By Peter Sachs
Q: I saw the space shuttle Discovery made it back on Monday, but why is NASA so focused on something that seems so outdated? -Lindsay, Virginia
A: Last Monday's landing was the first time a shuttle had touched down at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida since the 2003 disintegration of space shuttle Columbia as it fell through the atmosphere over Texas.
So there was symbolism, perhaps some teary eyes in witnessing humankind's victory over the upper atmosphere. But more importantly, it proved that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration can still spend lots of money and not break whatever it is they're working on.
That's great news for the space agency, since most Americans still think NASA is doing a rockin' job, according to a Gallup poll last summer. And three-quarters think NASA's step-by-step plan to get back to space is also good.
But dig a little deeper into the survey and there's a disconnect: only 24 percent thought science was driving space exploration, and another 26 percent thought space exploration was part of human nature. But high on NASA's Web page, the agency says it exists to "explore and discover."
Among scientists, a lot of people have been ragging on NASA lately, especially as the agency has cut a lot of other programs that excited space buffs. Projects that would help researchers find other planets and study faraway galaxies, perhaps even find the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
"From my perspective, with the shift in direction for NASA going to the moon and going to Mars, I see a lot of science being downscaled," said James Cordes, an astronomy professor at Cornell University.
The space station is supposed to promote science, but Cordes and many other scientists are seeing their research budgets slashed as NASA makes budget cuts. And if only a quarter of Americans think space travel is about science, who exactly is NASA catering to?
With Discovery's victory, NASA is preparing Atlantis to take off for the space station again in late August or early September. The flight will bring more solar panels to the flying behemoth, the first stage of a massive expansion to make the space station more like a Super Wal-Mart, only without all the organic groceries and probably with fewer movies to choose from. But yes, open 24 hours for all your orbital needs.
The space station expansion has one big perk for those of us earthbound: Though the modern marvels of, well, the sun reflecting off of huge shiny things, you'll be able to see the space station with the naked eye during the day. But is it science?