White House Wants Devastating Cuts To NASA's Mars Exploration

The Bad Astronomer writes "The White House released its proposed NASA budget for FY13, and while much of it remains the same from last year, one particular program got devastating news: Mars exploration got a crippling $226 million cut, more than 38% of its budget. This means killing two future missions outright and threatening others. The reasons for this are complex, including huge cost overruns on James Webb Space Telescope and the Curiosity Mars rover, but it also points to a political lack of valuing science in America." A followup to news from before the budget was released, this has details on the actual proposed cuts and re-allocations.

Comments

Going to Mars is an ego trip

[Mononoke]

Yes, I know we would advance technology by solving the problems inherent in making the trip, but there is still plenty to explore (and plenty of science we don't yet know) here on Earth that can be done with much less money.
Mars exploration makes good headlines, but it's not the best use of our limited budgets for science and exploration.

Re:Confused

[SJHillman]

Train the welfare people to be astronauts, combine the budgets, cut out administrative overhead and build a permanent Mars colony all in one. Except it would be populated by folks who just want to live on welfare because working is hard (the ones who should be on welfare likely wouldn't be able to make the journey, leaving just the ones who are on welfare and should not be).

Re:It's a good thing the military is still funded.

[sycodon]

EVERYONE should pay something. Even it it's just $10.

Better would be if everyone had to write a check to the Feds each month. Withholding hides what's happening to your income.

Someone may owe only $6000, had $7000 withheld and they are happy to get $1000 back as if it was a gift. If they had to write a check each month to the Feds for $500, attitudes on taxing would change overnight.