This page gives some quick information by asking
a question and then answering it. If you have any questions you wished to have answered put them on the Message Board section and I will do my best to answer them. 
Where, why, and how was NASA started? NASA was an agency voted in by Congress to replace the old NationalAdvisory Committee on Aeronautics. Just before this the Sputnik probe had been launched by the Russians. It had many agencies under it that were scattered throughout the U.S., but the largest, oldest, and most significant was Jet propulsion Laboratories. NASA’s main complex was located in Cape Canaveral, Florida. What makes rockets work and who invented them? Rockets work by an explosive material being combusted in a chamber in turn producing force that propels an object. It is unknown who invented the rocket, but it was made in China sometime around 1200 AD. Robert Goddard and Wernher von Braun made significant improvements on the early designs. What advances have come from NASA? Many advances have resulted through NASA research. We have now developed alternate forms of propulsion, the Space Shuttle, new satellite technologies, worldwide communications, items of medicinal value (simulated body parts, bone restorer, etc.) Space stations, micro gravity research, and much more. Where did NASA begin research? NASA began research at several facilities such as Marshall Space Flight Center, Lewis Research center, Jet Propulsion Laboratories, Edwards Air Force Base, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Ames Aeronautical Laboratory. What different positions are there at NASA?
There are thousands of different positions, from astronaut to janitor. Most of the projects are performed by Scientists. There are many jobs involving research. There are also some jobs in mission control. There is always, of course, the astronaut. What is NASA’s goal? NASA’s goal is not completely defined and often disputed, but it is basically to increase the U.S.
presence in space and to learn new things about space and our planet, and to create new, innovative, technologies. How is NASA funded? NASA is funded by our tax dollars. Congress approves any grants to be made to NASA, and determines their budget for the year. The President approves or disapproves of the grant. What were different NASA missions? There have been many NASA missions, but the most visible were Gemini, Mercury, Apollo, Viking, Voyager, the Space Transportation System, Pathfinder, Mariner, and the upcoming International Space Station. Where are NASA’s different locations? NASA has many facilities throughout the U.S., but the largest are in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Manned Space Center in Houston, Texas, Jet Propulsion Jet Propulsion Laboratories at the Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, and many other locations. How can I help the community in my research? I can help the community in my research by building a web page that people obtain information from and that discuses various topics associated with NASA. When will NASA send humans to other planets? NASA does not have a set date, but by 2010 we will know when we are going to Mars. Beyond
that all is speculation. How much does everything for NASA cost? Projects cost much for NASA. For example, a relatively cheap project might be less than $100 million. The shuttle costs $1.5 billion per flight. The new Mars Airplane idea might only be $60 million, while the Space Station is well beyond its original $32 billion budget. Who are the integral players in NASA? The integral players in NASA are definitely the chief, Dan Goldin, Congress, and the President, the latter two because they give NASA money and appoint administrators, and the first because he basically runs NASA. What is NASA currently occupied with? NASA is currently occupied with many projects, but its main project is the International Space Station. It is continuing shuttle missions also, and is putting some focus on Mars missions. What are some viewpoints that oppose NASA? Many feel that NASA overspends our tax money. For example its original estimates for the price
of the shuttle was $32 million a flight, which has become $1.5 billion per flight, yet goes up only 25% of the original estimates of number of launches a year. This kind of spending, along with many underachieving or completely unsuccessful missions made many people upset with NASA. How much profit does NASA make and how does it make profit? Generally, NASA does not make any profit, generating funding from our tax dollars. It does not
have any profit, but in fact has often used more money than allotted. What is the purpose of space exploration? The purpose of space exploration is to achieve the human goal of conquering unknown territory. It is also to learn moreabout our universe and to learn more about our planet. It also is a way for
countries to show off their technological prowess. What agencies work or operate under or for NASA? Besides, of course, Jet Propulsion Laboratories, NASA grants contracts out to various organizations, like Boeing, McDonnell-Douglas, and many small or large aerospace or scientific
companies. It also works with government organizations, especially the military. What alternative propulsion methods have been proposed? Some alternative propulsion methods are laser propulsion, magnetic launchers, space elevators, anti-matter engines, and ion engines. Most of these are pretty far in the future, but some, like the
ion engine, are being instigated now. What are some of the controversies surrounding NASA? As mentioned before, some controversies surrounding NASA are their overspending (Space Station) and lack of success on some missions (Mars ‘98.)Many also feel they overman many of
heir projects (the Air Force used 1/10th as many men to launch a Delta rocket.) Also, there have been some complaints regarding the roughness of Dan Goldin, the chief, from workers at JPL. What was the most successful NASA mission and why? The most successful manned program was Apollo, and its most successful mission was probably
Apollo 13. Apollo 13 was successful in that it had major problems but everyone at NASA came through to do the seemingly impossible and bring the crew home alive. The Voyager probes were also highly successful, venturing out to most all the planets of the outer solar system, which was not the original plans for the voyager probes. What is my opinion on NASA’s overspending? I will take the side of those who say NASA overspends, but I am not as radically opinionated on this issue as some. I feel NASA accomplishes much but often overmans and overspends on many of their projects. What is the most common propellant used in NASA spacecraft and why? Liquid oxygen and kerosene are the most common propellant because they are highly
combustible when mixed together. The liquid oxygen is an oxidizer which provides oxygen for the kerosene to burn. Though many new alternatives have been proposed for this pair, they still remain the most commonly used propellant mix. What is the most likely predecessor to the Shuttle and why? The most likely predecessorto the Shuttle is the National Aerospace Plane. It would be able to
take off and land on a runway, and it could also eventually be used commercially. It could carry out many tasks other NASA missions also, including passenger transportation and military reconnaissance. It would also have a turnaround of a day or less, unlike the Shuttle (maybe a mission a month.) What are some benefits of extraterrestrial colonization and what steps have we taken to achieve this? Some benefits are mining new resources in space, providing more room for a growing human population, way points for long space journeys, scientific studies, and removing the potential possibility of one disaster wiping out Earths population. Our first steps in this direction have been Skylab and the International Space Station. Is NASA worth the billions of dollars year spent on it?
NASA is definitely a very worthy recipient of our tax money, but its personnel needs to learn to spend the money wisely and focus on more important projects rather than the most glamorous ones. It also should not pour so much effort into one single project, instead it should spread the money more evenly between projects. It is worth our tax money, but not to the extent that it wastes it. What are the main goals of the International Space Station? The main goals of the International Space Station are to conduct research of the affects of space on humans, international relations, and to provide a permanent dwelling place in space. The study
of the affects of micro-gravity have been a main focus, and many experiments will be conducted involving that. Also, this creates positive international relations with countries that are contributing to this project. | 
