NASA's leadership cautions that the next year will likely be more difficult as the agency works to maintain its funding on Capitol Hill.
NASA associate administrator Robert Cabana warned at the SpaceCom conference here Feb. 22 that congressional plans to cut government budget may make it hard to finance future Artemis missions.
"I believe that this year will be much more difficult for us than 2022," he stated, stressing "what we must achieve to establish our route for the future and assure our success."
NASA earned approximately $25.4 billion in the omnibus budget plan for fiscal year 2023, a 5.6% increase from the $24 billion it received in 2022.
This growth was deemed "excellent" by Cabana, but he added, "I believe we will have obstacles."
According to Alicia Brown, assistant administrator for NASA's office of legislative and intergovernmental relations, these challenges stem from plans by the incoming ,
Republican majority in the House to reduce expenditure for fiscal year 2024, such as reverting to fiscal year 2022 levels.
"The next several years will be difficult for us," she warned at SpaceCom, noting the proposed budget cuts.
"What we can do immediately in this fiscal year is ensuring that there is not a significant gap between Artemis 3 and Artemis 4, our first Gateway mission."
In their proposed budget for fiscal year 2023, NASA sought $26 billion. This plan includes a budget projection of $26.5 billion in 2024 and $28.1 billion in 2027.