EDITORIAL: NASA is key to president's research push

on January 27, 2011 at 9:35 AM, updated January 27, 2011 at 9:40 AM

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. _ At a science lab in Moscow, six researchers are locked inside a windowless mock spaceship on a simulated 520-day flight to Mars - a study aimed at helping real space travelers learn to cope with the confinement and stress of interplanetary travel.

They've been there since June, communicating with the outside world via delayed transmissions, showering once a week and eating food similar to that on the International Space Station. "Landing" is scheduled for Feb. 12. After that the cocooned "astronauts" will begin the months-long faux journey back.

Mars missions, of course, are still far into the future. But the experiment illustrates the kind of long-term investment in research that America - and NASA specifically - must have to keep the United States globally competitive in the sciences.

President Obama invoked the importance of science during his State of the Union address Tuesday night. What better way to lure young Americans into the sciences than to support a strong space program that sparks wonder and innovation.

"This is our generation's Sputnik moment," Obama said, referring to the Soviet satellite launch in 1957 that both scared and inspired Americans to become technologically superior.

"Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven't seen since the height of the space race," the president continued. "And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. We'll invest in biomedical research, information and technology, and especially clean energy technology, and an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet and create countless new jobs for our people."

Sputnik led to the formation of NASA and its crowning achievement, the moon landing. "After investing in better research and education, we didn't just surpass the Soviets, we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs," Obama said.

Continuing, he challenged America's scientists and engineers that "if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we'll fund the Apollo projects of our time."

Those who were looking for a commitment to NASA didn't hear it in the president's speech. But his space references and call to strengthen America's innovative spirit show he sees the value of having a viable space program.

Currently, NASA's budget is in limbo and it remains uncertain whether the space agency will get the money to fly three more space shuttle missions as scheduled before the orbiters are retired.

Republicans controlling the U.S. House have promised to try to cut non-defense and non-entitlement spending this year to at least 2008 levels, which would mark a $1.4 billion loss for NASA's budget. That would essentially wipe out the money NASA hoped to spend this year on the new heavy-lift rocket Constellation. NASA warned Congress this month it doesn't think the new rocket can be built as fast or cheaply as Congress wants, even with no spending cuts.

Lest space buffs think powerful representatives from space states like Alabama, Florida, Ohio and Texas will just muscle NASA programs into the budget, Obama vowed to veto legislation containing pet projects known as earmarks.

Rather, they will have to sell such programs on their merits, And certainly, there are plenty of selling points for having a robust space policy such as breakthroughs in pharmaceuticals, materials processing, biology, microtechnology and earth sciences, and yes, inspiring future innovators.

A strong NASA could work hand in hand with Obama's goal to invest more in education, research and technology to groom a new wave of entrepreneurs who will make the discoveries of tomorrow.

China and India are outpacing the U.S. economy in growth and seriously competing on the education and innovation fronts. A recent state Education Department report found that less than half of U.S. students are proficient in science.

Obama is right that improving the education system, stimulating more math and science graduates, pioneering new industries, investing in R&D and encouraging entrepreneurship will put the U.S. back on the fast track in the world economy.


A strong NASA would help America reach that goal.

By John Peck for the editorial board. E-mail: