Restore NASA funding?

[dillybar]

My son asked me to critique a paper he was writing on NASA funding for an class he is taking.
He made some compelling arguments about the advances in science NASA has spurred, and the benefits of collaborating with other national space programs etc. as well as practical issues, such as the need to eventually organize a reasonable method for diverting possible civilization ending meteorites.

Naturally, as a young engineering student he was all for restoring all of NASA's funding and then some.

Now, as a student that does not pay much tax and as a Canadian that does not pay any American tax he does not have much to say about the policy, but it got me wondering what my American Sail Net Pals think on the subject.

Is it still important for Americans to lead in this field? Is space exploration still of value? Should the American government, or any governments even be involved any longer or should we leave it up to the Virgin Galactics of the world. Is it a problem if China takes a dominant role in space exploration?
Is this issue even on the radar given the current economic climate?

[WouldaShoulda]

Originally Posted by dillybar

Is it a problem if China takes a dominant role in space exploration?

Other than space being littered with the refuse of knock-off rocket and radioactive lead infused debris??

No!!

[bljones]

What concerns me is the symbolism of the decision, and what it may, or may not, say about the culture. When you stop reaching for the stars, it signals that you have given up, that you are content to let others lead and dream. It may be perceived as a tipping point, that maybe America didn't win the cold war, but just deferred the loss by going broke slower.

[Allen-deckard]

How bout we take care of earth first before we worry about mars or whatever else.
If the NASA program brought us advances in other fields it was purely by accident. The money could be spent in direct research instead.

Or we leave the money in the taxpayers hands to begin with and let the private sector do what they do best which is innovate out or desire for profit/greed which ever suits your lingo desire.

The private sector has always been better at comming up with solutions than an inflated bureaucracy

[Rick486]

NASA when originally conceived was a very focused organization with very specific goals on space exploration. They have hugely successful at great cost but during that period they grew to be another government bureaucracy and today they lack a specific mission so they have been creating new "missions" in archaeology, meteorology, global warming, and others in the medical field. They are truly an overstaffed, over funded, unfocused organization. Were it up to me I would reconstitute NASA with a new name and a much more focused mission, with emphasis on research for space travel rather than creating these huge, costly production programs like the shuttle and the space station. These should be left to the private sector based upon utility. I also might consider merging NASA into the DoD.

[PBzeer]

Actually NASA does have a mission:

"When I became the NASA administrator, [Obama] charged me with three things," NASA head Charles Bolden said in a recent interview with the Middle Eastern news network al-Jazeera. "One, he wanted me to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math; he wanted me to expand our international relationships; and third, and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math, and engineering."

Evidently the S in NASA now stands for Shiite and Sunni.

[SloopJonB]

Originally Posted by Rick486

NASA when originally conceived was a very focused organization with very specific goals on space exploration. They have hugely successful at great cost but during that period they grew to be another government bureaucracy and today they lack a specific mission so they have been creating new "missions" in archaeology, meteorology, global warming, and others in the medical field. They are truly an overstaffed, over funded, unfocused organization. Were it up to me I would reconstitute NASA with a new name and a much more focused mission, with emphasis on research for space travel rather than creating these huge, costly production programs like the shuttle and the space station. These should be left to the private sector based upon utility. I also might consider merging NASA into the DoD.

VERY bad idea. Making NASA a civilian agency was a true act of statesmanship. If it was in the DOD it would quickly turn into nothing but another weapons platform.

I think money should be pulled from the DOD and put into NASA, along with some SERIOUS demands and focus. They brought about the single greatest accomplishment ever of the human race - landing on the Moon - and the entire program from baby steps to the funeral was accomplished in less than 20 years. With sufficient $$ and focus they can do the same kind of thing again.

Much better than spending it on ever more expensive and sophisticated weapons. It maintains the same industries that make weapons but it makes you friends around the world instead of enemies. I can well remember the total admiration the world felt when it was happening. Very different than the attitude of the world towards Iraq & Afghanistan.

It gave your country common purpose which is what it appears to need now.

[andrewoliv]

Most of the funding for NASA's projects came from the DoD Intel community.

NASA is a luxury. As a nation we need to feed our poor educate our children and ensure a stable healthcare system for our aging population. Once these things are paid for then with a portion of the money left over we can think about Mars.

We should not borrow money to build spaceships.

[remetau]

Originally Posted by SloopJonB

[/B]

They brought about the single greatest accomplishment ever of the human race - landing on the Moon - and the entire program from baby steps to the funeral was accomplished in less than 20 years. With sufficient $$ and focus they can do the same kind of thing again.

Greatest accomplishment? What is the purpose? It was a useless mission and a huge waste of resources. What would be the point in doing it again?

[SloopJonB]

Originally Posted by andrewoliv

Most of the funding for NASA's projects came from the DoD Intel community.

Not True. The DOD paid NASA to launch satellites and so forth and undoubtedly contributed in clandestine ways but to say they provided "Most of the funding for NASA's projects" is pure nonsense.

Originally Posted by andrewoliv

NASA is a luxury. As a nation we need to feed our poor educate our children and ensure a stable healthcare system for our aging population. Once these things are paid for then with a portion of the money left over we can think about Mars. We should not borrow money to build spaceships.

If you read my post, I never suggested borrowing, I suggested redirecting some defense money to it. Waiting until everything on Earth is perfect and peachy keen means we will STILL be waiting when the Sun burns out.