why does nasa stop spending so much money?

Question

on probes to explore mars when we can go back to the moon
and build a base on it

Answer 1

Your question is "why does NASA stop spending so much money". They are not stopping spending money on Mars exploration.

There is much to learn about other planets, and Mars is the closest (and most Earth-like) so it only makes sense to begin our extra-planetary exploration there. So money spent exploring Mars now will result in knowledge we couldn't get any other way, and will help us develop technology and techniques to travel to and survive on other worlds.

Building a base on the moon would be of value, but not much scientific value for exploring other worlds - the moon is lifeless and airless, so there is less to learn about atmospheric planets.

Answer 2

NASA has not been cutting down on spending for Mars exploration. In fact, more probes and rovers are in the Martian System than ever before. NASA has been funding more cost-efficient mission though. Mars is the ONLY other planet besides Earth that has any hope of supporting humans without tremendous technological breakthroughs. The seasons, days, weather, and even temperatures to some extent resemble Earth. It is important to learn as much as we can about other planets, especially ones like Mars that we are planning to explore manually in the future.

The moon on the other hand, is an air-less, definitely lifeless, and relatively well-known world. While it is essential to build a base on the moon before launching into interplanetary space, we should keep in mind that apollo made it to the moon in the 60's. Today, we will go, and build a base; then we will continue exploring Mars and the other planets and move on into the solar system.

As a summary, the priority that Mars is getting is necessary if we are to know how to survive on the Red Planet, and learn some important details about Mars and it's environment.

Answer 3

That is what NASA is going to do now. You are not up with the play.

As to why all the unmanned probes - NASA has been strangled for cash by the govt, and it costs infinitely more to carry people than robots - that is obvious surely.

But Bush's plan is to get a moon base by the 2020's and from there shoot for Mars.

Please vote for him staying in power if you want these things to happen (or if you want to avoid the Middle East turning into WWIII).

Answer 4

NASA is not spending so much money because Congress won't give them more.

But I guess you wrote your question wrong. You probably meant to ask why NASA does NOT stop spending so much money on unmanned probes. There are many reasons. Unmanned missions are MUCH cheaper so they can fly 10 or 20 of them for the price of one manned mission. Because congress wants them to spend their money on the unmanned missions. Because scientists want the unmanned missions. Because the cost to go back to the Moon is WAY higher than sending dozens of these missions to Mars and other places. And because hey can do both. The unmanned missions are so cheap that can do those AND the Moon base.

Answer 5

Why do you want a base on the moon?

We're a bit busy with a space station alternative.

Answer 6

They already have bases on the dark side of the moon. Duh, haven't you hacked the CIA files yet?