AS THE world stares amazedly at the pictures being beamed from Mars by NASA's Mars robot rover Spirit, President Bush has hinted that he will announce plans for NASA to establish a permanent space base on the Moon and to send astronauts to Mars ("Bush to seek manned flights to Moon, Mars", CNN.com, Jan. 9). Public reaction thus far to Bush's idea has been mixed. Many believe that the money would be better spent domestically, and there is intense doubt that Bush will actually go through with his proposals, as similar plans for space travel were proposed and later withdrawn by Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush ("Poll: Public tepid on Bush space plan", CNN.com, Jan. 13). Albeit the budgetary difficulty in allotting the amount of money needed to make Bush's plan a reality, due to the benefits that such space-related spending would bring, Congress should implement Bush's space plan.
The U.S. economy is not in particularly good shape, just now starting to emerge from recent stagnation. Additionally, the U.S. Federal budget is nearly in shambles because of recent increases in deficit spending. Even though the present may not seem to be the most opportune moment to begin planning an expensive jaunt through the final frontier, this time is as good as any to begin implementing Bush's space plan.
Realistically, the U.S. Federal budget will never register a "good time" to initiate a seemingly unnecessary expenditure. Even during economic boom years, pressure for government spending comes from every direction and there is rarely if ever a chunk of budgeted money that is not being spent and can be dedicated to Bush's space plans.
The financial benefits of space exploration are not immediately apparent but are genuine. In the past, space research has yielded huge advances in several fields, particularly in engineering, satellite communications, material science and computer technology. The inventions and development initiated by NASA in the 1960s can be seen in nearly every facet of our world today, from the computer that I'm writing this column on, to the high-tech materials that make many of today's cars, buildings and even tennis rackets possible. If our world is presently so technology advanced, it is difficult to imagine where we will be as a result of the inventions and innovations based on the research conducted for Bush's space plans. In this manner, the initial space research spending will lead to significant future economic development of the nation's technological sectors.
Space spending could also be a valuable tool for strengthening foreign relations. The United States recently has been losing a great deal of goodwill and credibility from other nations due to the Iraq war and occupation, the legally questionable detention of foreign fighters at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and several other policies which most of the world perceives as war-like and aggressive. Bush's space program could be sold as a U.S. government policy which promotes human knowledge and development, and could thaw relations between the U.S. and other countries. Additionally, there is no reason for the U.S. to go about this space program on its own. The most expensive space program to date is the International Space Station which has been constructed cooperatively by several countries. International cooperation in making a lunar base or manned Mars trip possible could bear many foreign policy fruits for the U.S.
Lastly, there is the most important point of supporting Bush's space plans for what they will contribute to human development and knowledge. After several centuries of Earth exploration, space is truly the final frontier and contains more mysteries and unknown worlds than humans will probably ever be able to solve or visit. Additionally, the knowledge gleaned both by the development necessary for such space travel and the exploration itself will undoubtedly increase humanity's knowledge by unpredictable quantities.
Although they may entail great difficulty and budgetary sacrifices, we should support Bush's space plans. The benefits from these plans, though not immediately apparent, are very real and more than worth the price tag. Our human nature compels us to explore, and Bush's space plan is the first step into making science fiction science reality.
(Alex Rosemblat's column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached at arosemblat@cavalierdaily.com)
Read More
EDITORIAL: Signing off from the 135th term
By Editorial Board | 2 days agoAt the end of our term, we thought it fitting to share with you which of our 28 editorials have been our favorites.
WILLIAMS: From deepfakes to ChatGPT, AI can ruin us
By Ryan Williams | 5 days agoIt is crucial for us to reevaluate our personal reliance on AI and begin understanding how it acts as a problematic shortcut.
ELJAZZAR: Advising changes are a step toward student success
By Farah Eljazzar | December 10, 2024With the long history of student complaints regarding advising in the College, it is commendable that the University administration is committed to responding to student concerns and prioritizing student academic well-being.
