U. S. Senate Passes NASA Budget

The U. S. Senate recently passed a bill outlining NASA's 2009 budget. Among its provisions are sections allowing shuttle flights beyond 2010, and an endorsement of the Constellation program's goal of returning astronauts to the Moon by 2020. The bill also allocates $2 billion more to NASA than the administration requested.

The bill now goes to the House. Congressional aides say the House may suspend its rules to allow it to act quickly, and pass the Senate bill on a simple voice vote.

If the NASA budget passed by the Senate becomes law, the Constellation program would seem to be on sound politucal footing as it awaits a decision by the next president.