It’s sad that NASA has taken such a large plunge over the last decade. It used to be a haven for scientific innovation and technological advancement, but unfortunately it is now seen as a waste of energy, resources, and taxpayer money.
They halted the shuttle program earlier this year, and it looks like NASA’s future looks bleak. In the 1960s, it was the symbol of American achievement and spurred global competition, but for some reason, it gradually diminished over the decades. Perhaps it was because we accomplished so much so early. We had a man on the moon, which probably was thought impossible at the time. Then, we started putting several satellites into orbit, and now satellites are taken for granted as we watch our televisions or get directions on demand. Our space endeavors happened so quickly that there left little room for exploration. Mars is the next big project, but that seems to have halted due to conditions that can’t sustain life.
I always felt like there should be agencies and organizations that exist for learning. Even if projects have stalled, many new ideas and concepts are still being discovered and understood at NASA, but unfortunately they probably will never live up to the grand precedent set in earlier decades. Agencies like NASA should stay afloat by virtue that they reward curiosity and emphasize a thirst for knowledge. After all, NASA’s mission is to “pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.” They have certainly done that, and just because nothing revolutionary - at least to the mainstream - has come about in the past few years does not mean that they have not been utilizing resources well and satisfied their quest for scientific advancement. NASA deserves to stay afloat despite the current deficit situation.
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pavyedav posted this
