Turmoil in Planetary Exploration? (broadcast Friday, March 28th, 2008)

As it finished its second Martian year on Mars, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit was beginning to examine a group of angular rocks given informal names corresponding to peaks in the Colorado Rockies. NASA/JPL-Caltech

This week, planetary scientist Alan Stern announced that he was stepping down as NASA’s associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, the head role in the space agency's science programs. His departure was unexpected, and the agency gave no reason for the sudden departure.

The shakeup in NASA science comes the same week that NASA officials suggested that the Mars rover program would face a $4 million cut in its budget, potentially resulting in one of the rovers being shut down for lack of funds. NASA administrator Michael Griffin has now reversed those budget cuts, and has stated that no rover will be shut down. The space agency said in a statement that the initial letter regarding the budget cuts "was not coordinated with the administrator's office and is in the process of being rescinded."

In this segment, we'll talk with NPR science correspondent David Kestenbaum about the week in NASA news.