On March 2, the House Science Committee will be reviewing NASA’s budget. Among those testifying will be Dr. Mary Cleave, who is the Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. So she’s a bigwig, and is in charge of science. No doubt she will vigorously defend NASA’s decision to cut science funding; she’s done so before.
Also testifying will be Wes Huntress, representing the National Academy of Science’s Decadal Survey for Solar System Exploration (whose recommendations for NASA science have been shot down in the current budget, including funding SOFIA and the Mars Scout programs), and Dr. Joseph H. Taylor, also representing the NAS. Taylor won the Nobel prize for astronomical observations of a binary neutron star which confirmed Einstein’s predictions about gravitational radiation. How do you think these guys feel about the devastating cuts to NASA science? Actually, you need not wonder: Huntress has made himself clear already.
I’ll be very curious to hear what’s said at this meeting. It will be webcast via the House.
