Space Exploration: A Misuse of the Government's Funds

Exploration of the unknown has always captured our imagination and curiosity. Explorers of such unknown have been celebrated in our society for their venture into the unknown and their discoveries. While much corners of the earth have been uncovered on the planet Earth, a new frontline still vastly unknown remains as outer space. While there is so much to be explored and discovered through space exploration with very little known about it, it does not mean we need to rush to explore the vast unknown.

We should right now focus on the present instead of the distant future.

Space exploration is expensive. It takes about 17 billion dollars of tax payer’s money for NASA to dedicate for the space exploration and other activities annually (Source E). However, there does not seem to be as efficient return for such investment. For that 17 billion dollars, all that will return for the citizens of the United States is that new spacecraft for moons by 2014 and building of the crew exploration and launch vehicles.

It is simply not sensible to use up so much at taxpayer’s expense to do so little when there is present to be worried about. A concerned space-loving citizen on the radio explained, for example, that “as much as I like space…… I don’t see case for using taxpayer’s money to get it done” (Source H), highlighting the general approval of the space exploration.

While the issue of cost is present, space exploration simply does not give enough immediate benefit compared to other programs.

Get quality help now

Prof. Finch

Verified

Proficient in: Astronomy

4.7 (346)

“ This writer never make an mistake for me always deliver long before due date. Am telling you man this writer is absolutely the best. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Space exploration, although on the lower side of the budget, does not bring as much benefits as other programs do. One such example is with the health department. The health department takes up 10% of the federal budget, with 0.10 dollars per dollar used (Source C). While it is almost twice the amount used by the space exploration and other programs, people can see the impact of such programs almost immediately.

While it would take decades, if not centuries, to see physical benefits from space exploration, in just few decades, National Institution of Health-supported research has produced overwhelmingly positive results, including death from heart attack and stoke being reduced by 40% and 50%, sudden infant death syndrome being reduced by 50% between 1994 and 2000 just to name a few of their numerous achievements (Source D). While the National Institution of Health research made such leaps and bounds on improving American health, the space exploration has made relatively small steps forward compared to the results the health department showed. The money would be spent much more wisely on other departments such as health instead of space exploration for relatively immediate but impactful results.

While it is true that there is much to be explored and resources to be exploited in the vast regions of space, we simply will not see the results for far too long to be beneficial to us at the present. It is clear that during the time of today’s economic climate, the money would be spent better off in something tangible and in our reach to see impact in at least a generation or two instead of centuries it would take for space exploration to ripen.