I have always been somewhat of an astronomy nerd. I am well-versed in practically useless trivia such as the fact that Mercury, while closer to the sun, is actually cooler than Venus because of its lack of a heat-trapping atmosphere. Whenever someone mentions that Pluto is the farthest planet, I adjust my spectacles and explain in a halting, asthmatic voice that for a period of time before 1999, that distinction belonged to Neptune since the two planets have orbits that cross. I also know that Saturn is not the only planet with rings (that's the one I use on the ladies). And my idol is Carl Sagan.

The point is, I'm not someone who would be expected to respond negatively to President Bush's bold new initiatives on space exploration.
In a recent speech, Bush laid out the next few decades of the United States' space program, including retirement of the current version of the space shuttle, a permanent presence on the moon by 2020, and, eventually, a manned mission to Mars.

"Mankind is drawn to the heavens for the same reason we were once drawn into unknown lands and across the open sea. We choose to explore space because doing so improves our lives and lifts our national spirit," Bush said as he laid out $1 billion in new funding in the next five years.

Eventually we will land a man (or woman) on Mars. Eventually, we will have a base on the moon (even though Louis Friedman, executive director of the Planetary Society, is not alone in his view that "the value of any permanent presence on the moon is not clear"). Hopefully, we will eventually have access to most of this solar system and even, in the distant future, others. These are all noble goals that will benefit humanity, but the timing of Bush's announcement is questionable at best.

Why now, when we are faced with so many threats to our security? Why now, when our economy could be headed in any direction, depending on whom you ask? That money could go to a thousand other causes and be better used at the moment. There are plenty of things that come across as more urgent than building a moon base.

That's not to say that I ascribe to the view, held by some, that we should not attempt space exploration until all domestic problems are completely solved, but at the same time, it is hard to see how our country is at a point where it is poised to launch itself into the next era of spaceflight.

To put it simply, we should not be shooting for the stars when we have so many terrestrial concerns plaguing us. Americans feel more unsafe than ever before and if, as Bush and his administration continually impress on us, terrorism is such a constant threat, then it is hard to justify his proposal when it is coupled with his dedication to tax cuts. It is irresponsible to cut taxes, start a war that will siphon money from our country for years to come, and then suggest that a manned mission to Mars-a planet that is notoriously difficult to reach even with an unmanned probe-is going to happen anytime soon. Having a manned lunar base by 2020 is another aspect of the proposal that seems, on its face, to simply be unrealistic.

Politically, it is hard to fathom exactly what Bush (or his handlers) have to gain from such a proposal. Eras of active manned space exploration have obviously galvanized and unified the country in the past, but this is a very different time. Only 48 percent agree with Bush's new plan (with 48 percent opposing it) according to an Associated Press poll. He does deserve some credit for making such a bold, ambitious proposal, especially when he cannot have expected that warm a reception to a plan involving manned spaceflight after the recent shuttle disaster and in light of the more pressing issues currently on the minds of most Americans.

What remains to be seen is how much of this plan will actually come to pass, or if this was an election year ploy. Perhaps it was even, as a New Zealand News editorial suggested, part of a plan "to extend American military supremacy in space." Whatever the true nature of the new U.S. dedication to space, it is hard to see why Bush viewed this as the time to launch such an initiative.