Unit 6 Blue Prints
NASA A PROBLEM SOLVER

I. Introduction: Space, the Final Frontier.
Thesis Statement: Many predict funding NASA could solve some of the major economic crises we have, bringing us a solution in the face of extinction or possibly a new planet to live if needed. Funding NASA could be the most important thing we do for ourselves, our children and quite possibly the human species.
II. The Big Idea
1. What is the big idea? A public program that would educate and help support NASA obtaining a bigger budget.
2. Who and where can they reach out to? List or people and where they could be found that would participate in this program. (Everybody)
3. Why would a program like this be so important? III. Economic Problem Solver
1. How can NASA solve our Economic Problem? A trickledown effect that we could be happy about.
2. NASA receiving a high budget could solve our money issues, education issues and job issues.
IV. What has NASA done for us?
1. Commercial Products and New Science. List the day to day items that NASA has brought, as well as some of the bigger products and solutions.
2. Safer roads, refrigerator water filters, LASIK, scratch resistant lenses, the need to miniaturize everything.
V. Space Travel
1. Public Space Travel a real possibility. NASA does not have enough funds in order to provide anything like this. Most of the technology for Public Space travel has been brought on by private companies.
2. Private Companies expanded to provide because NASA isn’t. Private companies could soon be our new NASA.
3. NASA has no budget to obtain this reachable goal. It has been estimated that possibly reach Mars in late 2030s, many believe with a bigger budget, NASA could reach Mars with a manned shuttle much earlier than 2030s.

VI. NASA Budget
1. Through the years. Statics showing what NASA received financial through the years.
2. Present Day Budget setbacks. Why is NASA getting less and less funding?
VII. Conclusion:
Live Long and Prosper. NASA is important not only for growth in science, but in the economy. Educating people and supporting NASA, could be the most important thing we do for the future of our species.

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Unit 5 Formal Letter

Congress, Gentlemen and Ladies:

America has been searching for a solution of the economic crisis that seems to increase at a frightening rate. Many Americans believe investing in NASA, which is a very likely solution to our economic woes and possibly the most important thing we do for our species. I want to emplace a program that would educate and coordinate functions to support NASA and help obtain a healthier financial outlook for NASA. You may wonder what would be the return, if America were to invest in NASA. Let’s first discover what NASA has brought to the public. Although LASIK, Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, was founded before NASA, it was extremely dangerous and expensive eye surgery. NASA made these procedures accurate, safer and less expensive with the technology they innovated.
The need to make everything smaller was first a need for NASA, weight of payloads can cost excess of $10,000 a pound to get something to the international space station in low-Earth orbit. All the innovations and products made for NASA now influence technology and products for the economy. This has become a $150 billion dollars a year industry. Reminder, for the U.S. to go to the moon, cost roughly $100 billion dollars.
GPS is capable because of NASA’s abilities in space. Many people don’t think about something as low tech as the roads, the grooved pavements on the road that provide more traction was an original idea of NASA in order to maximize the traction for space shuttle landing on runways. Scratch-resistant lenses, intracochlear implants (hearing aids that allow a completely deaf person to hear), and water filters in refrigerators.
Neil deGrasse Tyson also puts the need for a well funded NASA in perspective with this quote “When the asteroid comes and it has our name on it? That’s a good reason right there. “Let’s deflect it.” “Oh no, we can’t because we’re under-invested in our space abilities.” That would be embarrassing if we went extinct from that.”
The list of products to come out of NASA is exponential and ones listed here are not the greatest, but they are things that all of society has benefitted from and can realize how NASA in simple and easily overlooked ways has created more for the world to enjoy.
Mr. Neil deGrasse Tyson says the budget should go from .5% of the budget to 1% of the budget. This could easily give NASA the ability to go to the Moon and Mars. Advancements in science on Mars are almost a daily occurrence with the Mar’s Rover. Going to Mars we are going to need biologist, engineers and many more scientists creating a need for the best students, causing a rippling effect through the nation, need for more teachers, more students and more schools. There will be a need for more educated people to analysis data and come up with ways to make the data useful in space and on Earth.
Unfortunately we are no longer a country of dreamers and seem not to be persuaded unless we are tempted by something tangible or are trying to win a race of technology and war with another country. It is simple. NASA will produce great and unimagined returns with small investment amounts than some the social programs are using right now. Many believe the risk is worth the science and the investment. I believe this and I think the only way to change the public and politicians minds on NASA’s budget is through a program the educate people on the need and the better possibilities that will come out of a better funded and healthy NASA. I hope you will join me in the fight for a better educated public and a better NASA.
Thank You.
Very Respectfully,
Erin Busic

