NASA budget request totals $18.7 billion

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency would receive $18.7 billion during fiscal 2010 based on the budget request U.S. President Barack Obama presented Thursday to Congress.

The budget proposal's $18.7 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, combined with the $1 billion provided to the agency in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, represents an increase of more than $2.4 billion from NASA's 2008 budget.

The money would fund a program of space-based research supporting the deployment of a global climate change research and monitoring system, as well as a program of space exploration involving humans and robots.

The NASA budget proposal would finance space shuttle operations through the vehicles' retirement at the end of 2010 and development of new space flight systems. The budget plan also provides money for continued use of the International Space Station to support the agency and other federal, commercial and academic research and technology testing needs, as well as aeronautics research to address aviation safety, air traffic control, noise and emissions reduction and fuel efficiency.