Space Race Pros And Cons

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) development of new technology plays an important part in today’s economy. Their impact on people’s lives on a daily basis has been significant. It is important for the U.S to continue to fund the space program and it is positive that the U.S got involved in the Space Race.
Studies found that cutting NASA’s budget would hurt the U.S economy. They have a large impact on the economy including the telecommunication industry. NASA is predicted to lose 4,600 jobs because of budget cuts. They also had to retire 2 shuttles that they couldn't finish because of lack of money (McBrien). They have already had significant cuts in their budget. In 1966, they got 4.5% of the Federal budget. In
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During the space race, America and the USSR(Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) found new technologies like memory foam, cancer treatments, laptops, GPS, 3d graphics, even freeze dried foods. Some people feel that the space race was a waste of time and money, but the advancements in technology that was developed made the efforts of NASA and the USSR worthwhile.
People also think the space race made the U.S and the USSR dislike each other. This is false, the space race brought the U.S and USSR together. Towards the end of the space race, America and the USSR started to work together, and in 1975 a U.S and a USSR space ship docked together. The men aboard shook hands and exchanged gifts marking the end of the Cold War (Steers).
Many people feel NASA does not need the extra funding. Some people think all NASA does is go into space and fly rockets. They feel that global hunger and global poverty should be a higher priority than going to different galaxies and planets. NASA can't go to different planets and galaxies if there's still problems here. However NASA’s goals go farther than just space travel. They have hundreds of research centers that study things like climate change and pollution. They also have telescopes that confirm that meteorites will not come crashing to earth