The Pros And Cons Of NASA

critical problems we face today. This program also paves the way for future innovations for NASA, which guarantee progress for their future space-related endeavors. Eleanor Imster is the Chief Editor at EarthSky, which presents the latest advances in technology and science. Eleanor writes about the latest mission, the Parker Solar Probe: Humanity’s First Visit to a Star, with an expected launch window of July 31-August 19, 2018 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission carries another technological advancement that will allow humanity to gather new information about the solar system and universe (Imster). Thomas Zurbuchen works as an associate administrator at Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C.

Parker’s Solar Probe is just one example of a variety of technological developments that NASA is currently working on that expand our horizons and understanding of the known universe.

NASA has often been at the forefront of developing mankind’s space-related technologies. While this seems to be a positive trait, a single entity holding a monopoly does present a few drawbacks. Fraser Sherman’s article, “Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology”, touches on this issue. Sherman describes lower employment rates and loss of competition as two of the primary disadvantages associated with advancing technology. Employment rates tend to be negatively affected by scientific progress, as seen when call center operators are replaced by technologically advanced operating machines, or traditionally human-operations, such as cashiers being replaced by autonomous checkout devices. These specific types of technological advances, namely those that replace good customer service in checkout lines can have a negative impact on consumers (Sherman). While it may not be immediately evident, even the space industry shares in these

NASA has shown that their programs provide positive economic returns to society. Wallace Fowler, professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas at Austin, avows, “It is estimated that the total economic benefit of each dollar spent on the space program has been between eight to ten dollars”. Fowler contrasts this return with other common expenditures, stating “Compare that to Americans spending more than $35 billion a year on pizza or the national total annual economic cost of tobacco exceeding $250 billion and you can see that our return on our NASA investment is rather high” (Fowler). Fowler makes a strong case for further investment in NASA as a way to generate positive economic outcomes. Furthermore, Fowler’s argument also demonstrates that even though NASA’s budget in 2015 was estimated at $17.5 billion, the monetary returns exceeded its spending. Fowler’s assertions were corroborated by Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in an interview in which he shared his thoughts on why the United States should increase investment in the space program: “I think people seem to overlook the idea of putting a dollar in and getting way more than a dollar back” (Barth). His statement seeks to demonstrate that investors are shortsighted as far as