Barely into his first term in office, a young, energetic, Democratic president made a decision that would revolutionize the way Americans would think about space travel forever. When President John F. Kennedy announced his plan to put a man on the moon within ten years, the world watched with wonder. In 1969, man’s first steps on the moon caused a wave of patriotism and pride to wash over the United States.
President George W. Bush tried to harness that same pride when he announced that man would return to the moon through NASA’s Constellation Program. But on Feb. 1, another young, energetic, Democratic president cancelled that program. When President Barack Obama revealed that NASA would be scrapping the Constellation Program, many Americans were confused and frustrated, particularly in this great state of Alabama, where NASA and the Marshall Space Flight Center are a major source of pride, not to mention jobs and revenue.
However, the cancellation of NASA’s Constellation Program is not dismal news. There’s the obvious benefit of the rhyming of the words cancellation and constellation. And what else rhymes with those words? Celebration! Coincidence? Probably. At any rate, there is some reason to celebrate the ending of NASA’s Constellation Program.
While the program’s intentions were admirable, – man returning to the moon by 2020 would be awesome – Constellation had become a drain on government funding, and therefore on taxpayer dollars. The program was running ten years behind schedule, and would require a monumental funding overhaul to put even a handful of astronauts on the moon by the year 2030 – ten years behind schedule. The cost of continuing Constellation would have far outweighed the benefits that anyone would have enjoyed.
Rather than leaving NASA high and dry with no direction, President Obama called for incremental budget increases for NASA. For the 2011 fiscal year, NASA’s budget will increase by $300 million. Furthermore, President Obama announced that NASA will now be focusing on developing new technology. In the past, NASA’s approach has been to determine a destination and then develop the technology to get there. For instance, President Kennedy announced that the U.S. would put men on the moon within ten years; it was then up to NASA to develop the technology that would get them there.
When most people think NASA, they immediately think about the space shuttle, travel to the moon, and Tom Hanks in “Apollo 13.” However, most of NASA’s biggest strides have been in the technology sector. Many of these technologies have become integrated into our daily lives. Among the best technologies “brought to you by NASA” are memory foam mattresses, online dating, and Dippin’ Dots. Obviously, the stereotype that NASA’s engineers are geeks is totally false. Those inventions are proof positive that NASA scientists know how to get down. NASA’s new direction of focusing on technology before destination will allow the administration to develop new technology faster and for a broader purpose. This new technology could put man even further into space than he has ever gone before, making moon missions virtually archaic.
Finally, NASA’s new direction will benefit private companies. Many companies are already working on developing commercial shuttles capable of reaching the International Space Station. One entrepreneur said that within three years of getting a NASA contract, he could cut the cost of space travel in half. When companies can compete to develop new technology for space travel, these companies benefit the economy by creating new job opportunities, boosting consumer confidence, and increasing production rates. Though it seems a bit “Zenon, Girl of the 21st Century,” these companies are working hard to make space travel for ordinary citizens a possibility. Note: By ordinary citizens, I mean those with $20 million dollars to throw around.
Obviously, NASA’s new direction is not all bad news. Whether you’re an aerospace engineer or a Dippin’ Dots enthusiast, NASA’s new focus on technology rather than destination has something to offer. Though President Kennedy’s program to put man on the moon may have been a small step for man, with time, President Obama’s new direction for NASA will lead to one giant leap for mankind.
Kenzi Green is a sophomore majoring in international relations and broadcast news. Her column runs bi-weekly on Thursdays.
