The NASA Space Program:

 

A collection of letters between Albert Su and Adam Rogal.

 

            With the recent crash of Columbia, the NASA space program has faced numerous questions of its future and value. The following letters argue the benefits and costs of the space program in the context of the recent events including Bush’s $16 billion budget raise for NASA. In our revision we focused on adding more support to each issue of our debate. We however were not able to reach a consensus on the topic. Nevertheless, we believe each side was thoroughly and sincerely represented.

 

 

Dear Adam Rogal,

            Unfortunately, the recent Columbia disaster has made space exploration less appealing to the public. I understand that you have reservations about space exploration, but I implore you to reconsider your stance.

The desire to explore is one of the most important aspects of the human spirit. This unending curiosity drives humans to investigate uncharted frontiers and expand the limits of knowledge. I am sure that as a child you were captivated by the imagination and creativity of Star Trek and Star Wars. Although those shows and movies were mere fiction, the spirit of exploration they depict is a genuine trait of humans. In addition to the need to venture into the unknown, there are many valid reasons for space exploration. The world’s population is steadily increasing, and in the future humans may need to colonize other planets. Also, the earth’s natural resources are finite, and it may be possible to extract valuable minerals and ores from the moon and planets. In addition, as mentioned on the NASA Spin-offs website, technology spin-offs from NASA have included lasers for CDs, solar powered batteries, and cordless tools. Space exploration also generates many jobs. The list of reasons is innumerable, and actual space exploration may produce more unexpected benefits.

            It is unfortunate that space exploration has become controversial while the necessity of other research remains unquestioned.  The recent Columbia disaster and enormous costs may make the space program seem like a foolish waste of effort. However, history has already shown us that scientific research is an endeavor filled with obstacles. We must not let these setbacks deter humans from realizing the benefits of space exploration. 

 

                                                                        Sincerely,

Albert Su

 

Dear Albert Su,

            Space exploration has indeed always been fueled by passion and curiosity. We as humans have an inherent need to explore beyond the safe haven we call home into the outer realms of the unknown. From the first explorations by land to the first launching of a spacecraft into orbit, man has no doubt succeeded in increasing the bounds of knowledge.

            However, the question is not if we should end the space program, but why. The space program that exists today is poor at best. Each shuttle is hugely overpriced and built upon aging technology from the late 60’s and onwards. That vehicle, usually referred to as the “flying-brick,” is an extremely outdated sink on this nation’s taxes and funds that could find better use.

            Furthermore, what gain do we actually have from placing a man on mars in coming years? Bush proposed recently that an extra $16 billion dollars be funded to NASA in hope of developing an eventual mission to mars. How can we justify diverting so much of the nation’s money when Bush’s educational fund “No Child Left Behind” is still under-funded? Is the quest to land on mars by the year 2015 really worth sacrificing the education of future generations?

Without a doubt the NASA space program has led to many useful and awe inspiring discoveries, but with so many problems in our nation alone, how can we .justify spending any more of our time and money on such a costly endeavor? I do believe that an era of a naïve, spendthrift attitude towards our journey into space ended with the crash of Columbia. The time has come to privatize the space program. If we are to make any future plans into the great unknown, I fully believe that our future children’s education should not be at stake.

Sincerely,

Adam Rogal

 

Dear Adam,

            Your concerns about the tremendous funding necessary for the space program are well-founded. I agree that we need to weigh the costs of the space program against domestic concerns such as education, welfare, and healthcare. Nevertheless, I feel that this statement is often misconstrued to suggest that the space program is a wildly unfeasible project.

I am not trying to downplay the importance of domestic issues, but I believe that it is in our best interest not to allocate our funds among domestic problems only. Without a doubt, education is a top priority and is crucial to the well-being of this nation’s future generations, but the optimal manner in which to use available funds to improve education is unclear. Given the uncertain effectiveness of efforts to address domestic problems such as education, it would be imprudent to ignore the potential benefits of pursuing space exploration. Have you considered the possibility that space exploration will lead to serendipitous discoveries of solutions to domestic problems? Or perhaps, how many children have been inspired to pursue the study of math and science to fulfill their dreams of one day becoming astronauts? Keep in mind that each effort to solve a domestic problem involves an expected return and an associated risk. For example, as mentioned by the US Department of Education, the intended result of President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” Act is to close the educational achievement gap in America’s schools. However, it is uncertain if the reading and math tests used as a benchmark will be true indicators of educational attainment. Thus, whether this particular program deserves all the funding it requires is debatable.

