Houston – The Coalition for Space Exploration applauds and endorses a call from industry executives urging additional budget for NASA and America’s space program.
“Sufficient funding for NASA is critical in ensuring that America advances in the technological landscape. Space exploration is a catalyst for driving science and technology,” said Mary Engola, Chair of the Coalition’s Public Affairs Team.
The message of the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) letter was clear and compelling: “Without this increase [$2.4 billion in FY09], our nation faces the very real risk of losing our uniquely critical industrial base and human space access capability.”
The Coalition calls upon Congress to respond in a positive, bipartisan manner to this call for action from leaders of America’s aerospace community. Engola remarked, “Decades of space exploration have yielded countless benefits to our nation. More importantly, this money isn’t really being spent in space. It’s an investment right here on earth – we’re creating jobs, stimulating the economy, developing new technologies that benefit everyone, and re-energizing a new generation of explorers with a desire to learn. A lack of sufficient funding will put America’s space program at risk.”