Nasa cuts may hit station study

Nasa astronauts Daniel Bursch and Carl Walz spacewalking outside the space station

The US space agency, Nasa, is considering putting research onboard the space station on hold for at least a year to make up for a cash shortfall.

The space station research budget was cut to $200m (£107m) last year due to increased costs in the shuttle programme and Hurricane Katrina losses.

"Right now, we're quite a bit in the hole," Nasa Deputy Space Station Program Manager Kirk Shireman.

"We're looking at a number of options," He told a news conference.

Under the plan, Nasa would carry out no research on the evolving space platform in 2007, but would resume research activities a year or two later.

It follows a change in direction for the agency, with a drive towards lunar exploration and eventual missions to Mars.

Cutting science programmes would suggest that it is merely a joy ride to the Moon Katie Boyd, spokeswoman for Alabama Republican senator Richard Shelby

Critics say the agency's decision to fund only research programmes that have a direct bearing on long-distance human spaceflight is short-sighted.

"Cutting science programs would suggest that it is merely a joy ride to the Moon," said Katie Boyd, spokeswoman for Alabama Republican senator Richard Shelby.

Future risks

Nasa's plans for implementing President George Bush's vision to explore the Moon, Mars and beyond were also criticised this month in a US government report.

The agency is currently working on plans for a replacement for the ageing shuttle fleet. The new launch system would include a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), which would carry astronauts to the space station and eventually the Moon.

But the Government Accountability Office (GAO) questioned Nasa's acquisition strategy for the CEV.

It said the decision to award a contract for the craft as early as September this year, before the full architecture and strategy was in place, put the project at risk of significant cost over-runs, delays and performance shortfall.