HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — In a letter given to the Chair of the Committee on Appropriations on Friday, President Trump recommended cuts to multiple federal programs, including ones that would affect the Rocket City.
Space Launch System
After three flights, the Budget would cut $879 million from the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule. The letter says SLS costs $4 billion per launch and is 140% over budget.
After Artemis III, the Budget would fund a program to replace SLS and Orion flights to the Moon with more cost-effective systems that would support later lunar missions.
The Budget also proposes to terminate the Gateway, a small lunar space station in development with international partners, which would have been used to support future SLS and Orion missions.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and private space contractors in Huntsville are currently working on the Artemis II and Artemis III programs.
International Space Station
The Budget would cut $509 million from the station’s budget and reduce the crew’s size and onboard research. It would also prepare the station for decommissioning by 2030. The ISS is primarily run by crews on Redstone Arsenal with the Marshall Space Flight Program.
Crew and cargo flights to the station would be significantly reduced. The station’s reduced research capacity would be focused on efforts critical to the Moon and Mars exploration programs.
To read more about the proposed budget, click here.
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