Earth science is a division where the Earth’s natural system and the processes which regulate Earth’s climate, water cycle are studied. These processes include the weather changes, global warming, the effect of global warming on glaciers, climate change.
On Thursday, U.S. House Committee on Science has voted to slash NASA’s funding to Earth Science. The amount slashed is $300 million.
For the 2016 fiscal, the Obama administration has granted an $18.52 million budget for the space agency on February.
It was also reported that the budget has some cuts on planetary science and human space exploration, so the expected budget for planetary science was about $1.36 billion and the budget for human space exploration was expected to be around $2.86 billion.
But contrary to the expected budget, congress has allotted $1.45 billion for planetary science and $3.31 billion for space exploration.
Congress in its explanation said that they aim is to restore NASA’s funding.
Charles Bolden, NASA administrator is worried about the congress decision and he believes that there was no need of funding in that division and the slash in the Earth Sciences could lead to unknown consequences.
Lamar Smith, chairman of House Science Committee in a statement said, “The NASA Authorization Act for 2016 and 2017 builds on the bipartisan one-year agreement that the House passed just weeks ago, it restores much-needed balance to NASA’s budget while complying with funding levels set by current law. It authorizes full funding for the exploration systems that will take us to the Moon and Mars as well as the Commercial Crew program. It provides NASA with a science portfolio that is truly balanced.”
Bolden said, “The NASA authorization bill threatens to set back generations worth of progress in better understanding our changing climate, and our ability to prepare for and respond to earthquakes, droughts, and storm events, in addition, the bill underfunds the critical space technologies that the nation will need to lead in space, including on our journey to Mars.
