Thousands, millions and even billions of dollars in an annual budget in excess of $3.7 trillion may not seem like much to Washington politicians, but these days a dollar can make a big difference for families on fixed budgets.
His latest report targets 100 government programs, including a number of government research programs. And this year spending on space exploration is one of his targets, including (1) $947,000 spent by NASA's Advanced Food Technology Project to develop about 100 food items that could be consumed on Mars; (2) $1.6 million on apps to market the space program, such as Starlite, a "massive multiplayer online game to simulate the journey to Mars and the life of astronauts on the planet," and a free Xbox download Mars Rover Landing; (3) $771,000 for NASA to maintain a Lessons Learned Information System containing scientific information said to be outdated and little used; (4) $12.4 million for a new visitor center at NASA's Stennis Space Center facility in Mississippi; and (5) $300,000 in defense funds to support the 100-Year Starship Initiative's September symposium for interstellar discussion and related activities.
While the Senator is looking for "waste," maybe he needs to learn a little more about how science works. For instance, the Mars food project sounds like an excellent idea if we truly have our eyes set on a trip to the Red Planet. As part of the program, we are told:
Six volunteers will head into a barren landscape in Hawaii to simulate a 120-day Mars mission. In exchange, they receive an all-expenses-paid trip, plus $5,000 each, for completing the journey.
Volunteers will perform the activities Mars explorers might do, including wearing space suits and taking “Navy showers,” in order to see how different foods might affect their moods and health. In keeping with the purpose of the food study, one of the stated primary procedures for the participants is to “consume only ‘instant’ foods and foods prepared from shelf stable ingredients…and rate these foods.”Preparation for this extreme food-tasting challenge starts before the 120-day “mission.” Participants will attend a four-day workshop, and a two-week training exercise in the months leading up to the simulation, slated for early 2013.
And a quick look at the "outdated" Lessons Learned Information System shows information from the 1970s through 2012, so I am not sure what the report finds so troubling. Finally, I am glad someone is thinking in terms of 100 years since Congress is unable to think past the next election. Here is the mission of the 100-Year Starship Initiative:
That said, money does not grows on trees and projects should held accountable, particularly in this time of tight budgets. Yet this summary of problems strikes me more as overeager staffers trying to have fun at the cost of science so their boss can make a splash. We need to have a real discussion about the merits of each program find ways to get even more funding to promising ideas that steer us towards a better future.
