anvi
anvikshiki
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Posts: 4,400
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« on: July 24, 2016, 10:15:20 PM » |
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The percentage of the federal budget expended on NASA peaked at not quite 4.5% in the 1960's, has been under 2% since 1970, has only been over 1% for three years since 1975 and, between 1994 and last year, has been cut from 0.94% to under 0.5%. So, more of a commitment. I don't believe in manned missions anywhere in the near future, since sending people to the moon or the planets is way too much risk for mere optics. As Ernest notes, we learn plenty from beautifully automated missions (the Mars Rover for the past few years and now Juno have given us wondrous science). But great civilizations should support new discoveries about the universe for themselves and for posterity if they have the opportunity. And we have the opportunity. it costs very little in the grand scheme of things, and we can help all the people we need to if we change other much higher-cost priorities.
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