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NASA Priorities Out of Whack?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the still-no-word-on-search-for-spaghetti-monster dept.

amerinese writes "Just last week, we saw a story on NASA reconsidering the fate of the DAWN mission, another reminder of the space agency's budget woes. Gregg Easterbrook over at Slate.com argues not only is the budget a little short, but NASA's priorities are all wrong. From the article: 'For at least a decade, it's been clear that the space shuttle program is a clunker. Nonetheless, NASA's funding remains heavy on the shuttle and the space station, while usually slighting science. This year's proposed budget for fiscal 2007 takes the cosmic cake.' Is NASA just not thinking creatively enough?"

3 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. Budget woes? by Reality+Master+101 · · Score: 0, Troll
    Budget woes? Budget woes?? NASA has what, 13 BILLION dollars? Roll that number around in your head -- THIRTEEN BILLION DOLLARS. Per year. EVERY YEAR.

    How many probes could we launch with all that money? We could have probes flying all over the solar system. We could have fundamental research into remote robotics.

    I've always thought that NASA should have a program that produces three types of probes, small, medium and large. And they should be modular, such that you can plug in all sorts of different sensors that use a standardized design.

    There is no reason that through mass production, NASA couldn't be launching thousands of probes a year. If you're launching that many, they don't have to perfect. Launch 10 of them at every target, hoping five will end up working.

    NASA needs to completely change their culture and use some intelligence for a change.

    --
    Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
  2. Manned space Program is total waste by mattinjersey · · Score: 0, Troll

    The manned spaceprogram should be ended yesterday.
    Complete waste of money.
    Not one iota of useful has ever been done as a result of the manned space program. There is no reason to send people up to do pointless experiments on rats.
    Furthermore, the shuttle is an outdated piece of junk. It is a crime to risk astonaut's life with it.
    If you compare the good science that has been done with unmanned probes to the zilch that has been done on manned stations, you will see.
    The manned program is politics and job creations- mostly in RED states like Alabama, Florida, and Texas.
    Meanwhile they cut the real science- mostly in California which is BLUE.

  3. Academic welfare.... by katorga · · Score: 0, Troll

    NASA = an academic welfare program to keep PHD's working. The wrap their work in beauracracy to explain why their work output is just as low as real academia. Its actually a step down from academia since they don't have grad students to do their work for them. Just another pork project from the Great Society.

    $13 BILLION a year should be enough to launch a robotic probe to every planet and moon in the solar system, one to three probes launches per year.