Astronomy Buff

Four Reasons NASA Should Open a PayPal Account

by Tony on July 28th, 2007

I can see it coming.

With all that’s happened to NASA this past year it’s gonna see more budget cuts. NASA’s image is becoming one of mismanagement and a place for scary high-school romances.

And let’s face it, NASA is a party agency. All the other agencies kinda look down on them for that.

It’s becoming apparent to me that NASA will not be getting any more money, if anything, they’ll probably get more cuts. So, in an effort to try and keep the U.S. involved in space travel and exploration, I’ve come up with an idea.

NASA should open a PayPal account and let people contribute. This would allow the people to decide who and what projects get the funding. Ill-conceived, poorly-managed or unpopular programs would die in this new Darwinian approach to space funding.

They could put the following link on the bottom of every webpage:

“If you found this mission useful, please consider a small donation to keep more of this kind of thing going.”

Here are four good reasons NASA should consider this:

1. I could contribute to the shuttle flight beer fund of my choosing. If I’m particularly excited about the next shuttle flight, I could help those guys out by buying them a beer (or two or three or four).
2. The ISS could still keep the lion’s share of NASA’s dwindling budget while worthwhile science is being done by smaller, better run projects.
3. Maybe the Kepler Mission could get some of the $57 million it needs.
4. Have you seen the price of diapers lately?

Thanks folks, you’ve been great! I’m here all week…

I’m getting tired of writing about NASA, it’s hard to watch the agency responsible for some of humanities greatest achievements piss itself.

I wonder what ESA’s doing these days? Oh right! The Planck Mission. Yeah, baby! Don’t spill your beer all over my dark matter, dude. That’s so not cool.

Image Credit: RocketTShirts.com

Technorati Tags: astronauts, astronauts in diapers, kepler mission, lisa nowak, NASA, planck, planck mission

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