Nasa budget slashes Mars funding

Well this is sad.
Nasa budget slashes Mars funding

President Barack Obama's 2013 budget request for Nasa would slash spending on Mars exploration and shift funds to human spaceflight and space technology.

As reported by BBC News last week, this means the US will pull the plug on its joint missions to Mars with Europe.

If approved by Congress, the budget request would reduce funds available for planetary science by about 21%.

But spending on human exploration and space technology would rise by 6% and 22% respectively.

The biggest loser in this re-prioritisation is planetary science in general and Mars exploration in particular which will receive $360.8m, a reduction of almost 40% from the FY 2012 estimate.

Hopefully congress tell Obama to put his proposal where the sun don't shine... I won't hold my breath for these corporate shills to do the right thing...



But eh, you know, more important stuff needs to be funded... like the war on Al-CIAda, the war on drugs, bank bailouts, foreign aid to Israel, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Egypt, black ops in Iran and Syria...the police state...etc.. lots of stuff need to be funded before science... because eh, science is for NERDS...

And anyway, the pentagon already got their secret space program... so who cares about the general public...

BTW, if Ron Paul wants more ``liberals`` votes, he needs to say that NASA funding is very important...

Didn't you know Obama has already been to Mars....

Anything to reduce what makes America special while highlighting what makes us bad. That's our President and most of Congress these days. With friends like these.......

Oh November can't get here soon enough. If we're lucky, Obama will having nothing more than his Presidential library to run and screw up by the time 2013 needs to actually spend a budget.

This Congress hasn't passed a budget in 3 years anyway, why suddenly care now?

reply to post by Backbiter


I knew that

I hate to hear of any cuts to NASA

We had the choice , go to Mars or Iraq , to bad we chose Iraq

Just another yes we can that has become no we're not...

Originally posted by Vitchilo
Well this is sad.

As a fiscal constitutionalist, you are saddened by the news that NASA is being cut? Can we not put our hopes into private business to pick up where Nasa leaves off? Where is your faith in private business Vitchilo?

BTW, if Ron Paul wants more ``liberals`` votes, he needs to say that NASA funding is very important

Ron Paul first needs to explain to us where Nasa funding is specifically stated in the constitution, since he takes it literally word by word.

I support the space programme, I think it is important that we invest heavily in exploration, but I really can't ignore the hypocrisy when Paul supporters cry about it being cut, especially considering the fact they insist congress only fund what the original constitution specifically permits. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

reply to post by Southern Guardian


Yeah... But wouldn't private industry already have put people in space if they could do it?

I'm a fiscal constitutionalist but let's see it from a private business way...

Cost of developing a way to put men and material in space : probably cheap if you stick with existing technologies... but if you want to develop new technologies...the type of which you need to go to Mars... probably gonna cost you a few billions
Cost of sending said men/material in space : probably cheap if you stick with existing technologies... even cheaper if you find a new way... like these guys do it for $8k

The only way, IMO, private business will go into space is to make a profit... and the only ways to make a profit are... launching satellites (for companies)... mining asteroids (for rare materials)... space tourism (good luck with the economy)...

Who will go to Mars for profit?? No profit can be made as far as we know... and it would cost hundreds of billion to set up the operation.

IMO private business is good for small stuff in space... but until there's a colony on the moon or on Mars mining stuff... I think the government is needed for bigger projects that have no profits attached to it.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure these control freaks in Washington have laws against private businesses sending stuff up in space/setting up their own programs... those laws should be dismantled first... then see what happens while Nasa continues to run.

Originally posted by Vitchilo
reply to post by Southern Guardian

 

Yeah... But wouldn't private industry already have put people in space if they could do it?

Exactly, they would have, but they haven't. It's an example as to the limitations of private business. I highly doubt the reason is to do with money, big business can afford to gather and invest in such projects, it's just not profitable. Science is not profitable enough, atleast for this generation.

Also, I still have not gotten an answer as to where congress is authorized to fund Nasa? There is nothing in the enumerated powers given to Congress in Article 1, Section 8 to allow Congress to fund scientific agencies such as Nasa.

Believe me, I support Nasa, I grew up with a deep interest in Astronomy and space exploration. I just fail to see the logic behind support from fiscal libertarians and conservatives, considering their ideological positions on healthcare, education, and yet the funding of Nasa is somehow the exception here. I'm seeking any sign of consistency in your ideology.

Originally posted by Vitchilo
Anyway, I'm pretty sure these control freaks in Washington have laws against private businesses sending stuff up in space/setting up their own programs... those laws should be dismantled first...

I'm not aware of such laws, if there are, I wholly agree, they should be dismantled. If somebody wants to launch a rocket, and they have the safety protocols intact, and are willing to take responsibility for damage, I don't see any reason to restrict private business from achieving their space endeavors.

they only needed the funds up until the end of this year anyway.

if nothing happens then we might not be so paranoid of everything they are not telling us, but can we ever really consider that we could live on mars? gimme a break. we can barely live here. that planet is spent already.... duh.

clearly a bunch of lying jackasses we got here if they actually claim to be checking out real estate on mars.

mining on mars? MAYBE... but my tax dollars wants to know what it is.