Slashing NASA’s Programs Will Squander America’s Place in Space

NASA will end America’s location in space in programs

By Luis Freedman

For more than half a century, the discovery of planets and space science has been a hallmark of American achievement and excellence. From mercury to Pluto and beyond, we have gained a lot of understanding about the origin and development of the planets. We have learned about other world atmospheric, surface and internal mobility. All those discoveries have implications for what is happening here on earth. In classrooms around the world, discovering the new world and examining the secrets of the universe is a symbol of America.

But he can end now; Trump is ready to take administration Chensaw for space scienceAs almost everything has to be done in the American science portfolio. Trump officials are planning a huge, disastrous cuts for space science, according to News reportAll new mission plans for this decade are likely to be killed, including long -sought, all important Mars sample returns missions. This flight was now to return the samples that protested from the red planet.

China is Already moving ahead Robotic vehicles with Moon and Mars are also likely to do more with rovers and sample returns. With human missionsMeanwhile, the American human space program is trapped with a stumbling Artemis program, built with a complex architecture marked so far from failures and delay in almost every major component. The latest SpaceX’s starship has frequent failure, which Two times now exploded In flight. Reminds of the 1980s, when we Prevented planet exploration After the success of Viking and launch of Viking 1 and 2, America has seen the new Mars mission, which has a plan Cancel Mars sample refundAnd for small experimental landers created by inexperienced new companies, once our great lunar ability was redirected. Beyond specific missions, loss of space science research capacity would be a generational disaster.

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So what? Does it not matter that America is number 2 in another world? Space is a very distant area – even far away if it is Moon, Mars and beyond you are thinking. Compared to “America first“AI chips, emphasis on rare earth metals, Tariff and Trade WarPromoting Teslas and cutting foreign aid, space is a minor political and economic player. But we are also becoming number 2 in such areas of meditation (see China’s progress in Deepsek AI, Byd electric cars And Developing hydropower in Africa). Our failures on Earth are not our narrow and small vision for the Moon and Mars, and the widespread dismissal of science.

What is China’s focus on the inside Ming dynasty In the 15th century and the Portuguese and Dutch in 18th. Our step from the discovery of the new world is a deep in arbitration or even ambiguity. It is tied together – the Apollo program was not about the lunar race; It was about one Race between geopolitical powers To prove his economic and technical superiority for the world. So still. Africans will feel US Retreat As we withdraw human and infrastructure assistance. They will also feel the US from science and exploration as China moves forward with them.

I don’t think it matters to Africans. If it is Chinese or American, engagement and helping them. I do not even think that it matters to the Moon or Mars, whether it is China or the creation of things in America. But if we accept the average status and focus our attention, it matters to us, especially for our children. The separatist or island mentality expresses our children and the world that we have left on ambition and development and understand the universe, that we will be satisfied with being less than as we can.

Planned disruption American Space Science, combined with total dysfunction in our human space program, eliminates commendable American records and achievements. If these budget cuts, we will leave the samples collected on Mars and Future discoveryBoeing’s distressed space launch system Human Space Flight Vehicle and SpaceX’s explosion starship will be given a little money designed for Alone Musk’s Mars fantasy instead of the needs of the US Space Program.

There is no doubt that we can do more with less. NASA is wasting money again to put footprints on the moon to lose. Instead, we could play for our strength. Now imagine a tailrobotic lunar base with comprehensive social and international participation rather than a plan of two-to-people to put shoes on the moon on us. We can “commercialize the moon” not with the moon, not with fictional mining ideas, but also conducting vehicles with private and public partners, conducting science comments, and even playing sports and sports. Similarly, we can take the world into the solar system with opportunities for virtual exploration for all. And we can bring those samples home from Mars – possibly with the discovery of extraresherstial life. Such American creativity will cost much less than our current program-but it will not have any chance in the budget-consultation environment where we throw out the children and bury our heads in bath water.

This can only be enabled by the government. Private companies will not conduct science and astronomy on the moon (neither send the rovers or bring back samples from Mars). Nor will they blow the heirs as Nancy Grace Roman telescope, which the administration also proposes to cancel.

Space exploration is to create a positive future. The legacy of Apollo, and a real and worthy America of our robot explorers in the solar system, is the first heritage, one that declares American leadership based on a peaceful and global aspiration: for the benefit of all mankind. That heritage should not be taken away.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and views expressed by writers or writers are not necessary scientific American.