Posted: Sat, Jul 2, 2022, 12:33 PM ET (1633 GMT)
A House spending bill would partially restore funding for a NASA planetary defense mission. The report accompanying a commerce, justice and science appropriations bill adds $55 million for NEO Surveyor, a space telescope to look for potentially hazardous asteroids. NASA proposed a sharp cut in the mission that would delay its launch to 2028. The report directs NASA to develop a plan for the mission that launches NEO Surveyor before 2028. The report also expressed concern over NASA's plan to terminate the SOFIA airborne observatory, but did not restore funding for it. The report fully funds NASA's Human Landing System and Commercial LEO Destinations programs. The House Appropriations Committee will mark up the bill later today.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Ars Technica article