NASA or Privatized Space Exploration?

Have you ever thought how NASA has impacted your life? If not, look around you. Your computer, cell phone, and many other technologies are results of advancements made possible by NASA.  In NASA's missions with space exploration, many technological advancements have resulted.  One specific example is the integrated circuit, a development that led to the microchip. This allowed for the future development of many technologies common to households, and businesses today. (To see more technologies resulting from NASA, check this out.)

Source http://www.thespacereview.com/archive/467a.jpg

Why does all of this matter you may ask.  Well, NASA is a government funded program, and in recent years there has been a drive to cut funding in certain areas to reduce our national debt.  One of the areas hit hard by these decisions was NASA, and this association continues to be at risk of losing more and more money. An alternate direction has already been taken.  Private companies are being contracted out by NASA to take over their space exploration operations.

This brings up an ethical issue having to do with funding a national space program.  There are many opponents of this funding. Many people feel that it is unethical to spend money on traveling to space and conducting experiments while we have so many problems here at home.  This attitude can negatively impact moral of our country and negatively impact the development of new technologies.

Neil Armstrong: the first man to walk on the moon

Currently NASA is hiring out private companies on contract basis. There are three major companies that are competing for future contracts: SpaceX, Boeing, and Sieera Nevada Company. This competition with already limited funds inhibits the actual advancements that could be made. If the companies were to work in cooperation with one another, progress could be much faster. However, they are not working together, and none of these companies have developed spacecraft that have carried astronauts to space yet. However in 1969, NASA was able to fly men to the moon.

In the long run, if NASA continues to lose funding, they will lose the ability to hire contractors, and space exploration by the United States could cease to exist. Space exploration is very expensive, and there isn't a current market in the private sector that would be able to support it in its current form. Private companies would exhaust funds with little immediate returns. This route would eliminate many jobs from our already highly unemployed economy.

Some may argue that the space program should go completely privatized. They would argue that these companies should act as any other capitalistic company would with competition and the need for profits to continue operation. However, this could cause the scenario mentioned earlier in which the companies would dwindle down to nothing, or it could result in a cooperate space industry. What I mean by this is that space could become a means for large companies to make money. The way in which they do this may not be in the best interest of the public.

Children of this country were often inspired by the achievements of NASA and its shuttle launches. Taking funding away from this association would take away a sense of nationalism from many Americans and would kill the dreams of many American children to work for this great association. Continual removal of funding will also inhibit the ability to continue to make technological advancements. As a country, we need to see the benefits that this program has already contributed and the benefits that are yet to come.