If some of the money that is thrown at the arms industry was channelled into space exploration there'd be plenty.
True, true.
Or, some of the $42 billion (as of 2007, up from $17.5 billion in 2000) in foreign aid doled out (attached) could be diverted to NASA. Admirably though, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Ireland (where we have forum members, that I know of) are all not on that list, feeding off of us. Thanks guys!
The military budget for 2010 is around $685 billion (at last take).
<table id="sortable_table_id_0" class="wikitable sortable"><tbody><tr><td>
Components </td> <td>
Funding </td> <td>
Change, 2009 to 2010 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Operations and maintenance</td> <td>$283.3 billion</td> <td>+4.2%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Military Personnel</td> <td>$154.2 billion</td> <td>+5.0%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Procurement</td> <td>$140.1 billion</td> <td>-1.8%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation</td> <td>$79.1 billion</td> <td>+1.3%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Military Construction</td> <td>$23.9 billion</td> <td>+19.0%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Family Housing</td> <td>$3.1 billion</td> <td>-20.2%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>
Total Spending</td> <td>
$685.1 billion</td> <td>
+3.0%</td></tr></tbody></table>
NASA was asking for $18.7 billion in its budget request for 2010. (attached)
But from this article
CBC News - Technology Science - Obama to cut NASA's moon plan: officials
it appears that NASA is getting $5.9 billion MORE than asked for, but not for returning to the moon. Confusing. The $5.9 billion will be given to commercial enterprises to build a commercial space ship. Hmm.
So, to the moon by 2020 by the U.S. Government (NASA) is dead, but apparently tell Exxon/Mobil there is oil on that thar moon, and give them a few billion, and see what happens, right? Or am I reading this wrong?
And, the article says that exploration is not dead.
I guess we will have to wait to see how this shakes out.