Comments on: Q&BA: Why spend money on NASA?

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:16:12 +0000

Here’s another reason to keep NASA funded and I’m surprised you didn’t mention it. Its Aeronautics, the first ‘A’ in NASA. NASA continues to research aeronautics, providing safer and more efficient flying to everyone on this planet. If you fly on an airplane, NASA research is incorporated in some manner.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/

As for the space side of things, friends and aquaintances will ask why I purchased a telescope. I’ll set it up and let them take a look at Jupiter, Saturn or possibly a nebula. Twenty minutes later they’re still staring in awe at the same field of view. How can anyone not want to see and understand more of the universe?

By: Number 6

Number 6 — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:12:59 +0000

Thanks, Phil, for the excellent answers on this issue — Money is spent here on earth to create jobs and help bolster the economy, but even more important, you say, it’s spent now to create a better future for all of us and all that will come after us.

I remember a PBS show many years ago called Connections w/ James Burke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections_(TV_series) )….That series showed how the invention of this led to the invention of that which led to the invention of….Each time a new technological leap was accomplished on the backs of existing technology.

Therefore, maybe NASA’s discoveries in space and its creation of new uses of technology in space could lead to technological breakthroughs on Earth?….Maybe the salvation of our planet is waiting to be discovered elsewhere?

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:37:41 +0000

(not the #8 Jon)

One reason why private industry can do space flight a little cheaper is because they can build their facilities where it actually makes sense to do so, instead of having to make some essential part in Backwoodsville, Flyoverstate because the Representative from there insisted on some pork in his barrel before voting for the program.

By: Daniel S.

Daniel S. — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:20:28 +0000

All of the people in the world who believe that space travel is the future of mankind and that it is beneficial, maybe even necessary, to our survival should band together and form a group independent of any government agency. Membership could b,e say $20 a month, or equivalent in whatever country you happen to be from. We could then fund, free of politics, any program we see fit. Millions would join.

By: don gisselbeck

don gisselbeck — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:24:34 +0000

The big problem is that spending on science, especially space, doesn’t significantly enhance the wealth and power of the predator class. Doing that is the only thing we seem to care about any more.

By: frankenstein monster

frankenstein monster — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:13:27 +0000

I am disappointed with your answer, Phill.
Your ‘short answer’ is just a straightforward example of the broken window fallacy.

Your long answer, and by extension, Johns EB Good’s justification is much better. However neither his answer is going to persuade anyone, because those willing to accept such arguments, have not the slightest doubt about the necessity of investing into space exploration.
And the rest is either incapable of long term thinking at all, or laboring under a world view in which space exploration has no place, or is even openly hostile to it.

By: John EB Good

John EB Good — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:46:45 +0000

I believe Ex-shuttle Flight Director, Wayne Hale, provided the best answer to this question based on facts taken out of centuries of Human History.

The short story is: Not exploring new frontiers made most Earthly Empires since the beginings of written History crumble into some colony to a small country that dared to explore. That’s how Empires are built; on the ruins left by a previous super-power lacking the confidence to maintain its edge!

But the long story is quite more revealing:

http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/waynehalesblog/posts/post_1245126299184.html

For anyone who knows how to read and have the slightest sense of how History repeats itself, it should be a no brainer.

By: Peter Davey

Peter Davey — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:09:26 +0000

With regard to “Tudza” I find it difficult to believe that we will get the other planets, let along the rest of the Universe, without spending on a space programme.

By: Elmar_M

Elmar_M — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:27:34 +0000

3 billion for the god damn SLS and some honorably senators are still not happy. Commercial space only gets 830 million but will deliver multiple launchers and spacecraft in return. It is all just so the pork keeps rolling to certain districts, right Mr Shelby, Mrs Hutchinson and co?
Conservatives… and then they turn arround and complain about wasteful government spending in the same breath… bah!

By: Ray Moscow

Ray Moscow — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:23:14 +0000

Of course, NASA is located on Earth. We’re actually spending the money down here, even when we occasionally launch something into space. [OK, I watching the video and see that Phil has already explained this.]

The main question is ‘why do basic science?’ It comes down to the relative importance of learning about our universe versus remaining ignorant of it.

And in the long run, the gains in technology benefit us in countless ways anyway.