDay]

FP's own Dr. Foust notes that the Wednesday issue of Aerospace Daily states that NASA is planning on spending $1.3 billion on robotic lunar exploration from 2005-2009.  (To be accurate, Aerospace Daily claims that this is the amount of money planned for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, but it is apparently actually the planned budget for the entire robotic lunar exploration program.)

http://www.spacepolitics.com/archives/000201.html

The information is based upon a presentation to the NASA Advisory Council on Tuesday.

Jeff also notes that back in February, NASA Administrator O'Keefe stated that the robotic lunar exploration program would cost $500-600 million.

(that transcript can be found here on page 18:  http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/55862main_ok_house_hearing_transcript.pdf  )
 

If this is accurate, and in only four months the cost of NASA's robotic lunar exploration program has more than doubled, I have the feeling that there is going to be a lot of complaining on Capitol Hill.




DDAY