The great space waste

Today I was going to follow up my inaugural post with a pretty sweet discussion on bad super powers (super powers like turning invisible, not like China). Don’t worry, that topic’s coming, but when possible in this space I’d like to address things that are current and news worthy. Ya know, keep it fresh, and all that good stuff.

While watching the news this morning I was informed that today is the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, and that got me thinking – in a time when the world is facing the largest financial crisis since the Great Depression, should I as an average citizen care whatsoever about our space program? What has the space program accomplished that is worth the estimated $460 billion (Yes, billion. That’s a lot of zeros) budgeted to NASA since 1958. And most importantly, on this anniversary, should I care that we ever went to the moon at all?

So let’s take a look. What has NASA done for us lately? NASA claims that the latest in thermometer technology “was made possible by NASA's ability to measure the temperatures of stars and planets -- without ever leaving the ground!” Cool. Who doesn’t like a nice warm space-aged thermometer up their butts when they’re sick? Thanks NASA! But seriously – why do we care about the temperature of far off stars and planets? Can somebody tell me what good that has ever done for man-kind? Anybody? Bueller? Right…didn’t think so. Moving on. Virtual reality and robotic “pigs” that automatically feed piglets were made possible through NASA research (being a momma pig taking care of your young was WAY over rated anyway), and while they both may be cool technological advancements, neither one of them seem particularly specific to space travel. The search continues. Ok, this one has some potential - NASA and Disney are finding ways to use human and industrial waste to provide the ingredients needed for growing edible plants. This technology will be needed for establishing human colonies on other worlds. Ok, feeding the masses – I’m with you on this one. I can buy into this research (even if it implies that our food is being made from poop…). But A. this is more research that’s taking place on the ground (NOT in space) and B. I think we’re stretching just a bit by looking into feeding human colonies on other worlds when we’re having trouble feeding ourselves here on Earth.

I’m not completely cynical, however. Despite my sarcasm, I do understand that NASA has brought us some valuable technologies that we rely on every day. I’m not sure we’d be able to function as a society if out of the blue they took all of our satellites away. I mean, I get pissed when I hit a cell phone dead zone driving across Rt 80. OK great, so keep the research going, because obviously some of that spending is going to good use. But I’m still stuck on one of those original questions. None of the social and technological advances that NASA claims has anything to do with having humans on the moon, so short of trying to make the Russians feel inferior, why the heck did we go to the moon at all? If there’s not a solid answer to that question, then why do we still to this day want to put men on Mars? I’m sorry, but I just don’t see it. When I work with kids every day that can’t afford new shoes, and money’s being taken away from health care and education to help balance the budget, I feel the $1.5 billion to put a man-bearing (pigging?) spacecraft into orbit is a little hard to justify. When Neil Armstrong said “this is one small step for man,” maybe he should have just stopped there.

Who would have guessed I started caring about people’s welfare a little?

Now get back to work, crazy.



P.S. - I'm helping to run a camp next week where there aren't many creature comforts....like wireless internet (gasp!). I'll try to post two or three days next week, but if the postings are few and far between, well, tough poop.