NASA is trying to cover all of its bases for fiscal 2015 with a $17.5 billion stay-the-course budget request that would maintain pace on all of the agency's major priorities. The James Webb Space Telescope, Space Launch System and Orion crew capsule, and International Space Station-extended until 2024, with commercial crew access to it-are funded adequately. NASA remains oversubscribed, so it relies on the White House's proposed government-wide $56 billion wish list for another $886 million in nice-to-haves, including "more robust" competition in commercial crew vehicle development between at least two providers. It also rewards congressional backers with some extra work for their constituents, while threatening to ground the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (Sofia) unless Europe antes up some extra operating funds.
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