15 January 2004

by Anai Rhoads
Veriana Media

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) spoke out against the proposal by the Bush administration to expand America's current space programme. The administration proposed that NASA include a manned station on the moon and even travel to Mars by the first American.

President Bush wants NASA to organise a launch for another visit on the moon by the year 2015 and hopes to establish a permanent base on the moon by 2020. In addition, money will be used for a man-to-Mars mission by 2030.

"While space exploration may be a noble idea, it is not feasible at this time," CAGW President Tom Schatz said on Tuesday. "Cost estimates for the new programmes range from $550 billion to $1 trillion. Until the federal government brings the record deficit back down to Earth, it should not launch expensive new space programmes of questionable scientific value."

NASA has been dealing with significant financial issues over the years. The Space Station was finished with a whopping $4.5 billion dollars over the original set budget. In addition, according to both the Congressional Budget Office and Office of Management and Budget the the Federal deficit is expected to exceed $500 billion by the end of 2004.

"Under the current budget conditions, taking a trip to Mars is the equivalent of a family with two kids in college, one parent unemployed, and the other parent working only part-time taking a two week vacation to the Caribbean," Schatz continued.

"Even if this space dream made sense, members of Congress, who have stuffed NASA's fiscal 2004 budget with more than $300 million in pork, should first be required to eliminate their parochial projects. Those projects included $3 million for an astronomy centre in Hawaii, as well as $3 million for ocean and weather research at the University of Alaska," Schatz concluded.

A man to Mars mission was discarded in 1989 in the first Bush administration due to similar deficit concerns when that figure was over $152 billion.

©2004 Anai Rhoads. Reproduction must be authorised in writing only, and altering the material and this copyright is prohibited and protected by international law.