            You also mentioned the need to privatize the space program. I believe this is a grave error. As the Columbia disaster suggests, space travel is an extremely dangerous activity, and strict safety regulations are needed. Only a federally run program has the potential to enforce uniform safety measures and provide reliable inspection of spacecraft. In addition, the economic competition resulting from the privatization of the space program will require us to extend the concepts of property rights to space. As recently mentioned in the New York Times, the idea of space tourism is becoming more popular; thus private companies are likely to be mostly concerned with generating profits through space tourism. This will only divert attention from the real purpose of space travel, to investigate the unknown and discover new ways to improve the quality of life.

 

                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                        Albert Su

 

 

Dear Albert Su,

            How this nation’s resources should be allocated will always be under debate. Some feel more money needs to be put into services such as healthcare and the school system. Others believe that not enough money is used to fund scientific endeavors that may create a better future for us all. You mention that our expeditions into space may create serendipitous discoveries in the field of science. However, is it not better to take the “sure bet” and focus all our energy in solving some of our nation’s ever growing problems?

I understand that 16 billion is but a small percent of the 2 trillion dollars per year of government expenditures as stated by the BEA’s National Economics Account. Nevertheless, it is not nearly enough money for NASA to complete all of the planned missions in the next few decades. As cynical as I may sound, the government is a business and we the public benefit from its profits. NASA will to continue to be a sink on our nation’s resources. I still hold firm that at least somewhat privatizing the space program will be an acceptable option to relieve some of the burden faced by our nation. However, I don’t believe we are ready to make that transition. Space exploration is still an intrepid project. To believe for one moment that we can tame such a new field, will lead to even more disastrous situations than those that we faced in the Columbia disaster. Without giving serious thought to reorganizing and reshaping the space program, we will participate in nothing more than squandering away more our nation’s funding. There are many options to explore in finding a role for the space program in our society; as of now, I believe rather than investing more money into novel projects with uncertain, if any, returns, our efforts should be focused solely on finding that role.

Sincerely,

Adam Rogal

 

References

1)      Benefits of the Space Program. [URL]. http://techtran.msfc.nasa.gov/at_home.html (visited 2004, November 21).

2)      Britt, R. R. (2003, April 23). Columbia Disaster FAQ. [URL] http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/columbia_questions_answers.html.

3)      Follow NASA as we Explore: Earth, Moon, Mars, and Beyond. [URL]

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/explore_main.html (visited 2004, November 21).

4)      Garmong, R. (2004, June 27). Privatize Space Exploration: The Market Solution for America’s Space Program. [URL] http://www.objectivescience.com/articles/rg_priv_space.htm.

5)      Garmong, R. (2003, February 6). The Spirit of the Space Shuttle Columbia: The Essence of the American Soul. [URL] http://www.objectivescience.com/articles/rg_shuttle.htm.

6)      NASA Spinoffs: Bringing Space Down to Earth. [URL]. http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html (visited 2004, November 28).

7)      Schwartz, J. (2004, October 24). Space Tourists: A New Niche? New York Times.

8)      US Department of Education: No Child Left Behind. [URL]. http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=pb (visited 2004, November 29).

9)      Bush stumps for 'No Child Left Behind, [URL]. http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/05/elec04.prez.bush.no.child.ap (visited 2004, November 29)

10)  NASA’s Budget Bump, [URL]

http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/spacestory1124WNASA.htm (visited 2004, November 29)

11)  Gross domestic product, [URL]

http://www.bea.gov/bea/dn/nipaweb/TableView.asp?SelectedTable=5&FirstYear=2002&LastYear=2004&Freq=Qtr

(visited 2004, December 5)