U.S. announces space station concept 25 years ago

William Atkins
Thursday, 22 January 2009 19:23

Science - Space

A discussion of the space station, with respect to the contributions of four U.S. Presidential Administrations is found in testimony of Marcia S. Smith, an expert in aerospace policy. Given on April 20, 2005, it is entitled, “NASA's Space Station Program: Evolution of Its Rationale And Expected Uses."

It is difficult to provide an answer to the question “Is the ISS worth it?” You will get different answers depending on who you talk with or what article you read.

The benefit to society in any such international endeavor is probably worth it if it is conceived, developed, and maintained—that is, if the project is begun and finished.

Too many projects are started and, unfortunately (in most cases) never completed.

At least, we are finishing the International Space Station and it is providing scientific and commercial benefit to Earth’s peoples.

The old saying that the money could be better spent to feed the world’s hungry has its merit. I doubt, however, if all of the world’s people would be fed adequately if that $80 billion had been diverted to food for the hungry.

Instead, a global coordinated plan to advance science and technology and to provide relief to the poor and hungry (while providing them with ways to eventually take care of themselves and be self-sufficient) might be a much better international policy to enact.