Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ames-lm.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!exodus!mhtsa!mh3bs!eagle!harpo!seismo!hao!ames-lm!al From: al@ames-lm.UUCP Newsgroups: net.space,net.taxes Subject: Re: SPACE STATION ALERT Message-ID: <182@ames-lm.UUCP> Date: Mon, 19-Mar-84 21:23:43 EST Article-I.D.: ames-lm.182 Posted: Mon Mar 19 21:23:43 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 20-Mar-84 06:28:45 EST References: <214@qtlon.UUCP> Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA Lines: 33 In response the the following (edited): Suggested alternatives to wasting money on a space station: 1) feed a few of the starving people in the world Earth has enough problems: why not solve them before making new ones in space? The federal government of the U.S. spends approximately $300-400 billion a year on human services of one sort or another. NASA's budget is approximately $7.7 billion, of which $150 million is earmarked for space station in fiscal 85. I.e., the government spends 50 times as much on trying to solve Earth problems as on NASA as a whole, and about three orders of magnitude more than on the space station. I believe that this is a fairly reasonable ratio, especially considering that NASA's programs have had a large positive effect on the lives of millions of people (communication satellites, pacemakers, computer chips, solar cells, etc.). Communication and weather satellites are particularly effective in aiding the peasants of the world with weather forcasts and communication where no lines have been layed. That's one reason why India and Indonesia have recently put up such satellites. You might be interested to know that NASA's goal is to have a budget equal to 1% of total federal outlay. The present sum is less. This is not an excessive sum to spend on the future. Lastly, reputable economic analysis suggests that each dollar spent on the space program generates $7 - 14 of economic activity. Since the feds take about 25% of every dollar in taxes, each dollar spent on NASA generates $1.75 - 3.50 in tax revenue over the next few years. Think about it.