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NASA

The National Aeronautical and Space Administration is a state agency of the United States, which is generally responsible for exploration of science, and technology that is related to space and air. It was formed in 1958 to oversee the US airspace exploration and research in aeronautics.

Functions of NASA

This agency is generally tasked with researching and exploring of scientific aspects beneficial to human beings. Astronauts are sent to the orbit to conduct scientific research on different aspects. The satellite assists scientists in learning more about the earth. The space exploration enables the study of the solar system among other aspects. The new studies help in improving air travel among other flight aspects.

NASA is also involved in programs of sending human beings to the Mars, Moon and also beyond. These are among the many missions that NASA has that are beneficial to the human race. All the research that NASA does is shared among the people, with the aim of making life better for all around the world.

NASA also has an Education Office that works with teachers in preparing students who will be future engineers, astronauts, scientists and also other NASA staff. This aspect is very critical as these students will be the explorers that will research on the universe and the solar system in years to come. NASA has been fully supporting students, communities and families in discovering and exploring through inspiring and investing in activities and programs. NASA has continued to provide training thereby enabling teachers to learn advanced ways of teaching science, engineering, technology and mathematics. In view of this, NASA involves students in its missions to assist them in getting excited about learning science and all its aspects.

NASA has field centers and research and test facilities that enable them to carry out their work. It has a combined workforce representing a wide range of jobs. The staff includes astronauts, engineers and scientists and other disciplines.

Achievements of NASA

NASA began with the human spaceflight program, which assisted the agency in learning more in flying in the space, and it culminated to the first human being to land on the moon. NASA has also made robotic space probes that have visited all planets in solar system and also some other celestial bodies.

The telescopes used by NASA have helped scientists in looking beyond the space. The satellites have shown immense data about the earth, which has resulted to adequate information on learning, and understanding about the weather patterns.

NASA has also been involved in developing and testing various aircrafts where some of them have set new advances in technology. These tests and advances have assisted engineers in improving air transportation. NASA has also been involved in inventing equipments used everyday ranging from medical tests to smoke detectors among other systems. Currently, NASA is completing its International Space Station to improve on its activities.

Importance of NASA

NASA has maintained its mandate in aeronautical and aerospace industry enabling the US to have the most successful and advanced space programs, have the strongest private aeronautical and aerospace industry, and also have the most intelligent and experienced scientists and engineers.

NASA is the backbone of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the US education system and also helps in developing commercial as well as defense technologies working with engineering and science organizations across the country.

Through its advanced scientific research and space exploration, NASA is thus very important to the welfare and security of this and US remains its national priority. It has employed a vast workforce of brilliant scientists, technicians and engineers that ensure the American population is safe through maintaining its technology and exploration aspects.

NASAs achievements such as capabilities of orbiting human beings around the planet, building a station in the space, placing a human being on the moon among other things have very much inspired people to aspire for such careers in the agency.

As science, mathematics are the core disciplines in NASA, students usually involve themselves in STEM subjects. This in turn increases demand for STEM programs thereby enhancing more people involvement in the STEM disciplines. Students learning the STEM subjects usually develop critical thinking knowledge and skills that help them to develop solutions to problems. This program is thus critical as a new breed of brilliant workforce replaces the retiring workforce and so no gap is created. This is only achievable with enough funding from the government to enhance such programs.

NASA has also enabled the making of equipments such as thermal video imaging, heart rate monitors, light emitting diodes and other technologies. Enough funding from the government has enabled this and one may ask him without the funding where would we be technologically?

NASA has been critical in the defense industry, as it has been involved in communications technologies. It has acted as a customer to the defense industry through improving private and public partnership in defense technologies. This has been possible as NASA develops a project and contracts the production and testing activities to private industry. This aspect challenges scientists and engineers in improving their technologies and designs which aspires manufacturing developments resulting to NASA completing its missions in an effective and efficient manner.

NASA has continued to occasionally challenge the private industry, which has helped in keeping America competitive beyond other countries. They make sure the technological and space developments surpass other country’s capabilities that in turn assist in preventing enemies from defeating their technologies, keeping them safe.

NASA has developed unimaginable technologies that has inspired more people to be more curious in learning what lies beyond the universe and this aspect has helped to improve the quality of life, technology advances and a solid defense capability against threats..

Problems facing NASA

NASA has in the past few years experienced budget cuts in its allocation forcing it to review on its programs. It has many projects it wants to achieve each with a time frame but due to cash constraints, it’s therefore looking for other ways to use in order to meet its goals. There has been debate on whether NASA should be phased out or downsized as it demands for more budgetary allocation from the government. The government has been grappling with budget deficits over the last few years and this has pushed it to reducing budget allocation to NASA.

Other foreign countries like China, European Space agency, India, Russia among other countries are investing more of their money and time in advancing their programs, plans and educational efforts in order to surpass the capabilities of America in the future. These countries are considering innovating technologies instead of importing them. Technological innovation is growing very rapidly in other foreign countries. In view of this, America shouldn’t be asking the necessity of NASA on budgetary allocation but should be meeting the budget demands of NASA.

During the Cold War, NASA became very instrumental. When the security threats brought about due to the capabilities of the Soviet technology mixed with the technological challenges of the Apollo program, NASA emerged as a source of innovation that inspired space exploration, which provided a feeling and, state of security to the American people who feared a devastating war.

