Investing in NASA is Investing in the Future
One topic that has not necessarily been addressed in the young Trump presidency is whether President Trump would increase or decrease the funding in NASA. A lot of people automatically associate NASA with space travel and investing money in it is purely for trying to make it to Mars. That is pure blasphemy and I am here to tell you why NASA may be the smartest investment the United States has ever made not because it can lead us to new horizons in space, but because of how it makes our country, but more importantly, our Earth better.
When I was a young child, my older brother and I used to sit outside on our lawn in the middle of the summer and dream of what being an astronaut was like. We loved space so much we had our parents buy us a telescope so we can look at the stars and the moon at night. Neither of us attempted to become an astronaut, but we both have put ourselves in a position in society to make a difference and became adventurers in the world we live in. This all started with us seeing pictures of outer space and seeing rocket launches on TV. This was all from NASA.
One of the greatest problems the United States is dealing with today is the fact our educational system is falling behind compared to the rest of the world. A lot of our greatest scientists and engineers came from other countries, and now it seems like they are no longer staying the United States like they used to. The lack of funding in the educational system may be a problem, but I believe the lack of inspiration is the much bigger problem at hand. It is easy to tell every kid when they are in elementary school they can become whatever they want as long as they work hard enough at it, but that does not always work. Seeing innovations and new technology come out on the weekly basis and going to places no one has ever gone before not only can make a country proud, but children see that and become inspired to be something more. They become inspired to be the next greatest innovators in the world, and you can never have enough of that.
Investing in NASA invests in space travel, every day technology, our own economy, our safety, our younger generations, and most importantly, the future.
1. Creation of Everyday Products and Jobs
Take a second and make sure you are securely seated before reading this section because you will be blown away. NASA has a main objective of space research, and they of course invent many technologies used for it. Along with these inventions, they also invent technologies that just so happen to be utilized in everyday life by you and I. LEDs, highway safety grooves, baby formula, freeze dry technology, solar energy, water filters, food safety systems, and the list goes on and on. There are hundreds of websites that show all of the inventions NASA has created because NASA had to in their effort to travel and live in space. NASA recognizes that these inventions not only are useful them, but they can be used in our society. Even artificial limbs and golf clubs were created immensely better through NASA.
2. Our Economy
For all of you who care about the money aspect, let’s be honest that is the most of us, here you go. Did you know, for every dollar you pay in taxes to the government one half of a penny is given to NASA. I am going to repeat that one more time for the people in the back, for every dollar you pay in taxes one half of a penny goes towards NASA. You do not even recognize it and politicians still want to decrease the funding. Now you are probably wondering what do we as citizens get back from it? More money back into the economy and thousands of jobs.
Take a second and look at the pie chart above. NASA is one half of the science slice of the pie. For some reason I have a hard time believing we cannot find a way to increase the funding by decreasing unnecessary funding in other parts. Still not buying what I am saying? For every dollar invested in NASA, it is estimated to be between $7 and $14 in revenue returned back into our own economy (National Journal). As a business-minded person, that kind of return on investment is very hard to pass up.
3. A Peak at History
“There is no need to leave Earth so there is no need to get worked up about it” is something I have heard a few times before in my life. At first it kind of makes sense but then when you really think about it, it does not at all. Many centuries ago there was a man you might have heard of named Christopher Columbus who sailed the sea in 1492 adventuring for something almost all believed was pointless. The Chinese dynasty at the same time had many resources and a powerful fleet but stopped investing in the idea of adventuring around the world. To keep things short, the Europeans discovered the “New World” and along came countless resources and power to the Europeans. Fast forward a few hundred years, the United States were going at it against the Soviets in trying to scare each other and prove who was truly the more powerful country. As you all know, United States made it to the moon and proved to the world it was the most powerful country at the time.
These two historical events have quite the lesson along with it. When you stop adventuring new frontiers, you run the risk of losing the power you have. Mars may not have viable resources for us to use, but that just makes us one step closer to a place that does. Other countries such as China and Russia are making great leaps in their space industry, and may surprise a lot of people of where they are. We are humans and it is in our nature to explore because that helped our ancestors at the beginning of time gain resources. Let’s not suppress this innate instinct, but rather go with it and see where we land.
4. Motivating the World
If I have not convinced you yet, this is my last point, and my best point. To be honest, our nation has stopped dreaming. To me, it does not seem like the vast majority of people our dreaming of tomorrow and what it can be like and how themselves can change it for the better. Why has that stopped? Where did our inner-child who believed we can be flying cars around and have self-tying shoe laces by now? We have stopped dreaming. We are too worried about the present and do not dream about the future. Politicians are too concerned about making their numbers look good for re-election they do not step out and say “let’s take a chance”. Why is the war or the fear of war the only reason we invest in moving forward?
NASA has a unique power in being able to self-motivate the public. Seeing inventions and leaps made weekly would create a society working to make itself better. As a kid seeing the picture of Earth, as the one at the beginning of the article, it made me want to go outside and adventure and created my interest in science. Now, when I look at the same picture I become a little scared, because it shows how little we know about this vast universe.
I think it is safe to say when we all get older we want to inspire someone younger into becoming someone better than you. What better way than investing into NASA and inspire generations to become the next great scientist, engineer, or mathematician. Both you and I do not want future generations to look at us and say what were they thinking? Why were they so preoccupied over whether or not an immigrant can enter a country and not being worried about the universe around them? Why are we so content with being where we are?
Through the innovations of NASA, teachers can on a weekly basis show their students what is changing in the world and those students can look at that and inspire to make something better.
As the great astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson says, “How much will you pay for the universe?”. Let’s go and take another leap for mankind whether it is investing in NASA or other companies such as SpaceX or Boeing.
What will it take for us to dream again?
If I by any way could not convince because I am just a young-minded college student, or you simply just want to get the chills by the great Neil deGrasse Tyson, please watch this wonderful video below.
