Earth Science is only 10% of NASA's budget. From NASA's 2014 budget request (in millions of dollars): http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/750614main_NASA_FY_2014_Budget_E

Earth Science is only 10% of NASA's budget. From NASA's 2014 budget request (in millions of dollars): http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/750614main_NASA_FY_2014_Budget_Estimates-508.pdf http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/750614main_NASA_FY_2014_Budget_Estim... Science 5,017.8 Aeronautics 565.7 Space Technology 742.6 Exploration 3,915.5 Space Operations 3,882.9 Education 94.2 Cross Agency Support 2,850.3 =============================== Total Request 17,715.4 To break down "Science": Earth Science 1,846.1 Planetary Science 1,217.5 Astrophysics 642.3 James Webb Space Telescope 658.2 Heliophysics 653.7 By comparison, most of the "Exploration" budget is spent on the development of the Space Launch System -- which some sarcastically refer to as the "Senate" Launch System, because it is designed to spread money among the states. Just the SLS alone is bigger than the Earth Science budget.