In 2010, NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) received $18.7 billion dollar for the fiscal year. In recent years, NASA has received between .7% - 1% of the total federal budget. With that money, NASA is able to fund its basic goals of Aeronautics research, science, Space operation and exploration systems. But is that enough?
Recently, Obama has decided to cut some of NASA’s funding, causing them to cancel their constellation project, and re-organize their finances to accommodate for this loss. After reviewing NASA’s financial statements though, it seems as if the government agency has been managing with flying colors with the budget it was given. For the fiscal year of 2010, NASA stated that they had 6 objectives they wanted to accomplish. Of those 6 main goals, there were 48 chances of APG (Annual Performance Goal Rating), and of those 48, 41 of them were given the green – meaning that “NASA achieved most APGs under this outcome and is on-track to achieve or exceed this outcome” (Fiscal). The other 7 outcomes were declared as failed APG’s, but “significant progress anticipates achieving it next year” or they were cancelled outcomes. (Fiscal). So what does all this mean? NASA is still a productive government agency. Its total equity (what the company owns) is around $14 million dollars. Even with the Obama budget cut, NASA was still able to accomplish its main goals for the year.
One of the ideas that Obama is starting to look at is the possibility of private enterprise. I think that Obama’s idea to promote private enterprise is a good one, but there still needs to be a portion (as small as it is already) of the budget put towards NASA. NASA has been the face of universal exploration for many years. It brought us Neil and Buzz landing on the moon, the Apollo missions and much more. Even with the current economic crisis, we cannot completely bankrupt NASA and cancel their future plans for exploration. We are not at a point yet where Private enterprise of space exploration has been fully developed. I believe that having both sections is better than just one. Through both enterprises, space exploration can be pursued to a higher degree and our understanding and knowledge of space and the universe can be enhanced.
To me, all this accounting information is important to determine if NASA is using its funds in an appropriate manner and to make sure they are a profitable business. But the real determinate of profit to me is their accomplished missions and their future plans and goals. NASA is an agency based on the idea of learning. A price or a standard can’t be put on something as valuable as learning. Sometimes there are years where learning is not as momentous, and other years there are discoveries that could change the world. In my mind, the knowledge that NASA brings to our nation and world is more valuable than we could put a price on.
- Marin
To read more about NASA’s 2010 fiscal year visit: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/500155main_NASA_FY_2010_PAR-11-15-10.pdf
To learn more about NASA’s current, accomplished and future explorations visit: http://www.nasa.gov/missions/future/index.html
1) Fiscal Year 2010: Accountability and Performance Report. (n.d.). NASA. Retrieved May 27, 2011, from www.nasa.gov/pdf/500155main_NASA_FY_2010_PAR-11-15-10.pdf
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