Bush to Propose Budget Increase for NASA ($500M for 2004)

REUTERS ^ | Sunday, February 2, 2003; 7:22 PM | Reuters

[mrsmith]

The president had already said he wanted a 4% increase in discretionary budgets like NASA's.

This has nothing to do with the crash.

[Mulder]

We should build a new replacement space transport system.

That and an extensive moon base, with eventual plans for Mars.

We need more advancing of the frontier, and less putting the first whoever in space, which seems to be one the primary missions of the shuttle program.

[ARCADIA]

I don't think I would want to fly that bird. It has been a yard ornament for over 20 years and it was never designed for a real mission.

$500M is a waste. Too little to fix the problem and too much to throw at a defective program. It is not even enough to pay for a launch, much less a new shuttle, a replacement lab module, or R&D development. Put the change away and give it some thought. If we want a space program we are going to have to invest some real currency.

[Constantine XIII]

C'mon guys, infrastructure and national defense, which is directly related to a healthy and vibrant space program, is one of the national government's few real responsibilities. Instead of roads, though, this infrastructure is straight up!

This conservative says that we should support NASA (AND private space flight) to the hilt!

[onceone]

Go ahead and spend the money Mr. President, after you tell us what programs you're going to cut to pay for the increase.

If only there was a political party in this country which represented me.

[Tree of Liberty]

Space Shuttle Endeavour, the replacement orbiter for Space Shuttle Challenger , cost approximately $2.1 billion.

That was actually a good deal cheaper than the original estimates, because it was made primarily of replacement parts for other shuttles. We don't have the extra parts to do that now and still have enough parts for the rest of the fleet. So a new shuttle built to the same specs as the others would cost more since almost all the parts need to be fabricated.

[Constantine XIII]

I agree whole-heartedly! A conservative should support anything which improves the national defense as much as the space program, specifically NASA, which, though a bloated bureacracy, is incredibly efficient in government terms. Compare NASA with any other government agency. Considering bang-per-buck, it has done more to advance science and technology (or any goal assigned to it) than virtually any other US government organization. Compare NASA's budget to DoD, DoS, etc. You'll be both amazed and disgusted.

What needs to be done for NASA, among other things, is:

1. Increase the scientist to bureaucrat ratio back above 1 to 1 to something more reasonable.

2. Free up private contractors to get involved in space industry. Change NASA from a Cerberus at the gates to a space-oriented FAA.

3. Improve science and technology funding by ending silly liberal social experiments and pork-barrel spending. The remaining 98% goes into a tax cut.

4. DO NOT END MANNED SPACE FLIGHT!!! Extend our explorations, and smack with smelly carp all liberals and conservatives who try to demonize NASA in some ill advised attempt at demogouery.

I'm sure we can think of others! ;o)

[ARCADIA]

If we hope to have feet on the ground by 2015 we better be ready to launch by 2013. We would have ~10 years?!

[Constantine XIII]

Roughly the cost of two B-2 Spirit bombers. Not bad for space vehicle, all things considred...and the space shuttle does suck! :o) Imagine what we could build with MODERN equipment!

[Tree of Liberty]

Instead of spending billions on the wasteful "missile defense" shield (a "shield" that won't protect a single city and will increase the chance of nuclear war), we should be spending it on NASA.

Look, noob, the current public missile defense shield is not intended to stop a massive nuclear attack like Russia could make. It's intended to stop a few missiles like N. Korea will soon have the ability to launch. Even if only one missile is stopped, a whole lot of lives will be saved.

[Tree of Liberty]

ITA, the OV series should not be increased. I think new vehicles (which need to be made regardless of 2-1-03) should have technology and capabilites far above with the OV's were/are capable of.

[Tree of Liberty]

Also, I've been thinking the past couple hours, and I believe it's possible, maybe even likely that the President will make a Kennedyesque call to place a man on Mars and return him safely to the earth before the decade is out.

This is an administration of big ideas, and the wherewithal to make those ideas reality.

[ARCADIA]

Perhaps we can combine the two and set up a space based Anti-ballistic missile program. Would it be cheaper to protect the country with a couple of orbital stations, or to build hundreds of ground bases?

[Tree of Liberty]

problem with orbital missle defense is that its just gonna be lasers

Who says? A kinetic ABM device (like a simple iron shaft plowing into a warhead at a few hundred thousand MPH) can be just as effective as a thermal ABM device (like the laser you mentioned). I don't see why the former couldn't complement the latter as a back-up, at least.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"The Space program (And Shuttles) have provided the US with invaluable technology that has saved 10's of thousands of American GI's!"

What are you referring to?

[altayann]

Tang. They don't call it Agent Orange for nothing, you know. :)