NASA Budget Cuts // Help save FIRST teams by writing a letter.

[Nawaid Ladak]

It's not just teams that could be affected by this.

we could be looking at trouble with web casts for the 2009 season, and regional events getting less sponsorship money, which could lead to below average quality during the event etc. a couple regionals come to mind when i think of this situation (VCU, UCF, Lone star) this could turn into a huge problem for the teams attending these regionals, so even if your not a NASA team, please help this cause, because it could hurt US ALL (The FIRST community) if we don't do anything about this

(from the 2004 program guide NASA was the biggest team sponsor of FIRST with 207 out of 955 teams)

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by FreedomForce

..this could turn into a huge problem for the teams attending these regionals, so even if your not a NASA team, please help this cause, because it could hurt US ALL (The FIRST community) if we don't do anything about this

(from the 2004 program guide NASA was the biggest team sponsor of FIRST with 207 out of 955 teams)

Agreed. When I think of Lone Star Regional, one of the first teams I think about is 118, followed quickly by my respect for NASA and its amazing support for FIRST over the years.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

(^Travis' fault)

I am going to write a letter. I also had the privilege of attending the Florida Regional this year and saw how appreciative many of the teams were to have NASA's support. It was so inspiring to hear their stories, veteran and rookie teams alike, when walking through the pits.

[Rich Kressly]

if you wanna see any history of NASA involvement check here:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/1583

there's a pretty nice piece in there on our NASA friends

[Pavan Dave]

We need more letters. I am informed that we have not even reached the 10 letter mark yet. Please please please, write a letter, and share your story, the future of NASA's robotics education program depends on it.

[Pavan Dave]

I apologize for not giving you more information before, but there is more to the NASA funding issue than meets the eye.

To clarify the reasoning behind the budget cuts for robotics education here
is the link and a direct quote from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Budget

"However, as a result of the $545 million in approved cuts from NASA's
original FY '07 funding request, NASA Administrator Dr. Michael D. Griffin
plans to eliminate a robotic mission to the moon, cut educational programs
for schoolchildren and delay development of Project Constellation. According
to an April 6, 2007 story published in the Orlando Sentinel, a planned
robotic mission to the moon would be eliminated in order to help free up
more than $100 million in funding."

As you can see, NASA had no intension to cut funding, but had no choice when congress
decided that for them. I am not in any way blaming congress, but it seems that (obviously)
NASA knows the benefits of robotics education. The letters were a way to remind them of the
positive aspects and providewritten support. On the other hand, I believe now that the original report
deadline has passed we have a new mission. We need to convince congress of the benefits of FIRST
(through NASA) so that this won't happen again. If this sounds familiar that is because this was
Dean's homework. But I askthat you write even more letters but please include brief (or lengthy)
information about certain supporters (like NASA) who depend on the support
of congress. I also encourage you to do a little homework on your homework
and got to this site and get educated in the history and the reasoning
behind NASA's budget.

[mathking]

There is still time to get at least some of this money reinstated. I talked to a couple of friends who are congressional staffers, and they said basically, lots of contacts with lots of legislators. I think the appropriate avenue for convincing is to keep hammering away on the "we need scientists and engineers for the 21st century economy." If they start thinking about this as both education and economic development, we have a better chance.

This budget cycle is going to be REALLY nasty. Funding for the war in Iraq is going to be the issue that makes all others much more nasty and contentious than the normal nasty and contentious process. And the defense budget, when you include all of the supplemental spending for Iraq and Afghanistan is well beyond half a trillion dollars and heading toward $750 million. Which is waymore than all of the non-defense discretionary spending put together. Translation, money is going to be tight. So it would likely behoove those of us worried about funding for educational programs like this to stress the bipartisan nature of such funding. It benefits everyone. This is the kind of spending that can get reinstated if enough legislators on both sides think it is worthwhile.