BCT Editorial – 3/28/05

This page was last updated on March 28, 2005.

Salutes & Boots; Editorial; Beaver County Times; March 28, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“Boot: To the huge mistake that is being made by the Bush administration in regard to NASA by focusing on putting a man on Mars instead of unmanned flights and other aspects of space research. The Washington Post reports that the emphasis on manned flights means cuts in other areas. Although NASA is known for human spaceflight and space science, the Post reports it also has world-renowned programs in aeronautics, astrophysics, astronomy, astrobiology and Earth science. More work in those areas is far more valuable than putting a man on Mars.”

[RWC] I can’t help but wonder what Times editorials said in 1961 when JFK told a joint session of Congress, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to, … before this decade is out, … landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” I also wonder what today’s editorial would say if a Democrat president proposed the Mars project.

I could be wrong, but I doubt the Times did the thorough research needed to claim “More work in those areas [aeronautics, astrophysics, astronomy, astrobiology and Earth science] is far more valuable than putting a man on Mars.” The editorial seems to ignore the fact that progress in all of these areas would be required for a manned Mars mission. Therefore, it’s probable a manned Mars mission could push advances in these areas faster than otherwise would be the case.

Personally, I don’t know if focusing on a manned mission to Mars is the optimal strategy or not. I’d need to do a lot of research to make that call. I like the vision, however.