Mon, Dec 29, 2008
Compares Bank Bailouts To Need For $2 Billion In Add'l
Money
The Coalition for Space Exploration, a collaboration of space
industry businesses and advocacy groups, announced last week the
release of a statement by James Lovell, who served as part of the
crew of Apollo 8 -- the first human voyage to a celestial body in
December 1968. Apollo 8's successful mission to orbit the Moon
paved the way for Apollo 11 to realize US President John F.
Kennedy's goal of landing a man on the Moon before the close of the
1960s.
In a recent editorial, Lovell points out that "a recent analysis
of the costs of government bailouts due to the housing crisis, the
credit crisis and other economic woes tallies up to $8.5 trillion
-- more than the cost of all US wars, the Louisiana Purchase, the
New Deal, the Marshall Plan and NASA space program spending -- all
combined and adjusted for today's dollars.
"Why the necessity to bail out these mismanaged, short-sighted
industries that are consumer based when a federal agency with
strong management and awe-inspiring deliverables finds itself
strapped for cash? Today's NASA is at a crossroads -- it is
suffering under economic stress, desperate for the necessary
funding to continue its magnificent work. It too faces an uncertain
funding future tied to 400,000 to 500,000 federal and civil
contractor jobs."
Lovell went on to comment, "NASA can be counted on to confront
key issues here on Earth, from global climate change to energy
independence to aeronautics research. As has been the case for over
50 years, there's a payback to the public for investing in your
space program."
Lovell concluded, "It is imperative that NASA receive sufficient
funds from the national budget to move on to the next phase of
space exploration under the Constellation program. Provided that
President-elect Obama holds true on his promise of $2 billion in
additional funding for the program, NASA will be able to continue
its great work and ensure that hundreds of thousands keep their
jobs, allowing the work and dollars for the space program to remain
within the US economy.
"This is not a bailout for the agency, but necessary financing
to accomplish all that NASA has been tasked with doing."
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