[4rcane]

I actually agree with cutting nasa. $20billion per year and they got nothing to show for it for the amount thats going into it. A private company can achieve the same thing with just $1b/year

[oh8eleven]

$20 billion per year and they got nothing to show for it
I couldn't agree more. Thirty years and trillions of dollars wasted watching space shuttles go up and down.
WTF is there besides a telescope that takes pretty pictures and over a dozen dead astronauts?

[June2]

I agree that the public sector is better suited for most things. I believe that exploration, has historically/usually, been funded by governments because of the prohibitive costs and risks associated with it.

It is my belief that we need to explore and learn to live and work in space. It is very difficult to get private enterprises interested in taking up the huge costs and risks, without some groundwork (and funding) being laid from government. Once it costs and risks are reduced, the private sector can and should take over.

I do not agree that all these years of space flight were for nothing. The knowledge that we have gained from living and working in space is and will continue to be invaluable. With every day that passes we are learning more about our planet, solar system and universe. The technology that was developed in support of space exploration has been used here on earth in technology transfers.
Here’s a link to a website that shows some of the ways that technology developed for space is being used in our everyday lives.

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasacity/index2.htm

I know that I won’t convince many folks who disagree. I just hope that these were informed decisions about the usefulness of the space program.

It is a given that many, many years down the road that the sun will go through it’s life cycle and engulf the inner planets. I think that any forward progress that we can make towards learning how to live and work in space is a step in the right direction in terms of survival of mankind.
I don’t fret about it but think we need understand that the earth is not always going to be here or be habitable. What is the saying about a long journey beginning with the first step? I would like to think that we did out part in helping to advance a step or two in either knowledge or technology towards that goal.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

NASA lost its nerve after the 1986 Challenger explosion and has not done anything in the manned-spaceflight field except science fair experiments. We should have been to Mars by now, but NASA's feckless bureaucrats have never been able to get past the risk management part of such an expedition.

Cut it---it's become just another government jobs program.

[Slambat]

“A private company can achieve the same thing with just $1b/year”
Look for the Won to force regulations that would cripple
or outright ban the private aerospace industry. He may
also help the theft and transfer of technology from the
private industry to Russia, China and any other person
or country that is willing to make a contribution to his
reelection.

[Conservateacher]

I too agree with cutting Nasa. Watch this...about twenty minutes. Riches below the ocean.

http://www.bigspeak.com/robert-ballard.html