NASA Cries for Money Essay -- Politics Government

In Lee Billing’s article, What Future for NASA, Billing discusses the past and present situation of the NASA program and how over fifty years of running hasn't accomplished NASA very much. In 1958 the National Aeronautics and Space Act was signed allowing for NASA to be formed. This lead to a major race which caught America's eye. The goal was to reach the Moon as quickly as possible, not to develop a lasting ability to go there. After the race was won in 1969, America lost interest. Even on NASA's 50th year anniversary, they were still unable to send astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit. Fundings dramatically decreased and NASA is still struggling to pay for any advancements. Something must be done to insure the advancements of research for new technology. But with the loss of funding there won't be anyway to do that very soon. According to Billing, NASA's 2009 budget is about $18 billion. Each year the US spends more than $300 billion paying interest on the growing debt. On defense and homeland security the US will spend $600 billion and that does not include the $12 billion spent...