Dominique Coan

Professor Brandon Alva

ENGL 2010
April 18, 2016
Is NASA Really Worth the Investment?
When I was in elementary Ive have always been a curious child. Youve maybe had a
nephew, a niece or a son or daughter that always asked why? when explain something
complex. That is where my interested on this subject has stemmed from. I love the movie
Jurassic Park, the first one not the remake. But Ive always been fascinated with dinosaurs, I like
raptors and the T-Rex. I just remember collecting and playing with the action figures. But one
thing that has always stayed with me. It was that the dinosaurs were all gone, that they were
extinct. I remember learning about it when I was in first grade learning about meteors hitting the
earth causing the dinosaurs to be wiped out. Why did this happen? What was a meteor? Where
did it come from?
Fast forward to college, my curiosity is re-ignited in Astronomy class. I was taught about
meteor, stars, galaxies and black holes. I wonder how this information was retrieved, that all
these wonders were studied and gather by astronomers and engineers in NASA. So I looked into
what NASA was, it stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. That is where I
my exploration into NASA began, why long before this class, but ignited in earlier childhood by
education. This is my journey into why NASA matters and is a part of our society.
So when was NASA constructed, in the 60s under the great and iconic president John F.
Kennedy. NASA was proposed by Kennedy for exploration of space. In his infamous speech
We choose to go to the Moon. His main goal was to land people on the moon by the end of the

decade. And NASA did succeed in the task landing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. I learned
this all during my astronomy class, was amazing that people left this atmosphere and left earth
and were in space. I still get excited saying or thinking we accomplished this. We humans
coming from apes to sapiens to landing on the moon is amazing, that one moment can inspire
people to do great things. As Dr. Neil Tyson an Astrophysicist that this made this saying popular
doing the NASA budget talks to dream about tomorrow. This made me believe about
tomorrow, the clean energy, settling the moon or mars. It made me believe about that we could
change tomorrow. In his interview on the show Real Time Bill Maher he said how much would
you pay for the universe? He urges that we need NASA, it is what enables us to move forward
into the future, that NASA is what make us wonder and inspires our youth to be scientist and
engineers. This appeals to me in so much ways that I have been never really been inspired to
actually act. To be a part of something bigger than me, to be part of the massive body of
knowledge that is driven by NASA and other organizations. This has shifted my perspective
NASA does affect me and society in indirect ways.
This has inspired people of all nations not just Americans. But China, yes that china is looking at
exploring the cosmos and space (china daily). This is for exploration reason but more for
security reason, to have a presence in space and to protect their land and environment. They also
seek space for other reasons, this could jump start their economy and make more jobs for them in
new fields. This could be a new building block for a new economy in china (china daily).
Coming across this article has shed light that NASA does not only inspire but does affect the
economy in a new. Making new divisions in our economy like the Aerospace industry and the
government contract that companies like SpaceX bid for and used. But is NASA all good?
Another perspective Ive have come across that NASA is a government division that wastes

money. How many times has NASA failed in seeking this missions? (DeGroot, J). How many
times do we as a people have to fund NASA before it succeeds? This is one of the points Jerry
DeGroot wrote about this in his article in the Telegraph. Is it rationally to fund NASA when we
are spread around other areas in the world? This got me thinking, Jerry has a point where could
my tax dollars be going if it was not going to NASA. How much does one of NASA satellites
cost? The Glory satellite launched by NASA which cost 424 million and launched and
malfunction causing the satellite to burn up and be destroyed in the atmosphere (DeGroot, J).
424 million US dollars is a lot of money, what could have weve spent that on as Americans.
This has got me questioning NASAs spending and asking myself is this worth it.
Even if we get past the funding how much will the cost of maintaining these projects or
space stations if we are given the chance; this was an issue bought up in the Christian Monitor
(Spotts, Peter). The cost of having these space stations or launches can be draining on the federal
budget. Minor repairs could cost substantially, image to doing repairs on a space colony so many
miles away on mars or the moon (Spotts, Peter N)? I was swayed about by Spotts argument, it
can be irresponsible because the cost might be too impractical. That we could spend our future
on just maintaining equipment and not traveling the universe. Just by curiosity I looked at the
maintenance of the international space station, it cost the US taxpayer 100 billion in maintenance
and cost (space.com)
Another questioning is NASA is really worth it? Was bought up by American Enterprise,
so in a perfect world if we do get the funding, the possible of finding life is rare. How much
would we have to sacrifice to fund this impractical mission (Murray, I)? Was bought up by
Murray, I found this compelling that with all the funding in the world would we still finding
anything? A NASA budget launch could cost and estimated to be 450 million dollars (wiki). I ask

