On July 13, the House passed a bill that addresses the FY12 NASA budget. The total recommended amount is $16.81 billion. Here are a few details on this budget. For FY11 the NASA appropriation was $18.448 billion. The Administration's FY12 request was $18.724 billion. But, the new recommended budget represents a decline of 8.9 percent or $1.638 billion.

The budget report includes a key statement about NASA's future: "After several years of debate and compromise, the Congress and the Administration have finally settled on a consensus program for NASA in the form of the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-278). In order to successfully accomplish everything outlined in that Act, NASA needs to develop and pursue new and different ways of operating that will promote efficiency and economy; annual budget increases can no longer be counted on as the means for achieving mission goals."

The message to NASA from the House seems clear; "Clean up your act and get more efficient."

In view of the current debt crisis, retirement of the Space Shuttle and transfer of low-orbit cargo and crew space transportation functions to the private sector, NASA is going to be pressured to skinny down to fighting weight and find ways to do more with less.

This may seem difficult for an established and bloated bureaucracy. Nevertheless, a continued viable space science program is going to have to adjust to the new reality of smaller budgets, and possibly fewer civil servants at NASA.

Remember, when times are tough and elections are approaching, the space community represents only a small part of the voting public. Without structural changes and innovative improvements in productivity within the NASA and contractor community, the future of U.S. space exploration could be very dim.