The failure of two NASA probes to Mars, which cost a combined 327-million dollars, does NOT mean Congress should start cutting the space program, according to Senator Chuck Grassley. The Iowa republican says America has had many successes in space, and occasional setbacks are typical. Grassley says if NASA gave up with every setback, then we never would have put a man on the moon.NASA had hoped to contact the Mars Polar Lander by today after its landing on the Red Planet on Friday, but the probe is still missing. The Mars Climate Orbiter also disappeared in September. Grassley says NASA may consider a “rigorous review” of these programs, but shouldn’t cancel them.Grassley says many benefits on Earth have been reaped from the space program, everything from medical breakthroughs to the material used in bulletproof vests.
