When I was a junior in high school, I read an article in Newsweek magazine about the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Specifically, the piece spoke about the costs associated with every launch, as well as the tons of pollutants that were spewed into the atmosphere with each one. From that time on, I have considered NASA a stupendous waste of resources.
Sure, I know, we've learned tons of great things about space, other planets and solar systems, and the big bang theory. But, really, except for paving the way for telecommunications companies to cram space with pay-TV satellites, what has NASA done for the little guy? Okay, its behemoth operations have kept many engineers and physicists off of the unemployment line. And, of course, it allowed us to show the Russians that anything they could do, we could, too. But, really! That was fifty years ago. Can we please just get over Sputnik?
I wouldn't mind keeping NASA around if it didn't cost so much. Eighteen billion dollars a year is not chump change, particularly when Republicans are complaining about the extra money being doled out to help people devastated by the recession. The "back to the moon" initiative begun by former President Bush five years ago is estimated to cost well over $100 billion by 2020. The Obama administration has stated that even that amount won't do the trick.
Even NASA's contribution to entertainment is slipping. Remember those TV news reports we watched in school, showing launches and astronauts doing their space thing? Compare the thrill of those moments with the recent televised "plop" created when NASA wasted more of our tax dollars by deliberately crashing not one but two space craft into the moon's surface. The purpose of these crashes? They were looking for ice, of course. Despite the disappointment of many observers, NASA's scientists were "thrilled". Well, it's nice to know that the project wasn't a total waste.
It appears that the Obama administration might clip NASA's wings a bit. I certainly hope so. Some of those billions would do a lot more good going into health care reform. Sure, space exploration is cool. But you know what's cooler? Being able to take your kids to the doctor without worrying about how to pay for it. Now there's a giant step for mankind!
Sure, I know, we've learned tons of great things about space, other planets and solar systems, and the big bang theory. But, really, except for paving the way for telecommunications companies to cram space with pay-TV satellites, what has NASA done for the little guy? Okay, its behemoth operations have kept many engineers and physicists off of the unemployment line. And, of course, it allowed us to show the Russians that anything they could do, we could, too. But, really! That was fifty years ago. Can we please just get over Sputnik?
I wouldn't mind keeping NASA around if it didn't cost so much. Eighteen billion dollars a year is not chump change, particularly when Republicans are complaining about the extra money being doled out to help people devastated by the recession. The "back to the moon" initiative begun by former President Bush five years ago is estimated to cost well over $100 billion by 2020. The Obama administration has stated that even that amount won't do the trick.
Even NASA's contribution to entertainment is slipping. Remember those TV news reports we watched in school, showing launches and astronauts doing their space thing? Compare the thrill of those moments with the recent televised "plop" created when NASA wasted more of our tax dollars by deliberately crashing not one but two space craft into the moon's surface. The purpose of these crashes? They were looking for ice, of course. Despite the disappointment of many observers, NASA's scientists were "thrilled". Well, it's nice to know that the project wasn't a total waste.
It appears that the Obama administration might clip NASA's wings a bit. I certainly hope so. Some of those billions would do a lot more good going into health care reform. Sure, space exploration is cool. But you know what's cooler? Being able to take your kids to the doctor without worrying about how to pay for it. Now there's a giant step for mankind!
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