Two years ago President Obama said a manned mission to Mars was a higher priority than returning to the moon, and we should go to Mars by the 2030s.
But NASA’s Mars missions for 2016 and 2018 have been cut from the president's new budget, even though NASA has spent $64 million on them.
The National Academy of Sciences says the No. 1 space priority is to bring Mars rocks back to Earth. This mission is now on hold.
Meanwhile, China plans to land on the moon in 2017 and is looking at a manned Mars mission in 2030.
NASA funding is minuscule compared to the entire U.S. budget. NASA’s 2011 budget was $18.5 billion, just 0.5 percent of U.S. spending.
A small investment in NASA and Mars can pay huge dividends in science, technology spinoffs, and inspiration for America’s youth.