On May 25, NASA’s Phoenix mission to explore the history of water, and possibly life on Mars began, as one of NASA’s many initiatives on Martian exploration. NASA is thrilled about the possibilities of this mission, and future launches toward the Moon and Mars are on the way in the coming months and years. America, and the world community, is ecstatic about this daring and exciting peek into the Martian landscape and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Or is it?
In the past few years, we have seen the decline of the American economy due to the cost of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, rising fuel costs, mortgage and lending problems, etc. Of course, we, as American citizens, also battle against the high cost of medical insurance premiums (that is, unless you are one of the 50 million uninsured citizens of this country), an aging population, issues with Social Security (like how it will go bankrupt in my lifetime…great…), and the menagerie of other colorful issues that plague the American way of life. Why then, I ask, are we shooting our money into space?
Dr. Timothy McClanahan of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, in a press release about upcoming missions to go back to the Moon, said “It costs tens of thousands of dollars per pound to put materials into space.” According to NASA’s “Agency Financial Report, Fiscal Year 2007,” the net cost for operations in 2007 was $15.1 billion - “a decrease of $2.6 billion (14%) from FY (Fiscal Year) 2006.”
What could $15.1 billion do here on earth? Perhaps that money could be used to buy some books for kids in failing school districts across America, or provide some better armor for our soldiers, or build a good hospital for our returning veterans, or really help solve just about any problem that we have here on the planet that we actually do live on…speaking of which, why do we not throw an extra $15.1 billion into combating global warming!
Now, trust me when I say that I truly do appreciate the benefits of scientific discovery that can only be made through the delicate work of NASA’s brilliant scientists. NASA’s budget allows us the ability to look into the future for technology and discoveries that could provide us with a better way of life.
However, when a nation is in peril, especially with the complex array of issues that affect our country, we must consider prioritizing our spending. It is imperative that we get our economy under control (even for you space folks…if we don’t have jobs, we can’t pay our taxes, and then you don’t get funding). Our job market, our economy, our communities and their ability to thrive - all of these are issues that trump the exploration of Mars, the Moon, or quite frankly, anywhere outside our atmosphere. The American pocketbook cannot stand to suffer any more poor spending decisions; taking a shot “right in the kisser” from our administration time and time again as our tax dollars are drained through poor planning and true issues remain waiting for someone to solve them. It is time to watch a new phoenix rise from the ashes: American dollars supporting down-home, true American interests.