Forty-four years ago we left the moon and haven’t been back since. FTR, that was the last time humans left low earth orbit.
Now, think for a minute about the quality of the computers we had in 1972. Think about the vast improvements in technology that have happened since then. Think about how much we have learned about the fundamental nature of the universe we live in since 1972.
Let’s be clear, that’s more than my entire lifetime.
I have a Ph.D. in physics. I’ve PERSONALLY contributed to the advancement of human knowledge. I’ve stood on the shoulders of giants and I’ve seen farther.
And not one goddamn politician can explain to me why we can’t find the money to push out into the great beyond.
We have different priorities, they said.
Pardon my French, but those priorities are fucked up.
NASA’s budget is $18.01B in 2015. We could compare that to the military budget, but let’s not do that today. It’s been done. Quite a bit.
The thing that I hear way too often is that people don’t want to spend their money on NASA. For comparison, Americans spend about $80B (retail) on cigarettes per year.
Let’s put that in perspective: Americans spend four times as much money VOLUNTARILY FUCKING KILLING THEMSELVES than they spend (via taxes) on space exploration.
Seriously.
I don’t want to pay taxes to explore the universe. But I want to spend FOUR TIMES AS MUCH TO FUCKING KILL MYSELF.
I’m fucking disgusted with people.
Some people call me a physicist... 