After completion of the Apollo project, NASA is now in a transition as it looks for a new project to replace Apollo. There exist a need for the public to be informed of NASA’s aim and expectation, so as to provide informed consultation (Learry, 1990). As a matter of public policy, society also ought to be aware of the workings of NASA so as to continually check on the agency’s future expenditure and expectations (Committee on Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration, Space Studies Board, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, National Research Council, 2006). New program will ultimately have to meet the economic realities of today. As such the public has to look at whether the benefits gained from the Apollo vis-à-vis the cost. Where the benefits outstrip the cost then a new funding mechanism has to be formulated. Should the cost outweigh returns, a modified funding program ought to be considered to maximize the gains. This paper is aimed at the uninformed general public to act as a means of raising their awareness on the developments that NASA is undergoing.
While NASA sees continued exploration as a necessity, the economic
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Key among the recommendations was the need to change the importance placed on various expenditures. The various problems facing the space administration are not due to the lean budget, but due to misplaced priorities, (Whitney, Keshbner, & Byerly, 2004). While changing the budget may solve short term problems, a lasting solution would be to align priorities with expenditure. A new space project would be faced by unique challenges that would require clear priorities when solving. This paper is aimed at members of Congress who are in the unique position of implementing the necessary