LAS CRUCES Members of the New Mexico State University Astronomy Department worked to halt proposed cuts to NASA's planetary exploration budget Saturday by hosting a car wash to raise funds and, more importantly, awareness about the issue.

Motorists traveling on East Lohman Avenue were heralded by a shiny, silver robot to a parking lot beside the nearby AutoZone store where several graduate students and professors from NMSU's Astronomy Department educated drivers on the proposed cuts that they say will be devastating to the nation's future in space exploration, all while making sure their vehicles were sparkling clean.

Part of a nationwide campaign, car washes, bake sales and even shoe-shining events were held by planetary sciences students and faculty, engineers, scientists and space enthusiasts throughout the country Saturday in an attempt to raise awareness about the proposed budget cuts, explained Chas Miller, a graduate student in NMSU's Astronomy Department. Similar fundraisers took place in Houston, Orlando, San Francisco and Boulder, Colo., to name a few.

"The proposed budget would bring about a 20 percent cut in one year for planetary exploration programs," he said.

Like many of the cities were fundraisers were held Saturday, "There is a long history of space exploration in southern New Mexico," said Nancy Chanover, associate professor at NMSU's Astronomy Department.

Charging a mere $1 donation for each car wash, organizers of Saturday's

Sharing information on space exploration and research with patrons, volunteers asked residents to support the cause by signing letters that will be sent to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, that urge the lawmaker to work to fully restore planetary exploration funding.

"Sen. Hutchison is the closest representative (of the subcommittee) to Las Cruces," Miller explained. "We're not asking for more funding, we're just asking that she work to keep the planetary exploration budget as stable as possible."

The proposed cut would lower funding for NASA's planetary exploration program from $1.5 billion to $1.2 billion in the 2013 fiscal year.

Although patrons weren't required to sign the letter to have a car washed during the event, an hour into the afternoon fundraiser, volunteers had already obtained more than 15 signatures.

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Astronomy students host car wash to oppose NASA cuts