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From: earlw@pesnta.UUCP (Earl Wallace)
Newsgroups: net.columbia,net.aviation
Subject: NASA shouldn't be making money...
Message-ID: <3005@pesnta.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-Jan-86 14:00:35 EST
Article-I.D.: pesnta.3005
Posted: Thu Jan 30 14:00:35 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 04:58:08 EST
Reply-To: earlw@pesnta.UUCP (Earl Wallace)
Distribution: net
Organization: Concurrent Computer Corporation / Customer Service
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Xref: watmath net.columbia:1844 net.aviation:2467

I wish some of the DOD money would go to NASA so they wouldn't need to
make money from commercial flights of the shuttle.  Maybe the idea of
having a National Space Agency whose primary mission is research instead
of profit would help solve a lot of shuttle problems.  When has the military
made a profit?  Yea, I know we sell guns, planes, ships, and what-have-you to
other nations, but do we really make a profit?  We need the military to 
protect our land/lives, right?  We don't mind wasting a little money (cough..
cought..) to protect our hides.  When it comes to increasing our knowledge
of the Universe we all live in, that should be a profit making enterprise, 
right?  Has finding a cure for AIDS generated any money for the Nation yet?
No? Well, in that case, let's stop the program now!

I fear that the military will use this shuttle disaster as an excuse to build
their own rocket fleet or even shuttle fleet and less and less funds will
go NASA's way and in short time, the only 'space' agency will be a military
one.

Any comments?  Am I all wet or what?