Above: NASA’s research is vital to the progression of humans as a species and underfunding it would be detrimental.

During a summer trip to the mountains of North Carolina, I looked up and saw the stars above me and I thought of the undiscovered life that might lay beyond our marble of a planet. All the unanswered questions about infinite space and our existence within it.

NASA does more than send robots to Mars or track meteors.

We have NASA to thank for everything from the improvement of computer software and harnessing solar energy, to other luxuries such as memory foam mattresses and LED lights. The first “A” in NASA stands for Aeronautics, which is the division that works to improve air transportation and eco-friendly aviation technology for America.

The United States government is about twenty-trillion dollars in debt, and it’s only growing with the deficit. In this time of economic struggle, budget cuts in an area that does not directly influence the quality of life for the average American is not a sustainable solution.

We must not slow the momentum of space exploration, especially now.

The technological revolution has just begun. Humans have never been more capable of pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery. Reducing funds for space research will only hinder the progress NASA is making and deprive future generations of the opportunity to know the wonders of science or making contributions to the scientific community.

In 1958, President Eisenhower created of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

By 2016, the U.S. only spent 0.4% of its budget on funding NASA. That’s a small price to pay to explore the unknown reaches of space for new life and to discover our origins.

President Trump recently proposed a two-hundred million dollar cut in NASA’s budget for 2018. It is not a dramatic difference from the current year’s budget, and it might not seem like such a big number when NASA still has a $19.1 billion allocation to experiment with. However, we cannot allow our government to snag money from America’s primary source of space analysis.

NASA’s achievements and discoveries have defined the U.S. as a nation, and resisting the use of financial strings is the only way we can allow them to advance.

Today’s generation of astrology nerds and Star Wars fans could be the cooperative team of intellectual elites to colonize Mars. Stare at the stars long enough and you will understand that NASA is just as important as any other government-funded department or agency.