HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden is hoping the President gets from Congress what he's asking for in next year's budget.

If that's the case, American astronauts will be hitching a ride to the ISS in 2017, and the Huntsville- designed and developed deep space rocket, the Space Launch System, should be on the launch pad for a test flight in 2018.

NASA's Bolden told a crowd at the Kennedy Space Center that hopes to see $18.5-billion in funds from Congress to work on SLS, ISS and the James Webb Telescope.

So what's in that money pie for Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center?

$2-billion is allocated for the MSFC. Marshall's Center Director and Deputy Director are happy.

It means stability for the workforce and no program cancellations.

"I think we are in good shape," said Deputy Director Theresa Vanhoozer. "Moving forward the SLS. Making progress everyday. We hope the continued support, and the President in increasing the budget for NASA, will be seen as a positive thing for us going forward."

Going forward includes focusing on how to live in deep space once astronauts are bound for an asteroid or Mars.

So far, a 6-month stay is the longest they've lived away from earth on the ISS, and that's with regular supplies, like food and water.

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Water, water, everywhere - even recycled by body - in space