John McGovern
This December will mark 40 years since man last walked on the moon. This anniversary highlights 40 years of stagnation in manned exploration beyond our nearest celestial object and 40 years since the human race dared to travel farther than any species we know of from their home. While I do not advocate some Gingrich-like moon base nor do I harbor a strong determination for mankind to return to the moon, the stigma concerning space exploration as fruitless and too expensive suppresses progress at the expense of lesser activities.
The technological advances NASA and the space program have created range from household essentials to revolutions in industry. The first microchip was built for NASA. Baby formula sold today exists because of research on food sources for space flights. The solar panels on the Scot Center are the successors to the panels on spacecraft. My colleague Mr. Kincannon most likely could not enjoy watching his favorite football team lose each Sunday if it weren’t for the memory foam in helmets, a technology developed initially for space travel.
Beyond specific advances comes the impact of the information acquired by devices launched into space. Satellites assist in everything from GPS to cell phones to weather measurements. The Hubble Telescope has provided data about the very origins of the universe.
Yet even trying to comprehend something as monumental as why we are here is limited by money, as the interminably common attack on space exploration is the cost. This cost needs to be put in some context. As pointed out by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, the TARP bailout of $780 billion exceeds the operating budget of NASA for the entirety of its 50-year existence. Furthermore, the annual NASA budget amounts to 4/10 of one penny of every tax dollar. If the United States can spend roughly $4 trillion on two wars bombing brown people in the Middle East, maybe a shift in priorities is in order.
I would hope the United States decides to spend money on a great number of things which we currently underfund. To clarify, exploration as a concept is in itself a noble task, and mapping the ocean is just as intriguing as navigating the Amazon Rainforest. We can learn innumerable things from exploration, however they all cost money. Additionally, exploring the oceans or other nations’ rainforests requires consent the U.S. cannot pretend to supersede. Right now private companies are competing for rewards to build spaceships that accomplish various tasks -— a cost of nothing to the taxpayer. Other countries like China, India and Japan are heavily invested in human spaceflight, not just as a matter of national pride but as accomplishments with tangible results.
To say that there is nothing out there in space to discover is preposterous. If we have yet to discover 72 percent of the Earth, we haven’t even explored 72 thousandths of a percent of our solar system. The goal is not to fly humans at the speed of light or to contact extraterrestrials; as Stephen Hawking claims, “It would be like Columbus landing in North America — and that didn’t turn out too well for the Native Americans.” The goal of space exploration is to use advancing technology in a peaceful manner for the benefit of the entire planet.
The Space Race of the 60s, despite its Cold War impetus, provided an alternative to the inanity of murder in the Vietnam War. At present, no such project consumes national attention and dedication.