NASA Chief Says Funding Woes Force Moon plan Slowdown

NASA's Constellation program is facing a potential $1 billion funding shortfall in the remaining four months of the present budget year, a situation that likely will force contractors to level back work on major elements of the program before the agency obtains the congressional power it needs to officially terminate the effort.

In a June 9 letter to key U.S. lawmakers, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the work slowdown could result in "contractor workforce reductions expected at 30-60 percent of the current population, or 2,500-5,000, for the balance of the year."

According to the letter, NASA is confronting an estimated $994 million in potential costs linked with ending the Constellation program, which NASA has proposed doing next year. "Once these termination liability estimates are accounted for, the overall Constellation program is confront a total estimated shortfall of $991 million for continued program effort for the balance of the year, compared with the revised FY 2010 plan," the letter states.