Number: RL33568
Title: The International Space Station and the Space Shuttle
Authors: Carl E. Behrens, Environment and Natural Resources Policy Division; 
Abstract: With nine more flights to the International Space Station scheduled before the space shuttle program is shut down in 2010, the shuttle Endeavour was poised to launch November 12, 2008. In the meantime, the flight of the shuttle Atlantis to service the Hubble Space Telescope, which had been planned for October, was postponed until May or June 2009. NASA programs were funded for FY2008 in Division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-161). The Space Operations program, which includes the space shuttle and the ISS, was funded at $6.734 billion. For FY2009 NASA requested $5.775 billion for these programs, but in the process revised its budgeting to move its overhead costs to a new account called Cross-Agency Support. Under the new system, the FY2008 Space Operations program would have received $5.526 billion, about $250 million less than the FY2009 request. NASA is currently operating under a continuing resolution (Division A of P.L. 110-329), which funded most civilian activities through March 6, 2009. Under the continuing resolution, Space Operations are funded at the $5.526 billion rate appropriated for FY2008.
Pages: 8
Date: November 3, 2008