The Case Against a Manned Mission to Mars

Considering our republican created national debt and annual deficit, we may need to eliminate NASA altogether.

There is not one mention of the benefits derived from the space program in your piece, Jazz. And no money is spent in space. It is spent on engineers, materials, support personnel and many other things which could actually help our economy now and for quite a few years to come.

Jim, you're right that the space program has had benefits. Thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, for example, we've been able to witness previously unknown phenomena, such as how expensive it can be to confuse metric and conventional tons.

But the helps-the-economy argument is threadbare. If you believe any spending is good spending insofar as helping the economy goes, spending on NASA is as good as any other. But many virtues accrue to saving as well.

Dr J - there is the leadership and pride aspect as well, and how it affects how the country looks at itslef. As regan proved when he took over from Carter, attitude matters.

We could also become Finland, but I would rather we still invest in the future. What direct benefits will come from a manned space program? Who can say.

But to deny that the space program helped develop huge advances in medical technology, computers, communications, and even mundane things like best practice process control is to deny history. Long term growth and innovation does not follow a predictable path but one - no investment leads to no results.

Austin, I used to work for NASA, not long after it earned its Need Another Seven Astronauts subtitle. I sure hope its performance affects how the country looks at itself.

The thing to be careful of with the innovation argument is that innovations tend to happen when their time has come, not because of one person or organization. Had Edison been eaten by crocodiles before he invented the light bulb, we would not today be posting by candlelight. Someone else would have invented it in short order, because conditions were right.

To the extent commercially successful products have been helped by the space program, that's terrific, but I'll bet there was a cheaper way to get them.

True, and certainly some innovations were a race to the patent office (calling Mr. Bell).

However, it is also true that ALL innovations look obvious in hindsight.

Jazz how much where the astronauts personally paid for taking the trip to the moon? I know this is a left field question not really connected to this posting, but if the estimate is 100 billion wonder how much of that will go for the astronauts salary?

ordinarysparrow, from what I've been able to find, there isn't one answer to that question. The pilots are almost all active duty military men, primarily former test pilots and top guns. Even though their current service is extremely dangerous and high profile, they still draw the same pay as as the rest of their military brethren of the same rank. Among the scientists, quite a few of of them and the payload specialists are civilian govt. workers and they are payed on the standard GS pay scale, depending on time in service and the level they entered the job at. GS pay scales are available online at many government employment web sites. There are a few odd exceptions, including foreign astronauts. What they are paid in their countries is a mystery to me. Our first "Teacher in Space" who went down with the Challenger wasn't paid at all, except for expenses related to her trip and training. So I guess the overall answer to your question is... "it depends."

EDIT: I now see that you specifically said "for their trip to the moon." Sorry. Back then they were all top gun test jocks in the military. They got the pay that all such officers get and I saw no mention of any bonus program, so it was probably the same pay as other Captains, Majors, etc.

I agree with AR on this. NASA is a major innovator. Dr J says that argument is threadbare, because innovation happens when its time comes. The question is....which country develops that innovation? Which country is viewed as the technological leader in the world? And how does that impact that counties economy?

We beat Russia to the moon, not because its time had come, but because we wanted to be viewed as the world leader in science and technology.

Germany has their cars, we have NASA and Microsoft.

Thanks Jazz, i suspected it might be regular pay, but perhaps for that first group on the Moon, it could well be the most intriguing career experience in modern history, good thing those guy don't have agents like they do in sports or the cost would be much more

All pilots (and other crew members) receive extra "flight pay" based on rank and position (pilot, navigator--do we still have them?--EWO, etc., etc), Astronauts may (have) received(d) some additional hazardous duty pay, I'll have to look it up

Dorian

"Aviation Career Incentive Pay for Officers

If you are an active duty commissioned officer on aviation duty, you are entitled to Aviation Career incentive pay. Aviation career incentive pay is restricted to regular and reserve officers who hold, or are in training leading to, an aeronautical rating or designation and who engage and remain in aviation service on a career basis.

For officers above O-6 with less than 25 years of aviation service:

An officer in pay grade O-7 may not be paid at a rate greater than $200 a month; and
An officer in pay grade O-8 or above may not be paid at a rate greater than $206 a month.
Warrant officers with over 22 years of aviation service are payed at the rate for officers with over 14 years of aviation service. In time of war, the President may suspend the payment of aviation career incentive pay.

Years of Aviation Service (Including Flight Training) as an Officer
2 or less Over 2 Over 3 Over 4 Over 6
125.00 156.00 188.00 206.00 650.00

Years of Aviation Service (Including Flight Training) as an Officer
Over 14 Over 22 Over 23 Over 24 Over 25
840.00 585.00 495.00 385.00 250.00

What is the annual salary for astronauts?


Salaries for civilian Astronaut Candidates are based upon the Federal Government's General Schedule pay scale for grades GS-11 through GS-14. The grade is determined in accordance with each individual's academic achievements and experience. Currently a GS-11 starts at $59,493per year and a GS-14 can earn up to $130,257 per year.

Military Astronaut Candidates are detailed to the Johnson Space Center and remain in an active duty status for pay, benefits, leave, and other similar military matters.