NASA Returning To Its Roots

With White House budget cuts restored by Congress, NASA is returning to its roots by restructuring its aeronautics research mission directorate to emphasize cutting-edge fundamental research, as well as protecting its far-flung test facilities as national assets. Along with increasing the aeronautics budget by $60 million to $912.3 million, lawmakers asked NASA to develop a vision for aeronautics and a plan for its workforce and facilities, particularly the Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif.; Glenn Research Center in Cleveland; and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. The new focus will include subsonic (rotary and fixed wing), supersonic and hypersonic flight and working with the Joint Planning and Development Office on the next-generation air-transportation system.