If you ask the electorate whether they’d rather spend $50B to go back to the Moon, or invest that in energy independence, I’d say it would be a slam dunk for the latter.

Obama is spouting “Yes we can!”, and even McCain is acting like he believes in something like that. Unfortunately, for putting humans on the Moon, NASA doesn’t have a lot more to say than “Yes, we did”, aside from steroids.

spaceprizes.blogspot.com/2008/07/energy-and-space-energy-vs-space.html

The bottom-line excerpt from that post is:

“My take on it is that the bulk of NASA’s space efforts should be directed at solving big problems that the public cares about – energy, environment, security, medical, and so on – using space and aeronautics.”

I don’t think any of these issues are flashes in the pan. It’s going to be awfully hard for NASA to continue on its path over the long term if it doesn’t find some way to become relevant in publicly obvious ways in areas like these.

Energy independence is the single issue that can compete for dollars with space exploration. At least in the near term it’s about technology development (such that dollars spent go to the industrial sector), it’s national security, as it addresses what is commonly perceived as a threat to our country. Achievement in it would be a strong point of national pride. It’s an issue that can be expected to inspire youth to do engineering, science, and technology. There will be spinoffs (low carbon Tang, maybe?) Finally, it’s a damned expensive proposition that will involve some economic sacrifice.

Unlike space exploration, there are clear metrics for success, and the result actually touches everyone. The technology and infrastructure one develops in doing it is hugely marketable, as well.

Worth some thought how space exploration can best market itself given this new, or at least newly popular, issue. I will be interesting to watch the reaction of the aerospace industry to this “bubble”, in that if they see a future in it, their essential advocacy for space exploration will fade away.