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Writer's pictureEngineering Pivot
Jun 21, 20247 min read

Why NASA Should Get More Funding Instead of Being Removed

By Ajitesh Sharma

Introduction


Imagine this, all the protection of Earth from objects, inventions, aerodynamic research, and real-world data just disappear.  


What seems like just a thought might turn true due to less and less funding going to NASA, the government-funded organization doing all of these marvelous things might just be deleted.  


In 2023, the USA made almost 8.45 trillion. This money was used for various purposes, the biggest one being the USA's treasury. But out of all that money, NASA with the various benefits it gives to the USA, and overall, the planet, only got $33 billion. That's barely 0.3% of all the money available!


While there are tons of problems on Earth, the funding that the U.S. has given NASA has provided protection from doomsday disasters, the creation of new inventions, and real-life research on the planet This funding should not be decreased, but in the latter increased.  


 

Protection from Catastrophic Disasters


The protection of Earth is pretty important for humans and animals, so this is one of NASA's top priorities.  

One of the biggest disaster events that they are trying to prevent is a giant celestial body crashing into Earth and wiping all life off the planet.  


Lots of ways can prevent this, but for now, the most prominent ways that NASA uses are pre-detecting the object and changing the orbit of that body.  


In September 2022, NASA launched DART, a satellite that purposefully launched into an asteroid! Keep in mind that this asteroid was just any small asteroid, but this asteroid was almost 5 billion kilograms! Even with this weight, DART, weighing roughly 600 kilograms, hit the asteroid head-on, and the asteroid actually had a significant change in its orbits!  


This proved that we humans could move a literal celestial object, which could save us and the entire planet from extinction.  


Furthermore, solar flares, which are basically storms for the sun, can also affect us badly too. While these are less deadly than a huge celestial body engulfing us, they can still do numbers, and they can always grow bigger and stronger. Solar flares can destroy communication from the air to the water and cause intense radiation. This might ruin major satellites and even the ISS if big enough, and if it seeps through the ozone layer, then the chances for skin cancer (through UV rays) will almost quadruple.


To solve this problem, NASA has started to make pre-alarms to detect if anything is wrong with the sun. With this, they can warn everyone that this is happening. Right now, NASA is trying to research how to block the radiation from seeping into satellites.  


NASA also helps safety directly on Earth, "For years, NASA has used the vantage point of space — to decipher the impact of fires—from first spark to final puff of smoldering smoke — and help other agencies protect life and property." Its satellites detect wildfires that are very premature and have just started from the atmosphere and then contacts firefighters in that area to take out that fire. NASA also helps humanity innovate for itself. SMAP, a NASA-made satellite, uses its various sensors to predict weather forecasts and floods, and even assist in crop productivity. This is super helpful in 3rd world countries by helping them rebuild and stabilize farming and their economy without other country's help.


Creation of New Inventions 

Along with protecting and aiding the planet, NASA has created a lot of inventions for its 0.3% of funding.  

Almost 20 as of 2016!  


These 20 inventions aren't just normal ones either but are inventions that are used for everyday activities and sometimes needed for daily life. And with funding and more time, NASA could make even better inventions! 

In the 1960s, NASA created a prototype for the water purification system, mainly for cleaning toxic water into clean water. Now, these purification systems are widespread for cleaning your pools. 


Space is also cold, like freezing! The ISS needs insulation, as do rockets because we can't have the hardware freezing and breaking! So, some NASA engineers in the 1950s came up with a way to insulate their shelter in space in a radiant, cheap, and durable way. Now, we call that house insulation.  


Space is almost 62 miles up, and early astronauts needed a way to communicate with NASA in space. So, in 1962, NASA collaborated with Plantronics. inc., and leveled up the idea to make wireless headphones that didn't need to be plugged in. Previously for space communication, now it's used in Bluetooth speakers and headphones for leisure and fun.  


Since space is that far, food must be packed and quick (and tasty!). From 1961 - 1966, NASA worked and improved on their new technology called freeze-drying; freeze-drying foods can retain up to 98% of their nutrients but only 20% of their original weight. Hence, it's very useful in space because it doesn't take up that much space and can carry almost all of its nutrients and taste! Now this delight is even more accessible in all of your grocery store's aisles.  


