The new Congress is to be applauded for working to reduce the budget; but we must let it be known that space exploration is a national priority, and must not be put on the chopping block.
Continuing to lead the world in space exploration must be America's future in so many ways; it will revitalize American high tech industry at a time when the rest of the world is moving into the vacuum we have created by inaction. America's path to the Moon created a great many high tech jobs--just what we need now to power out of the recession. So manyproducts we take for granted today had their origins in the Apollo program; a new committment to reach the Moon, Mars and an asteroid could result in new discoveries in clean energy, medical breakthroughs, cheaper access to space, and much, much more.
Action item: Call, visit and write your members of Congress and ask that they do increase NASA's budget rather than cut it; and to treat space exploration as a national priority. There are plenty of programs and pork which can be cut to make up the difference; we must not cut off our future prosperity to achieve immediate budget goals. Additional actions can include writing letters to the editor and op-eds, as well as calling talk shows. Companies in the space field should be in close contact with Congress as the budget process evolves.
Let's save the space program!
With the last Shuttle launch just 30 minutes ago, we need a concerted effort to continue manned flight. The advantages are historical and protracted. Furher technological and polital gains can and will be had by whatever countries continue the manned space flight programs. We (the good old USA) need to be one of those countries!!
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