NASA Directed Toward Climate Change, But Not the Moon (click title to entry - thank you)
Posted 2010-01-29
There will be money lacking for NASA's Constellation program, the program designated to return humans to the moon by 2020.
The White House will instead direct NASA funding to concentrate on Earth-science projects -- principally, researching and monitoring climate change, -- and on a new technology research and development program that will make human exploration of asteroids and the inner solar system possible.
This could be good news for the folks under Dr. James Hansen who monitor climate change at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS).
The White House budget request, which is certain to meet fierce resistance in Congress, scraps the Bush administration's Vision for Space Exploration and signals a major reorientation of NASA, especially in the area of human spaceflight, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Senior White House officials said NASA was expected to see some "modest" increases in its current $18.7 billion annual budget, possibly $200 million to $300 million more, but far less than the $1 billion boost agency officials had hoped for.
Obama's budget freeze is likely to hamstring NASA in coming years as the spending clampdown will eventually shackle the agency and its ambitions, according to the Sentinel.
One administration official said the budget will send a message that it is time members of Congress recognize that NASA can't design space programs to create jobs in their districts. "That's the view of the president," the official said.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.
January 29, 2010
Antarctica Satellite
There is some accumulation over the Blue Ice. It is an improvement from last week. But, then the angle of the sun is changing and beginning to start its northward traverse already.
January 29, 2010
0300 PM
Antarctica Temperature Satellite (click here for 24 hour loop)
The Warmest Reporting Station
Base San Martin, Antarctica
Local Time: 1:16 AM GMT (GMT +00)
Updated: 9:00 PM GMT on January 29, 2010
Lat/Lon: 68.1° S 67.1° W
Elevation :: 13 ft.
Temperature :: 42 F - High -- 32 F Low
Conditions :: Partly Cloudy
Humidity :: 36%
Dew Point :: 24 F
Wind :: 6 mph from the North
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: 29.32 inches (Steady)
Visibility :: 12.0 miles
Vostok, Antarctica
Local Time: 7:24 AM VOST (GMT +06)
Updated: 1 hr 24 min 34 sec ago
Lat/Lon: 78.4° S 106.9° E
Elevation :: 11220 ft
Temperature :: -22 F -- High ; -41 F Low
Conditions :: Clear
Humidity :: 44%
Dew Point :: -44 F
Wind :: 5 mph from the WSW
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: inches (Falling)
Visibility :: 12.0 miles
