Buzz Aldrin once said “Mars has been flown by, orbited, smacked into, radar examined, and rocketed into, as well as bounced upon, rolled over, shoveled, drilled into, baked and even blasted. Still to come: Mars being stepped on.” While the verity in this matter is true, it still demonstrates the lack of progress produced by NASA. NASA, a publicly funded program, has been experiencing a deficit in funds due to the increased importance in other programs like education or healthcare. To address this issue, the leaders of technology and innovation- John Bezoes for Blue ORigin; Richard Branson for Virgin Galactic; and most importantly Elon Musk for SpaceX- have stepped up to fill in the need of more capital in space funds. While, many may argue …show more content…
In other words, if space exploration is held in the hands of the upper class, the majority of America - middle class Americans- would be denied their right for knowledge as private ownership of the space industry would only seek to please the interest of the rich. In fact, upper class Americans invest primarily for commercial reasons. For example, Elon Musk’s, founder of SpaceX a private space exploration company, started his company- not a research program- to sell space journeys to the American public (Leahy). This demonstrates that with public funding and the continuation of NASA space exploration program, the organization would be able to cater to the desires of the world rich or poor. More importantly, if space were only used by privatized corporations it would be used as a commercialism rather than research. However, while space exploration- essentially research- is thought to cater to the Americans as a whole, the goal for companies like SpaceX or Blue origin-private space ventures- is meant to cater to the desires and CEO’s or leaders. NASA, funded by American tax dollars, is meant to procure knowledge for the American public. However, ironically, the majority of the country seeks no interest in pursuing space exploration and more specifically doesn't want to see their tax dollars going to a program they seek no interest in. In fact, in an Msnbc, meet the press edition, with Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator and MODERATOR Tim Russert describes that 60% of Americans demonstrated no interest or appeal for space exploration, and more importantly, public space funding(Russert). With the lack of interest within the American public it should be clear to let those who seek interest in the space research - private space ventures- pursue their own desires for knowledge in the form of private
NASA Funding The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was booming in the late 1960s because the U.S. invested over 4.5 percent of the Federal Budget (Bolden). Unfortunately, in the recent years, the Government has slashed funding for many of NASA’s projects in an attempt to cut back on the deficit and boost the economy. Despite the plummet in NASA's budget, the program has proved that it's prominence in the U.S., space programs like NASA continue to face difficulty in increasing its funds. Although, NASA leads evidently, the government doesn’t think NASA is worth more than 0.47 percent of the federal budget.
Bill Nye, the “Science Guy,” asserts, “NASA is an engine of innovation and inspiration as well as the world's premier space exploration agency, and we are well served by politicians working to keep it that way, instead of turning it into a mere jobs program, or worse, cutting its budget.” The United States of America’s government is currently in an economic debt encompassing billions of US dollars. Unfortunately, the government has attempted to balance finances by cutting the funding for most programs, including NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA, in over half a century, has brought the most economic, technological, and social benefits than any other program held here in the USA, as well as any other extraterrestrial program in the world. The last thing this nation needs is the cutting of NASA finances. NASA should be receiving more funding because the Earth will not last forever and humans will need a place to live, there’s a curiosity within humans about the vast universe they live in, there is evidence to suggest life on other planets, the USA’s superpower status will be improved, and the economical income NASA brings is more efficient than any other governmental or educational program.
Have you ever wondered what Earth was like without space exploration? In the story Leaving Main Street the author states, “The United States has more important things to spend money on.” On the other hand some people believe that successful space programs adds to our economy,national prestige,create jobs,and improves national security. We shouldn't spend valuable resources on space exploration, because we could end hunger and poverty.
Over the past few years, NASA has been the victim of larger and larger budget cuts. The United States government thinks that money that should be being used for funding NASA is more useful elsewhere. This is a real shame, space travel is the future. One day we will run out of resources,or become over crowded on Earth, and mankind will have to expand to the stars for another place to live. Space travel is our future and needs exploration. NASA should be more highly funded by the United States government, in order to continue research towards future objectives.
With more funding, NASA can build a manned base on the moon while finding a way to Mars. In going along with this plan, there will be more demand for scientists and engineers alike. Engineers will build the manned bases and vessels, while scientists occupy them and gather data to benefit the world. In this way, NASA will be able to see if it is possible to make Mars the next “Earth”, making plans to help make that reality if this does happen. “Through space exploration and innovative thinking, NASA has injected science and inspiration into our culture and projected us into the future”
The question regarding the value in financially supporting large American institutions, such as NASA, has indeed generated prevalent debate. Bobby Braun addresses his individual view on this issue in his article entitled “Space Technology: A Critical Investment for Our Nation’s Future,” published on October 27, 2011, in which he argues that the United States government must continue to invest in NASA. Braun strengthens the logic and persuasiveness of his argument by incorporating facts and examples about the benefits of NASA’s contributions to American society in order to support his central claims and by asserting the long-term influence of NASA’s existence as well as a powerful call to action in order to emphasize the significance of the organization to the reader.