China has continued to prove its capabilities through destroying one of their satellites, announcing its plans of developing space program separate from the Americans influence and also plans on landing on the moon by 2020.

Countries like Iran, India, Japan, Romania, and Pakistan among others are currently working on programs of launches that will make them become space powers themselves through developing their own aerospace programs and industries. North Korea and Iraq are also involved in launches.

NASA has continued to keep America competitive through challenging the private industry constantly and thus make sure its technological and space development are beyond other countries capabilities. This has helped in preventing enemies from defeating American technologies thus keeping America safe.

During the current times, advanced scientific research and space exploration programs have seemed to be inappropriate to public funding due to economic difficulties as the financial aspects demand precedence, NASA requires to be promoted.

The tax cut will therefore make it difficult for NASA to handle ambitious space research and exploration projects including the current ExoMars. This has resulted NASA to reset their priorities and has intended to slash the budget allocation for planetary science to cover for other programs such as the Webb Space Telescope.

ExoMars without NASA

One of the current programs NASA has is the ExoMars, which plans on launching the methane –sniffing Gas Trace Orbiter to the red planet by 2016 and also a robotic rover after 2 years. The rover would use a drill to allow it in sampling subterranean soils to explore if life Mars can support life. NASA would provide rockets as well as instrumentation for the rover and orbiter. It would also provide a landing system for Rovers descent on the Martian surface. In view of the cash cuts, this program has been shelved. This would cause a major uproar internationally on one dimension.

However, America needs to be cautious as according to media reports, ESA is contemplating working with Russia on this project. This will indeed be a major setback to the US technological power as other countries strive to gain prominence.

Salary trims

NASA funds almost all of the US planetary scientists from its budgetary allocation. Individual missions enable established and older researchers get money. Researchers rely on the analysis and research budget, which are the funds, set-aside for scientists in exploring data that streams back from the planetary missions.

According to a survey by Planetary Science institute, over half of American planetary scientists usually depend on these projects for over half of their salaries. The budget cuts have created fear that many will be loosing their jobs. A planetary scientist Britney Schmidt admitted this from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. In particular, NASA announced that funding proposals in Solar Systems observations was not likely until after some few years. This caused outrage on many researchers as they depend on such grants for livelihood. Indeed, the budget cuts have resulted into social problems.

Solution to NASAs budget deficits

NASA depends on the Federal government for funding in creating and continuing programs already started. NASA studies the solar system and the stars and creates advanced technologies on these projects. NASA also researches on new products that are beneficial to the society today.

An article on thespacereview.com by Jeff Brooks proves that “For every $1 the federal government spends on NASA, it spends $98 on social programs. In other words, if we were to cut spending on social programs by a mere one percent, we could very nearly double NASA’s budget.” In a scenario that NASA was not around today, many technological advances would not have been met including equipments that detect early breast cancer along with other countless discoveries.

With less money on researching on advanced technologies, NASAs solution lies with the private sector. NASA should therefore work on modalities of allowing the private sector to control part of the space community. NASA should come up with structures to enable this as to ensure programs are efficiently executed. It has since in the past collaborated with the private sector and this relationship has proved to be worthy. Private companies like Bigelow can work out space research with NASA on a structured program. The private programs that NASA has collaborated have bored great advances both technologically and in education. It have in the past been able to integrate effectively with this partnership and so with enhanced structures, the private sector can be able to assist NASA through laid down procedures

However, NASAs intended purpose for researching and developing products and projects is not for profit but information gained and the data available for use in creating these products. Private entities look for information and data in order to make new or advance their products. NASA can therefore look for ways of selling all these information and data to corporations and even small businesses at a minimal amount in order to cover for its proposed budget. The selling of information must however be very well structured to prevent inefficiencies. With structures to govern this program, they will be able to meet their goals within the set timeframe.

Setting up priorities could be another way NASA can cope up with the deficits. Some programs are almost through while some are starting. By prioritizing them and laying down structures to manage this, NASA will be able to complete their programs efficiently. Also some programs that have shown not to be worthy should be abandoned to give more time and money on most beneficial projects according to priorities.

Arguments against more funds to NASA

Some people are against funding more money to NASA as that money can be used on some more important things such as provision of proper home and other social amenities to the people. They argue that more emphasis should be put on solving problems of life on earth before going to the space.

As the US owes more money to China, some people argue why more money is being budgeted for such programs when the country is already in debt. Focus should not be put on space projects when there is no enough money to fund it. Other agencies such as ESA and CNSA can work effectively together in space as they can afford it.

Conclusion

NASA has indeed helped shape life on earth and has proved to be beneficial to people in various ways including:-

· It has promoted and inspired science education, which has resulted, to astronauts, engineers and rocket scientists among other disciplines.

· Has impacted on environmental research through studying climate change, air quality, and energy among other environmental issues.

· NASA technology has enabled detecting and treating of heart diseases.

· NASA advances have also helped in developing wireless technology.

· NASA developments have helped in understanding more on hurricanes thereby saving lives.

The benefits of NASA are indeed immense and therefore budget cuts are really detrimental to their activities. NASA should therefore seek for ways of coping with this aspects and maintain its mandate of changing the lives if people on earth to be much better.

References

Guide to FY2014 Research Funding at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

http://www.nasa.gov

http://www.nasa.gov/about/index.html

http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/what_does_nasa_do.html

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/index.html

http://www.nasa.gov/education   →

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/descriptions/Students-rd.html  →

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