UPDATED: Bolden Gives Astronomers Good News

UPDATE: Gen. Bolden’s written speech is now available on NASA’s website and his actual presentation is on YouTube. Here is the paragraph that promises not to rob science to pay human space flight:

“I’m sure all of you would like to know what direction President Obama will choose for the future of our space program. All I can say for now is that NASA is working closely with the Executive Office of the President in helping him determine the best path forward. What I know, however, is that science is important to the President, important to NASA, and crucial to whatever way forward we are to follow. I can make you this commitment: the future of human spaceflight will not be paid for out of the hide of our science budget.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden told the American Astronomical Society (AAS) today that NASA’s human space flight program– whatever it turns out to be — will not be paid for by cutting NASA’s science programs according to Science magazine’s blog, ScienceInsider. Bolden spoke at the AAS annual meeting being held this week in Washington, D.C. While he reportedly provided no specifics about the ongoing debate about the future of the human space flight program, ScienceInsider quoted him as saying that “I don’t think this president wants to be the president who presided over the end of (American) space flight.” As he has in most of his speeches, Bolden also highlighted the need to focus on science education.