An astronomer involved in a NASA mission to look for Earthlike planets
And it's even more amazing why tax dollars are even wasted on something like this. But there does appear to be good news...
Jill Tarter of the California-based SETI Institute said NASA's budget proposal, released this month, would cut funding for astrobiology research by 50 percent.
Now just cut the other 50 percent and we'll be getting somewhere.
"We are facing an increasingly difficult financial threat," Tarter said. Although NASA's official view is that research is being deferred rather than canceled, she said "we are all finite in our lives and our careers. ... Significant delay is in fact cancellation."
Perhaps Ms. Tartar can find a private organization that wishes to invest in what could possibly be a good capital investment eventually. Otherwise, shut it down
Why waste money on any astronomy programs? Lets shut it all down. /sarc.