For every dollar a US citizen pays in federal taxes, less than one-half of one penny is allocated to the NASA budget. In 2013 the NASA budget was 0.49% of the budget, the lowest % since 1961. This is an abysmally insufficient commitment to a program that has inspired so many, propelled the advancement of so much technology, and repeatedly demonstrated American leadership, ingenuity and big thinking.
Yesterday, our EU friends landed a robot on a distant comet, sparking a worldwide media conversation about science. The US needs to lead that conversation. By doing so, we can inspire much-needed passion for science in our students, create new technology and industries, all in one fell swoop.
That's an outsized return for a mere 1% commitment. Who can argue with that?