See value in space exploration

Considering such staggering expenditures, Catholics may wonder whether funding earmarked for NASA might be better spent on feeding the hungry or housing the homeless.

But a theologian and a scientist both answered that question with a resounding "no."

Other options

Instead, he explained, Americans must change the effects of poverty by changing the structure of the welfare system: for instance, creating "realistic welfare programs that lead people back to work" but don't penalize them for working by taking away necessary benefits.

"Making sure we have a safety net for the poor and the like doesn't necessarily involve rerouting funds," Prof. Dwyer said.

Benefits

"Having a better understanding of other worlds, other planets and their satellites helps us understand the history and possible future of our own planet," he said. "Why is Mars such a cold place and Venus such a hot place? These are conditions that may affect the climate here on earth. These are important issues that affect us."

Another positive aspect of NASA's work is determining the possibility of life on other planets. Dr. Hagan spoke of "identifying molecules that may have facilitated the origins of life on the earth -- to identify these molecules in other settings helps to give us better confidence that our theories about the origins of life on earth are correct."

Exploring

Today's missions focus more on Mars, especially looking for the presence of water there, which might serve as a prelude to the development of living organisms.

Dr. Hagan works with a half-dozen other scientists at the Center for Studies on the Origins of Life, which is supported by a four-year, $3.8 million grant from NASA. The group trains graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, encourages collaboration among different scientific disciplines, and works on projects ranging from identifying the presence of various molecules in interstellar dust to understanding how minerals might have catalyzed the formation of genetic material.

He believes that the group is doing vital work that will advance scientific knowledge, but added that he sees no dichotomy between exploring space and caring for people here on earth.

"Issues of economic inequity are just as important as understanding the origins of life," he said. "I don't see why we have to choose."

Economic benefit

"It seems to me that the amount of a jolt given to the economy by a successful space program is absolutely enormous," he noted.

The theologian said we "owe it to ourselves" to explore the boundaries of our universe, because "it's part of the human adventure."

(08-05-99) [[In-content Ad]]