NASA Budget Cuts.

[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.

[Madison]

Let's keep all of the discussion about this in the existing thread -- especially since you've posted this same information over there.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=57897