Tim Killian wrote:

What is wrong with requiring advocates of this research to properly submit requests for funding? Sounds like they've been operating to-date from some kind of slush fund. If the data are so valuable, let them put together a proposal to formally fund the extended missions.

Research data can not be demonstrated "so valuable" until you have it. So far the Voyagers have discovered the heliopause IIRC - serendipity - would have been missed if the toad of an administrator were in charge then.

The pot of money is not infinite.

If we needed to send a probe to collect the missing data lost if the Voyagers aren't downloaded regularly it would likely cost hundreds of millions to billions, not to mention the decades waiting until the new probe reached where the old probe already is. These NASA guys are short sighted penny wise pound foolish doofusses.