Bush budgets $6 billion for NASA

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. President George W. Bush's $2.9 trillion fiscal 2008 space and science budget includes more than $6 billion for NASA.

Included is $1.2 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop a new rocket for Orion, the space vehicle that will replace the space shuttle in 2010. NASA would also receive $1.6 billion to conduct astronomy research, upgrade the Hubble telescope and build new space telescopes.

The president's space and technology budget also contains $6.4 billion for the National Science Foundation to support physical sciences, nanotechnology and other areas, $4.4 billion for the Department of Energy, $800 million to improve weather forecasting capabilities, $594 million for the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology and $436 million over three years in award money for developers who build privately operated space vehicles that would re-supply the International Space Station.

In addition it would spend $396 million over five years to support long-term aeronautics research at university and industry labs and $2 million to enhance tsunami detection and warning capabilities.