Space: An Untapped Resource
In the 1960's and the two decades that followed, space exploration captured our heart and imagination. It fueled our entertainment and was fueled by Cold War competition. During this time, the push for Math and Science was never greater; we believed that the scientists that would take us to the moon were in our classrooms. Not surprisingly, our Math and Science scores at the time were unparalleled. Nearly all aspects of modern day computing can be attributed to the math and science discoveries associated with space exploration. It is no surprise then, that America's ascension to greatness took place at the same time we looked to the stars.
But after going to the moon and the fall of communist Russia, we lost our drive for exploration. We lost the competitive edge that the Cold War afforded us. Now, NASA runs on a fledgling budget. The Space Shuttle Program has expired without a replacement, and our education numbers continue to slide annually.
We need to reinvest in our future, and reignite our curiosity.
How do we do this? We can't afford to pump billions into NASA, while our entitlement programs and defense continue to eat a majority of our budget. Promisingly, the Obama Administration has altered the NASA budget forcing them to cut any plans of space flight on their own dime and instead look to the private sector. Privatization and the reliance on government contract bids by private companies looks promising since it forces the competition of the private sector to help innovate and lower cost overall.
Ultimately, we need to revisit the moon and beyond. There are untapped resources beyond the stars that would allow us a competitive edge and an opportunity to relinquish ourselves from our current dependencies.
But after going to the moon and the fall of communist Russia, we lost our drive for exploration. We lost the competitive edge that the Cold War afforded us. Now, NASA runs on a fledgling budget. The Space Shuttle Program has expired without a replacement, and our education numbers continue to slide annually.
We need to reinvest in our future, and reignite our curiosity.
How do we do this? We can't afford to pump billions into NASA, while our entitlement programs and defense continue to eat a majority of our budget. Promisingly, the Obama Administration has altered the NASA budget forcing them to cut any plans of space flight on their own dime and instead look to the private sector. Privatization and the reliance on government contract bids by private companies looks promising since it forces the competition of the private sector to help innovate and lower cost overall.
Ultimately, we need to revisit the moon and beyond. There are untapped resources beyond the stars that would allow us a competitive edge and an opportunity to relinquish ourselves from our current dependencies.
