NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient, testified before a Senate panel to voice the agency’s intent to secure $3.2 billion in funding for the Artemis deep-space exploration program.
Bridenstine told the Senate Appropriations Committee’s commerce, justice and science subcommittee at a recent hearing that the amount requested under NASA’s fiscal year 2021 budget proposal will cover costs for the Human Landing System (HLS), SpaceNews reported Wednesday.
He noted that the $600 million allocation detailed in the House’s spending bill is “not enough to achieve the 2024 moon landing.” Challenges like schedule delays and cost overruns may also occur if the approved allocations fall short of NASA’s projected amount, he added.
“Anything this committee can do to help us get those resources is critically important,” said Bridenstine.
The hearing comes shortly after the House voted to pass a stopgap bill to extend funding for federal agencies through December to prevent a government shutdown in October.
