NASA's dwindling budget: Why has America stopped reaching for the stars?

Space travel inspires us to dream about tomorrow, says Neil deGrasse Tyson. So why did we give up?

Doubling NASA's budget will attract an entire generation into science and engineering, which helps not only space exploration but also Earth-bound developments too, says Neil deGrasse Tyson.
(Image credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team)

I STUDY THE universe for a living. I've served on two presidential commissions that studied space exploration, but at heart I'm an academic. Being an academic means I don't wield power over person, place, or thing. I don't command armies; I don't lead labor unions. All I have is the power of thought.

And here's my thought: As a nation, we need to keep reaching for the stars, to push back our boundaries and stake out new frontiers. In the current economic and political climate, it might be difficult to imagine much support for a renewed commitment to space — even in the face of a direct challenge from China. Many will ask, "Why are we spending billions of dollars up there in space when we have pressing problems down here on Earth?"

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