NASA has suspended all spending for education and public outreach.
NASA has suspended all spending for education and public outreach because to the sequester cuts.
The list of programs suspended are as follows:
- Programs, events, and workshops.
- Permanent and traveling exhibits, signage, and other materials.
- Speeches, presentations, and appearances, with the exception of technical presentations by researchers at scientific and technical symposia.
- Video and multimedia products in development (and renewal of existing products).
- Web and social media sites in development (excludes operational sites).
- External and internal publications, with the exception of Scientific and Technical Information as defined by NPD 2200.1B.
- Any other activity whose goal is to reach out to external and internal stakeholders and the public concerning NASA, its programs, and activities.”
I am sure this list excludes the normal public relations press release operation. If so, it seems to make a great deal of sense to me. Most of this stuff is really unnecessary and has literally nothing to do with NASA’s primary goal of developing new technology for the exploration of space.
And if the cuts also include press releases, that won’t be much a disaster either. I am sure we can live without. It will just mean that science writers will have to do some digging to get their stories, rather than wait for NASA to tell them what’s important.
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In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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NASA has suspended all spending for education and public outreach because to the sequester cuts.
The list of programs suspended are as follows:
- Programs, events, and workshops.
- Permanent and traveling exhibits, signage, and other materials.
- Speeches, presentations, and appearances, with the exception of technical presentations by researchers at scientific and technical symposia.
- Video and multimedia products in development (and renewal of existing products).
- Web and social media sites in development (excludes operational sites).
- External and internal publications, with the exception of Scientific and Technical Information as defined by NPD 2200.1B.
- Any other activity whose goal is to reach out to external and internal stakeholders and the public concerning NASA, its programs, and activities.”
I am sure this list excludes the normal public relations press release operation. If so, it seems to make a great deal of sense to me. Most of this stuff is really unnecessary and has literally nothing to do with NASA’s primary goal of developing new technology for the exploration of space.
And if the cuts also include press releases, that won’t be much a disaster either. I am sure we can live without. It will just mean that science writers will have to do some digging to get their stories, rather than wait for NASA to tell them what’s important.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Since the traveling exhibits are already on the road why not just let the next place that wants them come up with the cash to bring it to them?
You know, let private industry and donations support the project like everything else is done.
I am a little conflicted because some of this stuff is cool to watch but I don’t think they do a particularly good job at it overall.
It is telling that NASA chose to cut this part of their budget instead of Cross Agency Support, who’s budget is hovering just below $3b a year.
“Keith’s note: This is just insane. How much money will this actually save? NASA’s response to the sequestration is to go out of its way to not communicate with the outside world? Is any other agency doing this? ”
Oh up to $138m depending on how much they suspend.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2013/03/12/senate-offers-its-own-take-on-fy13-nasa-budget/
Ooh, the Muslims aren’t going to like that.
Actually this makes some kind of sense. I suspect of these traveling exhibits and presentations are aimed at telling audiences things like “In 2015 NASA will send a spacecraft to Mars … in 2018 NASA will …. in 2020 NASA …”
And now all those dates and missions are in shambles, and nobody knows if things are going to be patched up again later this year, or perhaps next year, or maybe not till long after Obama is out of office and the country feels prosperous again. What’s the point of telling children “Men will be at ML-L2 in 2021, and on Mars 2035!” when all those wonderful plans may be dead by December?