GAO Weighs In

The Government Accountability Office has issued a report saying it's unlikely NASA will be able to meet the goals set for its Constellation program because of inadequate budgets. The report echoes the findings of the Augustine committee. Both studies say NASA would need $3 billion more annually to successfully carry out the program.

The focus of the debate will be on NASA, and it's true that NASA designed Constellation. It's also true, however, that "NASA policy" and "NASA goals" are in fact U. S. Government policy and goals, set by Congress. That's true at NASA and every other federal agency. If Congress continues to pile goals and requirements on any agency while neglecting to supply adequate resources to carry out the work, the agency involved is not always to blame. In the case of Constellation, adjustments might be needed, but Congress and President Obama also need to make some fundamental decisions about space policy, and back up those decisions with the necessary funding.