The U.S. president is bidding a 12% rise to NASA’s budget for the upcoming year. The effort will assist ensure the American space agency to send humans on the lunar surface by 2024. According to the latest budget proposal of the administration, NASA will get $25.2 billion for the financial year 2021. In the previous year, the space agency has had gained $22.6 billion. Thus, the new amount reveals a significant rise in financial backup from the government. Notably, it is a 12% rise, which comprises of more than $3 billion to start building a lander for the upcoming lunar mission. Almost half of the budget request, i.e., $12.3 billion, accounts for novel and existing projects focusing on returning to the moon. It also includes the eventual landing on Mars.
Jim Bridenstine, the NASA Administrator, said it is a 21st-century financial plan deserving of 21st-century space exploration. As per the executive, the budget for fiscal 2021 is one of the most substantial financial statements in the history of NASA. He added the move clearly reveals the president’s support for the agency. NASA reports indicate it will cost around $35 billion to the capital of the Artemis lunar mission. Currently, the agency aims to land humans on the surface of the moon by 2024. To make it a reality, the budget petition says NASA will require financial support for every consecutive year up to 2025.
After the arrival of the budget request from the White House, NASA unveiled more particulars regarding the scheme. The space agency has revealed the amount it requires for the Artemis lunar program in the upcoming five years. NASA foresees requiring greater than $26-$27 billion every year for the forthcoming five years. As per the agency, it will need $28.6 billion for fiscal 2023, which is the highest amount in the period. Jim said NASA would probably require an additional amount between $20 to $30 billion over the upcoming five years. Above all, the financial plan calls for the overall Moon-to-Mars mission to demand $71 billion up to 2024.
