Selling space exploration in uncertain times

Published: Apr 24, 2006
Source: www.thespacereview.com



Another cycle of congressional and presidential elections are coming up, ones that will again devote little attention to NASA's budget or R&D funding in general. Eric Hedman explains why voters should encourage politicians to pay more attention to this topic.

I've noticed that members of Congress with a NASA installation or a major aerospace contractor in their home district tend to be the strongest supporters of space expenditures. Critics of NASA spending tend to have districts like those in my home state of Wisconsin that receive little or no direct financial benefit; the late Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire comes to mind. When I make observations like this my friends tell me that I have a brilliant grasp of the obvious. With the upcoming retirements of Sherwood Boehlert and Tom DeLay, and the next change of administration, the question as to how this bodes for the future of government spending for NASA becomes particularly important.continue..