White House Responds to NASA Budget Increase Petition
At least double NASA’s annual budget to one penny for every government dollar spent, Petition, We The People, White House
“Tomorrow is gone without NASA. Please at least double NASA’s annual budget, and continue to support the most inspirational program in the country.”
Doubling and Tripling What We Can Accomplish in Space, OSTP Response
“Thank you for signing this petition. We share your view that NASA is a driver of innovation and economic growth, a creator of high-skilled and high-paying jobs, and a force for inspiration in the American people — especially our youth. That’s why President Obama has set NASA on course for a new and exciting chapter of American space exploration, one that will see more discoveries, scientific breakthroughs, and, ultimately, more Americans in space going to places never before visited.”
Penny4NASA.org
I have just started a new petition. We should keep one out there until there is a real response and real action: URL: https://wwws.whitehouse.gov…
short URL:L: http://wh.gov/3cyL
Create a few petitions, specifying where the additional funding should come from, rather than a generic “give more money to my thing!”:
1. “Increase NASA’s budget by an amount equivalent to one half of one percent of the US budget, funded by a reduction in Defence spending of that amount – in addition to any other increase in NASA funding.”
2. “Increase NASA’s budget by an amount equivalent to one half of one percent of the US budget, funded by a reduction in non-defence spending of that amount – in addition to any other increase in NASA funding.”
3. “Increase NASA’s budget by an amount equivalent to one half of one percent of the US budget, funded by a new flat tax on Corporate profits over $1m/yr at a rate calculated to raise the necessary revenue. This is in addition to any other increase in NASA’s funding.”
And so on. It would be interesting to see which one attracts the most support.
[I can’t do this, I’m not a US citizen.]
[[It would also be interesting to have a petition to limit Congress to setting only the overall NASA budget, not the specific distribution of funding, in accordance with the original NASA charter. But that might be a bit obscure for most people.]]
We have a better chance of SLS launching humans in this decade than actually doubling the NASA budget. While, personally, I think it would be wonderful to do so… it is also fiscally impossible.
The time and energy wasted on this, while noble, is just that… time and energy wasted.
This is kinda funny and sad…is NASA’s current budget spent so intelligently and efficiently (no pork, of course) that doubling the budget would “double” the capabilities? I doubt that. Doubling the budget would only make sure that SLS does indeed take off (to nowhere) – that’s it. Seeing a select few play golf on a 100,000,000,000 $ – space station is not something that makes Joe Taxpayer want to open his wallet even more.
🙂
Joe Taxpayer
This is actually humorous – throw more money at something
that is 50% efficient on a great day. I
have a better idea, consolidate Centers, eliminate redundancy across the
Agency, replace the management, establish a clear strategic direction someone
could actually understand, and start all over again with an Agency half the
size and make them earn their way back into the game. The private sector can provide all the
capability required of spaceflight in the next decade through DoD, DOT, NOAA, as
well as university system and private sector A&D participation. I don’t think people get it – once upon a
time NASA was a great Agency because of its great people. But let’s be realistic, those people are long
gone and what is left is simple incapable of leading this type of scientific
endeavor. It really is as simple as
that. And as a tax payer that works very
hard producing real results BEFORE I get paid, and I just don’t want to invest in
this crap anymore.
John Galt
Seems that the petitioners wanted to increase funding for NASA regardless of how the money would be used or whether it would be used effectively or efficiently. Seems the White House responded with an underlying message that they are going in a different direction for now in order to more efficiently access space.
What is missing in all of this is a direction for the future. What is NASA’s role? What are the nation’s goals?
I was going to study each statement closely. Try figure a way to get NASA more money. Then I laughed and thought if we got NASA more money now we could save money in the long run because there would be no reason to look far away to study black holes. We would have one right here on earth lol
Utilize Space!
The new space race!
Let’s compete!
Cancel wasteful space programs.
First things first!
Perspective
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 = $831 Billion…. NASA Budget from 1958 to 2011 adjusted for inflation $862 Billion. This is a difference of $31 Billion. I think comparing the attachments of each will show that the extra $31 Billion in NASA’s budget is well worth the cost. Now imagine what we could do with 1%….
“That’s why President Obama has set NASA on course for a new and exciting chapter of American space exploration” The current “course” is the constellation program but scaled way back with no direction. Let’s give NASA actual direction and fund it well
Do we all feel better for trying now? Do we all get trophies?
Carry on.
Here is another petition to increase funding as well. Though it isn’t very specific, I figured it’s a start.
https://petitions.whitehous…