Obama requests $18B budget for NASA

WASHINGTON, May 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says its fiscal 2010 $18 billion budget request will allow completion of the International Space Station and more aeronautics research.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration request represents an increase of $903.6 million, or 5 percent, above fiscal 2009 funding.

"NASA's fiscal year 2010 request funds a robust program to continue the agency's missions of exploration and research," the space agency said. "It supports the administration's commitment to deploy a global climate change research and monitoring system. It funds a strong program of space exploration involving humans and robots with the goal of returning Americans to the moon and exploring other destinations. And it supports the safe flight of the space shuttle to complete assembly of the International Space Station by the shuttle's planned retirement."

With the fiscal year 2010 budget request, NASA said it will advance global climate change research and develop new sensors to support the Obama administration's goal of deploying a global climate research and monitoring system.

NASA said the budget request also will allow aeronautics research to address aviation safety, air traffic control, fuel efficiency and noise and emissions reductions.

The NASA budget and supporting information are available at http://www.nasa.gov/budget.