The Hill, the Capitol Hill newspaper, summarizes a portion of last week’s appropriations floor debate when members introduced amendments to either divert funding from NASA or prevent it from being spent on “a manned mission to Mars”. The post’s title, as well as The Hill headline, comes from a comment by Rep. David Obey:
“Some people attack members of Congress for having Potomac fever,” he said. “I think some members of the House have Mars fever.”
Some of the comments last week about the debate asked why members of Congress like Barney Frank focused on Mars, when sending humans there is only a long-term goal of the program. Frank: “Sending human beings to Mars, in my judgment, is at best a luxury that this country cannot now afford.” One possibility: sending people to Mars sounds just outlandish enough, like something out of science fiction, that opponents of the program can play it up and make it sound like we’re throwing tons of money away on that rather than spending it on down-to-earth (figuratively and literally) healthcare and education (to give two examples specifically noted by Obey.)
What’s interesting is the debate focused on Mars, and not sending people back to the Moon. Perhaps that’s because it involves going back to the Moon, something that sounds a little less incredible since we’re done in the past (unless you’re a conspiracy theorist…)
Off Topic, but:
Last December I predicted that the next Shuttle launch wouldn’t be until July 2006, “A 4th of July summertime feel good fireworks special,” as I said in my usual subtle way.
I was right.
Let’s see, only 17 or 18 more launches to go until 2010, ISS completion by then no problemo! :0]
What’s interesting is the debate focused on Mars, and not sending people back to the Moon. Perhaps that’s because it involves going back to the Moon, something that sounds a little less incredible since we’re done in the past (unless you’re a conspiracy theorist…)
The issue of going back to the Moon is not one of “can it be done?” but rather “why should it be done?” Going to the Moon is a big yawn outside of the space tragic community, as NASA found during the Apollo program.
There is an important reason to go to the Moon nonetheless: to protect the American flag and Apollo 11 mission plaque from chinese taikonauts who might put them on ebay if they retrieve them, of course.
Actually, even if you’re a conspiracy theorist, we’ve still gone to the Moon.
The day when this debate occurs and actually carries some relevancy over whether or not a manned Mars mission occurs will be a very good day.