Firstly I would like to ask what the opinion of posters here is about non-American citizens commenting over NASA funding?
Earth science, astrophysics and heliophysics - Pork or not?This is billions of dollars worth of small scientific missions.I've left planetary out. I'm not going to argue that's a waste because those probes go places and do real exploration.This is something like $3.5-$4 billion dollars in small Earth/Sun/Stars observation.How does it help NASA do the big things? Did they have such a burden on their budget when they did Apollo?I propose that all of this can be done by countries outside the US because it's all so cheap.NASA are the big player, they need to be playing the big game. They can't if they're divested into all this small science. That's billions that NASA needs if they ever want to do real manned exploration of the solar system.It's just spreading limited funds way too thin.
Many Americans get upset that non-taxpayers want to talk about their budget situation.
Well, as an American participating on this UK-based forum
(a) Devotion of Space Activities to Peaceful Purposes for Benefit of All Humankind.--Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all humankind.
NASA needs to ramp up their exploration budget and employ only planetary scientists.
This is the first bit of their space act.
Unobjective thread, but allowing it until it gets more stupid.Quote from: ChileVerde on 10/28/2012 11:23 pmWell, as an American participating on this UK-based forumThe site is not "based" in the UK. It's based in Texas. A site is not based on the nationality of its managing editor.
Quote from: Chris Bergin on 10/29/2012 08:26 amUnobjective thread, but allowing it until it gets more stupid.Quote from: ChileVerde on 10/28/2012 11:23 pmWell, as an American participating on this UK-based forumThe site is not "based" in the UK. It's based in Texas. A site is not based on the nationality of its managing editor.More that than the location of the server it runs on, I'd think. Does it matter more where a paper publication is printed or who the editor is? Or is there some Texan influence on site policy I haven't picked up on yet.
So how can SLS get more money if it's constituency is already maxed out?Is there a cap on how much money is given to each state?Who decides?Does each NASA administrator get to shuffle things around?
I've left planetary out. I'm not going to argue that's a waste because those probes go places and do real exploration.
How does congress get a say?I thought the president chooses the budget?Can congress give more money to SLS if they need it?