Letter: U.S. should fully fund space probe
This undated handout artist rendering provided by NASA shows Kepler-22b, a planet known to comfortably circle in the habitable zone of a sun-like star. It is the first planet that NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed to orbit in a star's habitable zone -- the region around a star where liquid water, a requirement for life on Earth, could persist. NASA has found the new planet outside our solar system that's eerily similar to Earth in key aspects. Scientists say the temperature on the surface of the planet is about a comfy 72 degrees. Its star could almost be a twin of our sun. It likely has water and land. (AP Photo/NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech) Credit: AP Photo/
Regarding the editorial, "Our lonely planet is listening again" [Dec. 8], while it would be good if NASA could fund the modest cost of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, 20 years ago it did -- until 1992, when an ill-informed Congress cut this budget due to federal deficit concerns. Fortunately, the cost to support SETI is within reach of private-sector fundraising. The same cannot be said for other parts of America's space program.
The recent successful launch of the Mars Science Laboratory should not make us complacent that all is well with America's planetary science program. NASA has learned amazing things about Mars, which increasingly looks likely to harbor life. Yet future Mars missions are in limbo, since the Obama administration will not allow NASA to commit to a cost-saving joint program with its European counterpart, due to budgetary uncertainty. Meanwhile, as we pay Russia $63 million a seat to put astronauts into space, Congress refuses to fully fund NASA's budget to support developing a commercially leveraged U.S. crew system.
NASA is an infinitesimal part of the federal budget and has barely grown in the past decade, while federal expenditures and deficits have ballooned. NASA has not caused our deficit, but if we do not find the resources to allow NASA to proceed with the next steps in space exploration, we may find other nations moving ahead of our capabilities, with terrible consequences for our economy and national security.
Frank Slazer, Arlington, Va.
Editor's note: The writer is a vice president with the Aerospace Industries Association, which lobbies for manufacturers and suppliers of flight and space equipment.
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