NRC: Budget Shortfalls, Launch Failures Harm U.S. Earth Observation Capabilities

摘要

U.S. Earth observation capabilities are in a worse position then they were five years ago because NASA's Earth Science Division is not launching new observatories quickly enough to offset the decay of existing space assets, warns a report published May 2 by the National Research Gouncil (NRG). "The nation's Earth observing system is beginning a rapid decline in capability as long-running missions end and key new missions are delayed, lost, or canceled," concludes the new report from the NRG's Gommittee on the Assessment of NASA's Earth Science Program.