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January 13, 2004
Tepid Response Could Doom Space Initiative
NSS Region 3 Director Robby Gaines sent out a newsletter to 400 subscribers
encouraging them to speak out. Reprinted with the author's permission.
Tepid Response Could Doom Space Initiative
While we may be excited about the possibilities of a new space program many
people in the US are not. That is too bad. Because many people don't get it.
They talk about jobs and other problems. But a new space program will create
many more new jobs than any social program could dream of creating. And
these are high paying jobs. The Government Accounting Organization (GAO)
states that for every dollar spent on the space program 8 dollars are
returned to the economy. NO OTHER GOVERNMENT program does this. So hopefully
people begin to realize this.
http://www.space.com/news/ap_spacepoll_040112.html
How Much will it Cost
Go to the Moon. Go to Mars. Oh My Gosh this will break the Bank. We need to
do other things first. You will hear these arguments over and over. But How
much are we really talking about? How about this. The yearly US budget is
2.2 trillion dollars. NASA is requesting an increase to 25 billion dollars.
Hard to grasp such large numbers? Here is an easier way. Your house hold
budget for food this year is $2,200. Your child asks you for $25 to buy some
pizzas for a party. Would you give it to them? Would that break your budget?
Nope. That is the same ratio and $25 is all it would take to get us to Mars
and beyond. And guess what? For that investment of $25 we will get back
$200. Not too bad huh?
http://www.space.com/news/commentary_bush-plan_040113.html
What can I do?
Plenty. First since you are a reader of Spotlight you are likely a proponent
of space exploration. Second since you are a reader of Spotlight you are
better informed than most people about what is going on and why we need to
explore. Soooo.... don't be bashful about speaking up to people that want to
squash your dream. Over the past years I have given you enough ammunition to
counter just about any argument you will hear.
How much will it cost? See above. $25 out of $2,200 for a return of $200
Is it worth it? Think Queen Elizabeth pledging her country's wealth on
settling the new world. They became the superpower leader for 500 years.
Other countries had the opportunity but didn't put out the time, money and
lives. Those leaders failed their people.
What happens if we don't? Think China who in 1433 had discovered the
Americas, started to colonize it and then gave it up be cause they wanted to
focus on problems at home. They lost EVERYTHING! They lost a whole new
world.
Shouldn't we focus on problems at home? Of course but the cost is minimal
and NO country in history has succeeded when they focused on domestic
problems. NONE. Only those that explored and colonized. Think China,
Portugal, the Dutch.
What about the poor and hungry? We should help them but think of this. Did
the wealthy and well off come to the new world? Or settle the American west?
Absolutely not. Who did? The poor and the downtrodden. Why? Because they had
nothing to loose and everything to gain. Exploration and colonization is the
best opportunity for the very people who need it.
Posted by apsmith at January 13, 2004 03:48 PM
