Astrobiology Budget in Peril

February 15, 2007

Update June 5, 2006: Read a letter by Senator Barbara Boxer (Adobe Acrobat required)

Update June 19, 2006: Read a letter by Senators Richard Lugar & Evan Bayh (Adobe Acrobat required)

Update June 24, 2006: Your voice has been heard!

The House of Representatives Appropriations Committee voted to restore $75 million (out of $330 million) of the funding that was cut from space science plans. The $75 million includes $50 million to research and analysis, $10 million for development of Terrestrial Planet Finder, and $15 million to start on a mission to Europa.
Read a letter (Adobe Acrobat required) sent by Representative Anna Eshoo of California in support of continued NASA funding for Astrobiology.
The NASA Appropriations bill will be voted on by the full House, and then again in the Senate. This is far from over -- we have much to do, and your continued support is integral to saving Astrobiology for the years to come! If you haven't already sent a letter or fax to your senator, now is the time. Take action now.

Take Action:

Send a fax to representatives, US congressmen and the NASA administrator letting them know how important astrobiology is to you.
Contact Congress - learn how to look up information about your congressional leaders.
Sign up to receive future mailings from Nobel Laureate Baruch Blumberg and SETI Institute CEO Thomas Pierson about the status of astrobiology and the budget cycle.

National Impact of Astrobiology:

The SETI Institute has surveyed the available public record in order to define the broad impact of astrobiology in the United States. From this data (Microsoft Excel document), a map has been prepared, showing the locations of astrobiology research and education in the U.S. Highlights of the importance of astrobiology are shown on the second page of this Adobe Acrobat document. To request a change, addition, or deletion of a site on the map, fill out this form.

Thanks to Computers By Design for their generous donation of time, expertise, and software for this project. Purchase of a large, vinyl rendition of the map, as was shown at AbSciCon, can be made at this site.

An interactive map showing information about the institutions can be found at Computers By Design. Click here for instructions on installation and use of this map.

Open Letters :

Letter sent by Senators Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh in support of leveled support for NASA funding for Astrobiology
Letter sent by Representative Anna Eshoo of California in support of continued NASA funding for Astrobiology.
Blumberg-Pierson Letter to the Astrobiology Community, March 21, 2006 - Details of the consequences of the budget cuts and a call to the community to continue contacting congressional representatives, including Congressional visits and sending faxes.
Astrobiology Serves NASA and the National Interest - Statement Prepared by Principal Investigators of the NASA Astrobiology Institute
Call to Action from Congressman John Culberson, March 9, 2006 - Congressman Culberson avocates the science community to contact representatives to restore science funding. Read a press article about this letter.
Blumberg-Pierson Letter to the Astrobiology Community, February 15, 2006 - An alert to the community about the severity of the budget situation, and urges members to send their messages to Congress.

SPACE.com Articles:

Commentary: Astrobiology Research Threatened at NASA by Edna DeVore
March 30, 2006
Lawmaker Campaigns Against NASA Budget Cuts by Leonard David
March 16, 2006
Commentary: Destroying Astrobiology Would Be a 'Disaster' by Rocco Mancinelli
March 9, 2006
Commentary: Astrobiology Budget in Peril by Baruch Blumberg
February 23, 2006
SOFIA Telescope Project Faces Hurdles by Edna DeVore
February 9, 2006

Publications

Astrobiology Budget in Peril