MoneyDirect to NASA - how much would you give?

jadeheart · 2004-01-08 16:30:17

Reading the recent 'MarsDirect Cost' thread started me wondering about the possibility of sending money directly to NASA to fund space exploration. As far as I know, NASA doesn't currently accept donations straight from individuals, it has to depend on the whimsy of Congressional charity-- complicated by the fact that the NASA budget is tied up as a rider in some larger annual appropriation-- I can't remember the name of it right now but it deals with a plethora of other funding that is only obliquely related to NASA at best.

So. Suppose that, in addition to it's current slice of the taxpayer pie, NASA DID accept individual donations, and that these donations were tax-deductible and also that you could tell NASA just where you wanted the money spent (robotic Solar System exploration, humans to Mars, whatever). Knowing what we all know about bureaucratic waste and the propensity of bureaucracies to misappropriate (and even lose, as in "uh, we can't seem to find it...") money, how much would you donate per year to NASA, in US dollars?

I bring this up because I, like many others here, believe strongly enough in our future in space that I give a certain amount of money each year to organizations such as the Mars Society, the Planetary Society, etc. each year to further the cause in Washington. The thing is, these organizations are relatively ineffective at accomplishing concrete space exploration milestones-- relative to NASA, that is. NASA has the personnel, the infrastructure, the money, the credentials, to get a lot done in space (of course, they could be doing more, and that's the point here). Knowing this, I personally would be willing to give NASA quite a bit more money than I now give the NGO 'societies.' Just because I know it will go more directly to making things happen. I'm thinking that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

With all this in mind, how much money are we willing to put where our mouths are?

And does anybody know how receptive NASA would be to such an idea? I keep thinking of people like Elon Musk and Paul Allen who are already dumping tons of money into pet space projects. As far as I know they aren't giving any to NASA. I'd imagine there'd be legal ramifications to a gov't agency getting money directly from private donors, but in the case of NASA maybe an exception could be made? There is certainly a thread's worth of discussion here on the potential for accomplishment-- or corruption.

jadeheart · 2004-01-08 16:32:06

Hmmm... maybe I should've put the choices in terms of percentage of your personal income. Somebody let me know if they think this would be better and I'll change it.

Shaun Barrett · 2004-01-09 06:14:22

No, I think it's better to know how much people would give in dollars and cents; that's what really counts.

scott · 2004-01-10 13:37:04

Hmmm, no option for "none"? Listening to CNN yesterday and the question of funding, it occurred to me that we could fund this project, or a good part of it, if we stopped flushing money down the toilet of Israel. We GIVE them BILLIONS of dollars every year and all they do is stir up problems (why do you think we are now the target of terrorists? Much of it has to do with our queer relationship with Israel where we receive nothing in return) Further, we pay billions to Egypt because we give money to Israel (Camp David Accords under Carter).

How about a petition to government saying they can just shift the money we currently give to a nation that attacked and killed Americans on the USS Liberty (38 Americans killed and more wounded by Israel - meanwhile, Iraq has NEVER attacked us) and spend it more wisely on NASA?

Stop funding religious kooks in the Middle East (both sides - look at Israel's flag - it is a theocracy!) and keep the money in the US.

jadeheart · 2004-01-13 14:32:24

Hmmm, no option for "none"?

Good point. Being the irrepressible space optimist that I am it didn't cross my mind.

But, seeing as this poll isn't going to put Gallup out of business anytime soon, I don't see any point in changing it.

There is certainly plenty of money iin the federal budget that could (and should) be redirected to space exploration, but this is outside of the scope of my intent here.

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#1 2004-01-08 16:30:17

Re: MoneyDirect to NASA - how much would you give?

#2 2004-01-08 16:32:06

Re: MoneyDirect to NASA - how much would you give?

#3 2004-01-09 06:14:22

Re: MoneyDirect to NASA - how much would you give?

#4 2004-01-10 13:37:04

Re: MoneyDirect to NASA - how much would you give?

#5 2004-01-13 14:32:24

Re: MoneyDirect to NASA - how much would you give?

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