Reading various materials about space exploration reveals a general pattern: our universe is full of amazing things, but we do not have enough money to explore it properly.
Liquid oceans have been found on several different satellites in our solar system, but the reduction in planetary research costs in NASA's budget means that we won't be able to study them for at least ten years. Congress has ordered NASA to construct the largest missile in history, but it is still unclear whether funds will be allocated to use it once construction is complete.
This should not be the case. NASA's funding and program seem unbelievable, but when properly compared, they are quite modest. On the basis of the wonderful Things That Cost More Than Space blog, we have presented a few things for which more money is constantly allocated from the U.S. budget than for space exploration.
1. The F-35 fighter jet will cost more than a human expedition to Mars
The cost of developing the F-35 fighter was literally out of control: within 50 years, it took off to $1.5 trillion, or $29 billion a year.
According to general estimates, a human expedition to Mars will cost the U.S. budget about $100 billion over 20 years, that is, 5 billion a year (thanks to Casey Dreyer of Planet Society for this data).
2. Postal service costs more than other planetary research
In 2014, the U.S. Postal Service lost $5.5 billion in its budget.
NASA's budget for planetary research, including the study of all planets and satellites in the solar system - 1.35 billion.
3. inappropriate payments under the Medicare health insurance program were greater than the entire NASA budget
In 2013, Medicare spent $45.7 billion on so-called "improper payments" (as they are called by the government's monitoring office). These include a variety of payments sent to the wrong people, accidental overpayments, and largely simple theft from the budget.
NASA's entire budget in 2013 was only $16.8 billion.
4. National Football League stadiums cost taxpayers more than a Jupiter satellite study
Since 2000, taxpayers have contributed approximately $3.9 billion to NFL football stadiums owned by private individuals who earn their own money.
Meanwhile, after years of assurances that manless expeditions to Jupiter's satellite Europe (where scientists believe the underground ocean may be located) will be too expensive, NASA still agreed to send an automatic, cheaper space research rocket that will overfly Jupiter instead of Europe itself. Such an expedition would cost taxpayers $2 billion.
5. Destroyed weapons cost more than the Curiosity rover
In winding down the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. military destroyed or left $7 billion worth of weapons and other military equipment in the country.
The development, construction and launch of the Curiosity rover costs 2.5 billion dollars.
6. Production of 1 and 5 cents coins costs more than the rover management program, which is now under threat of closure
As indicated in the Things That Cost More Than Space blog, because the U.S. Mint spends more than $1.5 cents on the production of coins, the government lost $105 million last year.
At the same time, in order to reduce costs, NASA has long been considering the possibility of closing the program to manage the rover Opportunity, which landed on the red planet in 2004 and still collects data, staying in working order 40 times longer than planned. Managing a rover costs $14 million a year.
7. Payments to dead workers of the federal government exceed the cost of the NASA expedition to Pluto
In 2013, the U.S. Government Human Resources Office accidentally sent a total of $84.7 million in payments to government employees who had already died, slightly less than in the previous few years.
In comparison, the New Horizons spacecraft, launched in 2006 and due to reach Pluto this year, cost the government $700 million, or $77.8 million a year.