Budget Cuts: Underfunding NASA

Underfunding NASA

NASA’s huge budget cuts since the 70’s are no secret to anyone[1] , it has only been this low during its founding years. Yet most politicians and citizens still suggest more cuts, or even the elimination of the program. People have been talking about our declining economy, flawed political system, and unemployment rates. As such; some have looked at space exploration as an expensive, unneeded burden. However, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is one of the greatest investments that has benefited our nation and we misuse the funds to let it continue its work. The current budget is a ninth of what it was in its heyday of the 60’s, yet missions continue to grow bolder[2].

NASA was born in the midsts of the Cold

NASA has done more than enough to prove what they do helps the well being of people’s lives down to the daily routine of everyone across the world. There are many who mistakenly think NASA has never really done them any favors or that NASA is blowing tax dollars into space for entertainment. Countless practical technological advancements have been made by the administration, from the scratch resistant glasses you wear everyday to the CAT scanner that could save your life down the line[4]. The program even publishes a yearly catalogue of dozens of their inventions and innovations in practical use to present their accomplishments for the year[5]. Cutting deeper into science funds impedes the development of breakthrough technologies and discoveries, some possibly never seeing the light of day till after we pass when they should be tomorrow. The US is the only manned space faring country that does not have the ability to send astronauts into space[6]. It’s embarrassing to see some citizens complain about how low we are ranked in the world by education and then turn around to complain Space funds are a waste of tax

The current percent of the federal budget set for Space exploration is .5%, the funds towards military is 18%. Adding 1% from defence funds to space funds literally triples NASA’s spending power[7]. Tripling that power would lead to faster progress on missions and technology. The US’s military takes over 600 billion dollars from the federal budget. To put that in perspective, we can cut the military budget in half, giving it to any other underfunded areas , and still be left with more than double the income of the No. 2 military in the world[8]. For the argument that national defense is a highest priority and well deserving of such wealth; we should think about the fact that America has had only 21 years of peace since her founding. How many enemies do we have? The US has been in 134 wars, a few for freedom, some for oil, all