The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is in a preparation process for a major evaluation of its human spaceflight program, even as many who will conduct the survey have yet to be informed of the agency's revised mission.

President Obama on Monday revealed its space plans in his 2011 budget request - the study is to survey the variety of available rockets and spacecraft, looking at the different manoeuvres for grabbing future destinations and recommend a framework of how to proceed.

The officials claim that Mr. Obama proposal will emphasize on increasing NASA's budget, now $18.7 billion, by less than $1 billion.

The White House will order NASA to focus on Earth-science projects -- principally, researching and monitoring climate change -- and on a new technology research and development program developed to initiate human exploration of asteroids and the inner solar system.

For many NASA employees, little will change in the short run. Five more flights remain for the space shuttles, scheduled to be retired this year.

In addition, the project on the Ares I, the rocket that NASA has been working on for the past four years to replace the shuttles, will continue, and even as many expect it to be eventually displaced by the commercial rockets and cancelled.

The Obama's administration reveals that the White House planned to extend the life of the International Space Station to at least 2020.