Comment What's Mars got to do with it? (Score 2) 63
Sure, lots and lots of people 'dis' the space program as a waste of money. I mean, what possible practical purpose could it serve to send a couple of white guys to the moon? If NASA made commercials promoting their research, the way that plastic does, people might be aware that the space program has given us more than Tang and the "one small step..." quote. But instead, NASA has an image, for the most part, about being somewhat unconcerned with "real world" issues -- when they get paid attention to, it's for the large objects that they put into the sky or, more often, the malfunctioning of those large objects.
"Gee, Lois, seems to me that if they're spending billions in taxpayer money to put this thing in space, they oughta make sure the damn thing works."
So NASA gets perceived as being this giant sucking sound in the national budget, sales of freeze-dried "Astronaut ice cream" at the Air and Space Museum remain fairly constant, and most people don't see the long-term benefits of their research, or don't notice it when they do see them.
Ahh, civilization...
"Gee, Lois, seems to me that if they're spending billions in taxpayer money to put this thing in space, they oughta make sure the damn thing works."
So NASA gets perceived as being this giant sucking sound in the national budget, sales of freeze-dried "Astronaut ice cream" at the Air and Space Museum remain fairly constant, and most people don't see the long-term benefits of their research, or don't notice it when they do see them.
Ahh, civilization...