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NASA: A Problem Solver
Erin Busic
Kaplan University
PhD. JoAnn Funk
Cm220-29
December 8, 2012

Space, the final frontier. Outer space has always been a mystery and a huge part of our world, through entertainment, research and science. Dreaming of a space age is depicted in books, movies, cars, home appliances and much more. Science and our knowledge is expanded our understanding our own planet and universe around us. The main program researching space is National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which has brought our nation innovations we use every day that we would never link to space. Such as scratch resistance lenses, water filtered from the refrigerator and LASIK surgery and many other commercial products. NASA has continually received fewer funds each proceeding year. Everyone should be educated on the need and the benefits of having a well funded NASA. Many predict funding NASA could solve some of the major economic crises we have, bringing us a solution in the face of extinction or possibly a new planet to live if needed. Funding NASA could be the most important thing we do for ourselves, our children and quite possibly the human species.
In order to keep NASA, alive, progressing, and prosperous, a new program needs to be emplaced that reaches out to all people without bias or prejudice. This program creates educated people who understand the need for a well established and thriving NASA. The program could visit elementaries, middle schools, high schools and colleges, work places, recreation centers, senior centers and social areas. A new pro-NASA program would encourage people to write to politicians requesting that they look into more funding for NASA. It would encourage children, teenagers and adults to take an interest in science and NASA. Educate people on the science that has been discovered and the science that could be lost if NASA is not financially stable. It would also promote NASA solving economic issues and creating a flourishing work force. The program would constantly be researching and explain ways that NASA is so important on an economic, national and world wide level. NASA could solve our economic woes and easily be the reason our species survives past the expiration of the Earth. What is needed is a budget; NASA’s financing has decreased steadily.
In the recent past NASA’s budget has decreased and the last time our nation was serious about spending money on NASA was during the cold war. America wanted to beat Russia in a race to moon. In a whole year, NASA’s budget sky rocketed and all focus was on NASA and their progress. It’s sad to think the only time our country took a serious interest in space exploration was nearly 50 years ago, and it was a competition with another country during a war. Although politicians on Democratic and Republican side have all made inspiring promises to push a more funded and better NASA, neither side has kept these promises and instead have slowly yet surely decreased their budget size. Denise Chow wrote an article on Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson speech stating h that increasing NASA’s budget to twice of what it is, could easily solve our economic issues. Although not completely proven, this theory has been supported by many economists. NASA only gets .5% of our national budget (Chow, 2012). It is thought that increasing the budget to 1% of the budget could cause a trickle down that would mean something (Chow, 2012). NASA could now do more research and produce more science. NASA would need more scientists, engineers, directors and researchers. This means a lot of the college graduates stuck in jobs not in their field or fast food can finally do a job they were educated in. This means they can start paying of student loans, buying cars and houses. Now there would be new materials and products being produced for the public, more companies needed, needing factories and their own research facilities. This means more scientists and college graduates will be needed. More schools, more students, more and new science beginning taught, trickling down to the elementary levels. Also there would be new discoveries and greater opportunity of commercial space travel. The possibilities are endless. Some of the things you use every day were thought to be impossible, NASA made many discoveries and making it accessible and productive for society (Chow, 2012).
Taking a look into what NASA has brought to society is astonishing. Lasik which stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis was founded before NASA, it was extremely dangerous and expensive (Brown 2012). NASA made these procedures accurate, safer and less expensive with the technology they innovated. The need to make everything smaller was first a need for NASA because weight of payloads can cost excess of $10,000 a pound to get something to the international space station in low-Earth orbit (Lemons, 2010). All the innovations and products made for NASA now influence technology and products for the economy. This has become a $150 billion dollars a year industry. Remember, for the U.S. to go to the moon, cost roughly $100 billion dollars (Lemons, 2010). GPS is capable because of NASA’s abilities in space (Sue, 2012). Many people don’t think about something as low tech as the roads, the grooved pavements on the road that provide more traction was an original idea of NASA in order to maximize the traction for space shuttle landing on runways (Lemons, 2010) Scratch-resistant lenses, intracochlear implants (hearing aids that allow a completely deaf person to hear), and water filters in refrigerator (Sue, 2012). The list of products to come out of NASA is exponential and ones listed here are not the greatest, but they are things that all of society has benefitted from and can realize how NASA in simple and easily overlooked ways has created more for the world to enjoy.
Star Wars, Star Trek, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe, Planet 51 and list goes on and on. All of these have a major thing in common. They are all space related and deal with space travel. Warp speed and hyper space, all make up their own version of space traveling. Recently Mars Rover, Curiosity landed on Mars. Sending unmanned vehicles into space helps understand the universe and gives incite on possibly moving beyond our planet (Webster, 2012). Space traveling is thought of as a mere Sci-Fi concept, but society might not be far from traveling in space. There are private companies working on was to make space traveling, safer, more affordable and a benefit to the public. NASA has sold a seat to the moon, for 2 million dollars recently. Virgin Airs is constructing space vessels to provide public space travel. The United Kingdom just announced their new innovation, the Sabre engine. It is expected to transform the space travel market. Space travel available to public right now, is a very short adventure and extremely expensive. Zero-gravity flights even though are both expensive and short lived were very popular and gave the public a sense the space travel for all humans was creeping ever closer (Cha, 2012). Although space travel is in society grasp, there is a major reason why NASA isn’t closer to this breakthrough, budget.
Richard Baastad put NASA’s budget into perspective through the years on his website. 1958 NASA’s budget was roughly $89 million dollars. This is about 0.1% of the total federal expenditures, approximately $72 billion. 1967 NASA saw a huge budget increase to 3.1% of the federal budget. NASA received $5.4 billion out of the federal $172 billion expenditures. NASA began to receive less and less funding, in 1982, NASA was down to 0.8% of the $728 billion federal spending. 0.8% would approximately equate to around 46 billion dollars (Baastad, 1999). The budget for NASA has decreased but the demand for more science and technology has never been higher. Next year in 2013, NASA will see a decrease in funds as well. The proposed 2013 federal budget will keep NASA’s robotic Mars mission to a minimum. President Barrack Obama announced that NASA would be funded $17.7 billion, which is a $59 million decrease from NASA’s 2012 budget (Wall, 2012). "We are having to make tough decisions, because these are tough economic times," NASA chief Charlie Bolden reacted to the budget decrease. "We are doing all that we can to be fiscally responsible." NASA stated that they will continue to exploring Mars for science and possibility on getting Astronauts boots on ground to Mars. President Barrack Obama has stated the possibility of that probably won’t be available until 2030’s (Wall, 2012).
NASA is important for so many reasons, it could help our species survive on another planet when ours expires, it brings us never luxury and science to our homes and schools, helps us understand the universe around us and our own planet. NASA has continued to bring more and more to society, so why do they get less and less funding every year? As a society, we must rise and take a stand, not just for NASA, but for our future. We must start becoming better educated and educate others. Protesting, petitioning and gathering to support NASA and a healthy budget. Putting together a program to gather people, educated people and supporting NASA could be the most important thing ever done for our species. After all, live long and prosper is the goal, right?