myself is this still worth it to fund NASA as much as we do? I find it more compelling to step
back and change our focus on something else. Murray insisted that this could be on wild goose
chase that everything could end up being a waste. And I have a hard time to believe this wouldnt
make a dramatic impact. The odds of find life could be very rare to impossible, I ask myself is it
worth it? And I find myself battling with this question though the whole paper. This point is very
appealing perspective, how many dollars have to go to NASA before we get a return?
Another issue so if we do get the funding for NASA how will most of it get divided into
planetary exploration? Charles F. Bolden wrote in the Christian Monitor a NASA administrator,
That NASA has to make tough choices on budgets. Bolden explained about the other
departments that are in NASA that need help. Space exploration is only one of many departments
in NASA. I counted roughly under a 100 departments in NASA that funding would be going to
(NASA). Bolden was concern that the budget if met, it will not all go into space exploration. I
will be dived into all the other departments. Bolden is not a skeptic, but has to make tough
decisions where budgeting would go to.
Another argument or perspective Ive come to grips with, is how many of US get to use
the technology that is produce by NASA? Like in the US we do get most of the tech like the
insulin pump and other great inventions that are inspired by NASA inventions like the CT scan.
But a great point is how people in non-first world countries get to use these inventions? I have a
friend that was on insulin pump, if she was not in this first world situation, would she have
access to it? NASA brings a lot into this world, but most of the things they bring into this world
are not available to everyone. Congolese friend I have, would he have the same use of this tech if
he was still in the Congo? NASA does a lot of great but does it get to everyone on this earth? But
I personally am shaken on my belief of NASA.

I love this topic, I found great information about NASA and other information for NASA
that has swayed my decisions both ways, that many have strong arguments for both, but one has
hit me right in the heart. I dislike how military industrial complex that is a big part of our budget.
Dr. Neil Tyson in lecture I attended at the University of Utah few years ago explain that the
United States spent more on military spending then the next ten countries combined. This was
scary, because Eiserndrath, writer of the newspaper USA Today bought up and argument that
might make people second guess NASA funding. Eiserndrath bought that most of NASA funding
is under the national defense, that if NASA gets more funding that we are going to weaponized
space. This could lead to weapons that disable satellites for our enemies but could open the door
for other countries to do the same. This could possible happen because another point bought up
in the lecture by Dr. Neil Tyson was that when we went to the moon was based on the fear that
the Russians would control the skies (Tyson). He explained that the only reason was the cold
war we had with the Soviet Union in the lead in the space race. We had to spend massively to
beat Soviet Union into space. The only other reason we could fund NASA implied by Neil Tyson
and Eiserndrath is to weaponized space for defense. I caught myself think why cant we just go
into space for knowledge? But there is almost always a motive behind funding anything of this
magnitude. I found this very compelling and very shaking suggestion Dr. Tyson bought up. I
found this very informative eye opening because it can lead to cause and effects to the whole
world. I do not think that is a situation that Americans and people of the worlds are ready for.
Overall I have been 50/50 I love astronomy and science but one of the best arguments or
opinions Ive heard for space exploration. Is by Carl Sagan and astrophysicists, astrobiophysicists an professor at Cornell University during his career. He has written amazing books
over time like The Pale blue dot, The Cosmos, The Demon Haunted World and Billions and

