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At a two-part hearing discussing the future of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine proposed reducing the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope's (WFIRST) budget by about a third in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 to help fund the cost-overrun JWST:
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said July 25 that, in order to address the delays and cost overruns with the James Webb Space Telescope, the agency may seek to slow down development of another flagship astrophysics mission.
Testifying before the House Science Committee in the first half of a two-part hearing on JWST, Bridenstine suggested that slowing down work on the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) until after JWST is launched could be a way to deal with JWST's increased cost while maintaining a "balanced portfolio" of large and small astrophysics programs.
"The idea of WFIRST presumed that JWST would be on orbit and delivering science," he said. "So it is my recommendation that we move forward with WFIRST after we move forward with JWST."
"It is true we can do some development now. I'm not saying that we need to shut down WFIRST, and we shouldn't do it," he added. "What I'm saying is there's opportunity here."
The second part of the hearing will involve questioning of Northrop Grumman CEO Wes Bush on the 26th.
See also: NASA's next great space telescope is stuck on Earth after screwy errors
Previously: WFIRST Space Observatory Could be Scaled Back Due to Costs
Trump Administration Budget Proposal Would Cancel WFIRST
House Spending Bill Offers NASA More Money Than the Agency or Administration Wanted
Launch of James Webb Space Telescope Delayed Again, This Time to March 2021, Cost at $9.66 Billion
(Score: 3, Interesting) by bob_super on Friday July 27 2018, @09:01PM (5 children)
Can we just stop bombing brown people for a couple weeks, and transfer those savings to avoid delaying the betterment of scientific knowledge ?
/rethorical
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 27 2018, @09:36PM
The Welfare state needs to go.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Friday July 27 2018, @09:37PM
>/rethorical
You summoned the grammar nazis. Rub the hammer and sickle three times to make them go away.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 27 2018, @09:48PM
Look at the history of this project, it will never launch. Noone will be responsible for its failure, literally failure is not an option.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 27 2018, @11:31PM
In living memory, just barely, the United States has bombed or fought against multiple European countries, and several Asian countries, in more than one war. Those conflicts, like the present one, have nothing to do with racism and everything to do with the behavior of the people being bombed. Repeated attacks with the goal of mass killings of Americans isn't going to be acceptable regardless of the color of the nationals involved be they European or Arab. I will also point out, since you are apparently ignorant of the fact, than many Americans are non-white, and are fully accepted members of American society. Take the race baiting elsewhere.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 28 2018, @11:25AM
The Welfare state needs to go.