The cost of space exploration

In his Southeast Missourian column of Aug. 9, Dr. Wayne Bowen advocated an increased emphasis on space exploration as currently managed by NASA. Bowen's article makes a compelling case, and in principle, I agree with him. However, he does not fully discuss the resources which would be required for creating a renewed emphasis on space exploration.

The most important need would be to educate the additional number of scientists and engineers required to work on space exploration. Then the proper utilization of these individuals along with raising the money required for research and development would need to be addressed.

In reaction to the 1957 launch of Sputnik, the National Defense Education Act was made law in 1958. This created the National Defense Student Loan Program to help pay for educating students in fields that were considered to be related to national defense. Does Bowen feel a similar program will be required to train the personnel needed for more space exploration?

During the race to the moon in the 1960s R&D grew to the point where it amounted to 3 percent of the gross domestic product. Seventy-eight percent of all American R&D was purchased by the federal government. For example, in 1963 88 percent of the total budget of the California Institute of Technology and 66 percent of the total budget for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were provided by the federal government.

Are we ready to do this again?

JOHN PIEPHO, Cape Girardeau