Asri-unix.723 net.space utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ARPAVAX:C70:sri-unix!WARD@USC-ISIF Mon Feb 8 09:26:49 1982 Politics of Space Yesterday I got around to reading my copy of "The Planetary Report" and I found a reprint of an article by James Van Allen. I contend that this article illustrates one of the problems we have in getting the space program funded, namely, that many of the big names of the scientific community are politically naive and give the political opponents of science weapons to use against us. Very quickly, the article contends that we can not complain about the level of funding of the space program (6 billion NASA and 3 billion DoD), that if several scientific probes have been cancelled, we must remember that it is because the nation spends almost all its money on manned space flight. He hints that he thinks the space shuttle is going to be a "financial monstrosity" being 20-50 years ahead of its time. I disagree on several of his points. The NASA budget is not by any reasonable accounting adequate, nor is the general level of scientific funding. For something so vitally important to the country to receive such a small piece of the pie is a disgrace. I also contend that the manned space program has more than justified itself by its returns in science and technology. And finally, to illustrate my point, to assume that money taken from the manned program will go to the unmanned demonstrates great political naivity. Van Allen's arguments sound rather similar to those made by people like Senator Proxmire (a real tail-gunner if there ever was one). I think that Proxmire's statements have shown that he lacks an understanding of the scientific method and such statements as those of Van Allen allow him to claim allies in the scientific world (See, even their own agree with me). The battle over funding must be fought in the political arena and we must learn how to fight there if we are going to get anywhere . I do not want to give the impression that I think either Dr. Van Allen or Senator Proxmire are stupid or evil. I would very likely like both if I were to meet them. I would, however, like to caution people in positions like that of Dr. Van Allen to be careful of what they say and to whom they say it. The budget you save may be your own. /Craig ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.