It’s the military that needs axing

Regarding the letter on exploring space, “More important to focus on home”: If the writer has issues with NASA, and thinks the money could better be spent solving problems here on earth, perhaps he should focus his energy on reducing other expenditures within the government. For example, the U.S. military budget for 2011 exceeded the sum of all NASA expenditures from 1958 to 2011. The entire New Horizons project cost $700 million, less than a new football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

By learning about the formation of our solar system, we help to secure our world as well. One large rock in the wrong orbit could wipe out all of humanity. We have also secured large technological advances from NASA as well — technologies such as LEDs, improved firefighter gear, and water purification all have come from NASA’s research for the space program. NASA isn’t a perfect agency, and it’s far from the glory days of the Apollo program, but it’s one of the last I’d want to see under the budget ax.

Thane Walkup

Mukilteo