References

Chow, D. (2012) “Boosting NASA's Budget Will Help Fix Economy: Neil deGrasse Tyson” NNhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47084599/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/boosting-nasas-budget-will-help-fix-economy-neil-degrasse-tyson/
Sue, C. (2012) “5 Incredible NASA Technologies (With Goofy Secondary Uses)” http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/5-incredible-nasa-technologies-with-goofy-secondary-uses/#ixzz2DTBOk100
Baastad, R. (1999) “Putting NASA's Budget in Perspective” http://www.richardb.us/nasa.html
Lemons, M. (2010) “Why NASA is So Important” http://mikes-take.com/2010/07/29/why-nasa-is-so-important/
Cha, F. (2012) “One step closer to space travel: UK company claims rocket engine breakthrough” http://travel.cnn.com/one-step-closer-space-travel-uk-company-announces-radical-engine-breakthrough-908251 Brown, D. (2012) “What Does Lasik Stand For?” http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Does-Lasik-Stand-For?&id=338544
Wall, M. (2012) “Obama's 2013 NASA Budget Request Shifts Funds from Mars to Space Tech” http://www.space.com/14551-nasa-budget-2013-request-obama-mars.html
Webster, G. (2012) “Mars Panorama: Next Best Thing to Being There” http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20120705a.html BLANK
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