I think the definition of a liberal is a little more omplicated than that. We all (exept Libertarians, I suppose) want to spend tax dollars (someone elses money) on what we consider good. The difference "What we consider good). Government builds roads, dams, tanks, the military, courthouses,arsenals, prisons and countless other items many true conservatives would consider good. The government also spends money on social programs and on transfer payments to people it deems more deserving, entitled or needy.
A more correct definition of a liberal would be one who believes the government should take money from taxpayers and transfer the money to others for the purpose of implementing social change, leveling of the playing field, or some other type of ultimate social justice.
I think a good way to determine if a government program is a liberal program is to determine if it has a social agenda attached to it. For example, government sponsored anti-smoking ads have a substantial social agenda component and as such are supported by liberals. The building of a road has a much smaller social agenda attached to it and is usually supported by conservatives.
You obviously believe the government has no business in space exploration. I do not see a strong presence of a social agenda attached to NASA, so it bothers me less than welfare payments, for example. If you are against all government spending, your'e not a conservative but a Libertarian.
Not all that much more complicated. A conservative believes in constutionally limited government and spending and taxation to support those things explicitly authorized by the constitution. I see nothing in the constitution that authorizes the space program, and there is a social agenda attached - it's called corporate welfare. But, at least yours was the most logical response