The Senate Appropriations’ commerce, justice and science subcommittee passed a spending bill that would authorize $22.75 billion in fiscal year 2020 funds for NASA, SpaceNews reported Tuesday.
The proposed measure reflects a $1.25 billion increase from the space agency’s FY 2019 funding and allocates $2.6 billion in funds for the Space Launch System, $1.4 billion for the Orion spacecraft and $1.1B for the space technology program.
The bill would earmark $6.9 billion for the agency’s science programs, including $445.7 million for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope and $161 million for the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud and Ocean Ecosystem spacecraft. The Senate Appropriations Committee is set to decide on the measure on Thursday, Sept. 26.
