You couldn’t be more wrong, these are the things worth doing even in challenging times, if we shirk and postpone these kinds of endeavors, there will be a terrible price to pay in the future, we will lose our lead, we will not inspire, we will be that dog looking at the lead dogs ass wondering how that happened. IF were even in the race at all.
China is very dedicated to it’s space plans, long term as they are.
Again, it’s chump change, we could triple it and it would still be chump change.
The only logical target for to stop our fiscal suicide is entitlements. There is nothing even close to that.
NASA is nothiing to be pointing blame at.
It’s an enabler for our nation, a catalyst, an inspirer.
We need that or we will lose our way forever.
These aren't "challenging" times... we're in the "dire times" zone now... we just hit the debt ceiling... there's no money. Nada.
To go to any lengths beyond the ISS will require far more than "chump change," unless you consider estimates of upwards of 1$T "chump change."
No one is pointing blame at NASA... my point is.. given the current multiple priorities this country faces, space exploration is something that deserves an honored spot on the back burner.
We need that or we will lose our way forever.
A case could be made that we've already lost our way. Whether it's "forever" depends on how we attack the more pressing problems we face.
I watched with pride in July 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon. It was truly a great step forward... but we aren't the same nation anymore. Pursuing deeper space adventures now would be akin to re-roofing a house with the finest architectural shingles on the market, while ignoring the termites busily devouring the studwork into dust and the elements turning the foundation to gravel.
In the future, perhaps an enhanced space program could be pursued by private interests... but as for our tax dollars being poured into it.. no thanks.