Billions. There is a section in Carl Sagans book in The Pale Blue Dot Ive came across when I
first looked into astronomy. On YouTube, Carl Sagan voice reads his books and is mashed into
video montages. He talks about how small were are, and talks about the earth our only home in
the galaxy that we need to care for one another. That we need to become better while we are here
on planet earth. It is home for most of us, but also a call to explore outside our planet.
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson has his own bible like verse, saying That we are the universe
and the universe is in us. That takes a philosophical approach to space exploration and NASA is
the powerhouse of the knowledge, and inspires. In Episode of real time with Bill Maher he talked
about NASA during the 60s and 70s saying how it inspires discovery and inspires people to
become engineers and scientist. He talk about how it had an effected on our culture like news
and magazines talking about the future, the Houses of tomorrow. Saying that it was a society
that valued science and space exploration during the 1960s. During that time we accomplished
landing on the moon, it came to me while watching the interview. Tyson was very passionate
about this, it made me feel valued and value exploration. He said this is where Heroes are
made the astronauts and scientist. I was touched by his argument for NASA, that it can be seen
as an instrument of discovery and advancement. We as Homo sapiens used tools, from our
earliest cousins homo erectus. We are always advancing, thats what humans do, from our
earliest days being scavengers, to hunters, then to agriculture. Now developing computers, to the
next step Quantum computing, we use tools and NASA is a tool that we use to advance, different
then a physical tool but an organizational tool for advancement not only to the US but the entire
human species.
But one of things that has swayed me is going to the planetarium when I was a kid,
comparing how much I weight on earth to Saturn and Mars. It was at the old Clarke planetarium

downtown, I remember going when I was in fourth grade, and the event was inspiring more than
anything Ive researched. I remember being showed the constellations seating in the recliners
watching the star show. Looking through telescopes and meteorite sample, thats where I
remember my mind being open into science. Space exploration is one part, but the science
behind it all is what makes it great. I learned and discovered my passion for the first time, and
seeing the omens. This referencing one of my favorite books The Alchemist, to discover ones
treasure. My treasure is knowledge and discovery maybe but I know this is where my heart lies
with science. My exploration has reopened my passion for the sciences and showed me that
NASA is a big part of our society not just government organization, but a beacon of what the
human species can do when were all committed to one thing. I believe NASA deserves our
support and our gratitude to what they are all committed to do is make a better world for
everyone. This exploration has shown me that it is not all about results but the pathway to getting
the results. Everything is trial and error including NASA, that we are going to have are setbacks
but should not be only defined by are results or failures but by our work ethic and belief to shoot
high. That is my exploration into NASA and do believe it does matter.

Work Cited
Bolden, Charles F. "NASA Must Make Tough Funding Choices." NASA. Ed. Margaret Haerens.
Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Statement before the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation." Statement before the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 2011. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 Mar. 2016
"China's Space Industry Flying High." China Daily (Beijing, People's Republic of China). Nov.
23 2000: 4-5. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
DeGroot, Jerry. "The US Government Should Cut NASA Funding." Space Exploration. Ed.
David Haugen and Zack Lewis. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from
"The Space Race Is a Pointless Waste of Money." Telegraph 25 Feb. 2009. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 2 Mar. 2016.
Eisendrath, Craig. "Why Is the U.S. Weaponizing Outer Space?." USA Today (Farmingdale) Vol.
No.. Jan. 2007: 53-55. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Mar. 2016
"Is the International Space Station Worth $100 Billion?" Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May
2016.
"John F. Kennedy Moon Speech (1962)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.
"Neil DeGrasse Tyson - We Stopped Dreaming (Episode 1)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 29
Feb. 2016.
"The Pale Blue Dot - THE SAGAN SERIES." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

Murray, Iain. "Humans Are Unlikely Ever to Encounter Alien Life." Space Exploration. Ed.
David Haugen and Zack Lewis. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from

"Alone in the Universe? There May Be No Advanced Life but Us." American Enterprise
15.8 (Dec. 2004): 36-37. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
"Space Shuttle Program." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 02 May 2016.
Spotts, Peter N. "Space Colonization Is Impractical." Space Exploration. Ed. David Haugen and
Zack Lewis. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "A Reality Check on
Dreams for Space: The Repairs." Christian Science Monitor (5 Nov. 2007). Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
"The United States Must Provide Stable Funding for the Space Program." NASA. Ed. Margaret
Haerens. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "NASA and
Obama's Budget: The Politics and Ideals of Human Space Exploration." The Christian
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