Private space travel should be encouraged. Private space exploration can lead to many positive benefits for our country. With the no longer continued support of public funding to NASA the threat of losing our space programs as a whole is in jeopardy. Putting an end to our space programs would destroy the continuation of space related research and all hopes of the United States reaching Mars. Privately funded companies would allow for continued research, hope of one day putting humans on Mars and most importantly explore many new things that were once never an option with government funded programs. The encouragement of private space travel is vital for our country.
In “The Pros and Cons of Privatized Space Exploration,” the website debates over the pros and cons of space travel. One example would be, that is we did start a privatized space program, other countries like Russia and China would want to be involved in it, (con) and that with private space exploration, we can accomplish newer thing, just like the times where we discovered the moon for the first time. With these debates, it makes sense in how we will find out if it should or should not be privatized.
When talking about the current space program, Neil Degrasse Tyson once said, “I got angry with America, because advancing is not just something you do incrementally. You need innovation as well, so that your advances are revolutionary, not merely evolutionary” (Tyson 3). America used to have the top space program in the world. Being first to the moon excited the country and gave everyone a sense of pride and fulfillment. Lately, though, we have been falling behind in space exploration. A successful space program is needed in America, and here’s why: we are losing our grip on the title as the world superpower and a new age of economics and politics is coming faster than we are prepared for. To be prepared for this new age we need the funds,
It is within man’s blood and nature to explore, and space is our next New World. Man’s first achievement in space travel was the launch of the Sputnik on October 4, 1957. For the next decades, space travel was roaring like a rocket, fueled by man’s desire to explore, man’s desire for knowledge, and man’s desire to beat his enemies. However, these impulses have died out as the well of government funding has been diverted to wars and debts, and the interest of the American people has been diverted to wars and debts. Amidst all these issues it is debated as to whether or not space travel is worth the money and the attention of scientists, particularly since humanity faces so many issues on earth currently. However, because of the past inventions, current services, and future benefits, space travel is indeed worth the money and attention of governments and people. It is within our hands to control man’s advancement, and space travel is the next venue to do so.
NASA’s research and innovation looked promising, but it came at a cost. Money, resources, and spacecraft accidents, most famously Apollo 13 all hindered NASA’s research. In the 21st century, the debate over funding for NASA is at its peak since the birth of the organization in 1958, especially when there are numerous problems throughout the world. Is the money spent on space exploration worth the advantages and advances it contributes to society? When considering this topic, one might ask themselves, why explore space?
And it creates knowledge and know-how that benefit us all” (Dunford). This is a very important fact to get through people’s minds that even though space travel can be considered “expensive” the money stays here and is distributed back to the people. Charles Bolden who is a NASA administrator said “It’s also important to remember that the $2.5 billion investment made in this project was not spent on Mars, but right here on Earth, supporting more than 7,000 jobs in at least 31 states,” (Howell). This fact is usually forgotten by many people today most think that when the government spends money it just disappears. With the space program this is untrue in the case of the mission to Mars “The money spent went into salaries of highly-skilled engineers, programmers, managers, and independent contractors in over twenty states across the country” (Dreier).
The main argument against space travel is that the money used could be better put on other matters. This is, in fact, very untrue. Looking at NASA’s 2015 budget of $17.5 billion, it may seem like a lot, until you realize that the US military budget for 2014 was $581 billion (5). Furthermore, it was estimated that each dollar in NASA’s budget was equivalent to 8 – 10 dollars of economic benefit (6). If an organization can bring about economic value at 10 folds the original budget, it would be logical to continue funding it, if not increasing the funds.
“To most people in the U.K., indeed throughout Western Europe, space exploration is primarily perceived as 'what NASA does'. This perception is - in many respects - a valid one. Superpower rivalry during the Cold War ramped up U.S. and Soviet space efforts to a scale that Western Europe had no motive to match.” Martin Rees
Most people think that the costly downside to funding space exploration is a reason to avoid spending money on sciences and instead spend it on problems here on earth, but such funding for space exploration actually promotes economical as well as scientific benefits. Space exploration is an important expenditure for the high cost because of the potential for numerous benefits such as the possibility to find useful resources to cultivate, space exploration and satellites produce many thousands of jobs in our economy, and it creates and discovers newer and better technologies through research and development.