A Space Shuttle Launch In THIS Economy?

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A Space Shuttle Launch In THIS Economy?

Friday, November 14, 2008

It costs $400 million per flight. WTF?!? We wanted to know the deal ... so momlogic called NASA to ask them to explain why they are launching the Endeavor -- in this economy!

When momlogic got on the phone with NASA spokesman Bob Jacobs, we were armed and ready. We confidently asked in our most self righteous manner "How in this economy could you possibly justify space exploration?" Here's how Mr. Jacobs explained it ...

NASA employs 18,000 civil servants and close to 50,000 contractors. Without the space program, these people would be out of work.

There is always some sort of very important social problem going on. Last year, the price of oil could have been argued. The year we landed on the moon, we were in Vietnam. We cannot stop moving forward in one area when another is having problems.

Other countries are constantly exploring space and we have a strong place in that. We would risk losing our foothold.

NASA has developed products that moms use everyday! Some examples are the bar code system we use to buy groceries, flame retardant material in our clothes, hurricane and weather prediction, satellite TV and radio and medical advances such as mammograms x-rays and diagnostic equipment. You can find more on their website.