Cameras and pictures are almost half of our life now, but NASA was the first one to think of a portable mini camera, much as we use on our phones, and make it! These initially were made in the 1960s to be on rockets to take pictures without taking up that much space, but now can fit on our phones with 10 times the quality. Technology is often a beauty! 


CAT scans also have NASA heritage. JPL (a branch of NASA) needed a way of getting good and precise pictures without too much work. So, in 1998 NASA kick-started the research and thinking that eventually led to the lifesaving CAT scans that we now know in the current era. 


But, before the 1960s, there was NO mouse! Could you imagine living without one? Well, one NASA engineer stood up and invented the modern-day mouse. Thanks to him, you can control your computer and desktop to whatever extent you want.  


If you were to remove their 0.3% funding or even decrease it, future ideas of side products could never turn into creation!



Defense

Also, without NASA, there might be a chance that the USSR could continue being a tyrannical empire, and the Cold War might've never ended either! NASA was literally founded to stop the Soviets from attacking the USA from space and putting our own foot in space . And NASA did this exceptionally. After the USSR launched Sputnik into space, and soon after putting a man in space, Americans were scared for their lives because there was a foreign object probably spying on them, and in a few years, they could probably even bomb them from way above! NASA soon fired back with its research and satellites and made it to the moon  a long way before the USSR, which ultimately made the USA win the space race which led to the victory of the Cold War.  


NASA also provides valuable research in aerodynamics to the USA's Air Force! Going into the atmosphere for almost 62 miles while preventing air resistance and gravity from pulling you back down is a big feat. The research that NASA provides can help warplanes (and possibly travel planes) reach better speeds and more durability in the air, which can overall give an advantage to the USA in case a war happens.  


NASA also helps the planet globally  in space. Satellites don't disappear into space; they stay there and help relay important information to Earth. It uses special technology only made by NASA and analyzes the surrounding land for its soil quality, weather patterns, or geographical history or patterns to make educated guesses to be used in agriculture, early disaster alarms, and more. This can help developing countries stand up and self-sustain their own countries instead of getting loans and therefore debt for already developed countries. Also, NASA uses these satellites for data on how humans are polluting the Earth’s contents. A great example of this is Terra, which was sent out in 1999! It uses data from the atmosphere, the land, and the ocean to measure how much climate change is impacting the Earth, and what worse things could happen if we don’t solve the problem.


Counterclaim


But why go to space still? Why go to another planet when we have so many problems on Earth right now?  


Instead of that 0.3% being used for space travel, we could use the money we're spending on the space program to feed people and give them homes. "The people in need are more important than exploring planets in the solar system," says high schooler Tyler Rose. Many other people across the nation also agree with this claim. 


While this is true, isn't this what NASA is trying to accomplish? Instead of considering it a "minus, " NASA can bring more ups than downsides. Look at all the inventions that NASA has made. Some of these are being used in humanitarian situations right now! These inventions have also given more leisure in life and made life more fun as an addition.  


Conclusion


So, if NASA's budget got cut, it "would have devastating and potentially unrecoverable impacts upon the objectives (like defense, inventions, real-world maps, or research) that the President and Congress have set for NASA and weaken  our Nation's position as a global leader  in exploration, science, technology, innovation, and discovery says NASA administrator Bill Nelson.


All these things NASA does, protecting humans from doomsday disasters, creating new inventions, and helping sustainability in developing countries are all done for its fair share of 0.3%. Even though there are still tons of problems on Earth. These new technologies can keep the Earth and better it for a cleaner, safer world for all  humans.  

There are a lot of opportunities that could help NASA financially be stable and thrive as well as continuing to be a USA agency.   

First off, you can vote  for candidates that have a desire to help NASA's budget or supply. Remember, all votes count in an election!  If you want to be more involved, you could start a petition  and spread the message of the various benefits that NASA gives us for its 0.3% funding. I recommend change.org. These petitions, if big and signed enough, can get the attention of government officials and can actually make change; without you even getting out of your house!  

Together, we can fuel ourselves and NASA for a brighter world.  

 

       


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