From BoingBoing

Rob Beschizza 11:15 am Tue Oct 29, 2024

NASA's annual budget is $25.4bn. It generated $76bn of the U.S. economy last year, it claims. Clearly we are not giving NASA enough money!

NASA's latest economic impact report reveals that its activities

contributed $75.6 billion to the U.S. economy in fiscal year 2023 — about three times the agency's budget for that year, which was $25.4 billion. The 400-page study breaks down how NASA activities — such as its Moon to https://www.space.com/47-mars-the-red-planet-fourth-planet-from-the-sun.htmlMars initiative, climate change research, technology development and more — generate economic output.

The Moon to Mars program alone created $23.8 billion in economic output and 96,479 jobs, while investments in climate research and technology contributed $7.9 billion and 32,900 jobs.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement:

“To invest in NASA is to invest in American workers, American innovation, the American economy, and American economic competitiveness,” says NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Our work doesn't just expand our understanding of the universe — it fuels economic growth, inspires future generations, and improves our quality of life. As we embark on the next great chapter of exploration, we are proud to help power economic strength, job creation, scientific progress, and American leadership on Earth, in the skies, and in the stars.”

Additional key findings of the study:

✦ Every state in the country benefits economically through NASA activities. Forty-five states have an economic impact of more than $10 million. Of those 45 states, eight have an economic impact of $1 billion or more.
✦ The agency's Moon to Mars initiative, which includes the Artemis missions, generated nearly $2.9 billion in tax revenue. These activities provided about 32% of NASA's economic impact.
✦ The agency's investments in climate change research and technology generated more than $1 billion in tax revenue.
✦ Approximately 11% of NASA's economic impacts are attributable to its investments in climate change research and technology.
✦ NASA had more than 644 active international agreements for various scientific research and technology development activities in the 2023 fiscal year. The International Space Station, representing 15 countries and five space agencies, has a predominant role in the agency's international partnerships.
✦ In fiscal year 2023, NASA oversaw 2,628 active domestic and international non-procurement partnership agreements, which included 629 new domestic and 109 new international agreements, active partnerships with 587 different non-federal partners across the U.S., and partnerships in 47 of 50 states.
✦ NASA Spinoffs, which are public products and processes that are developed with NASA technology, funding, or expertise, provide a benefit to American lives beyond dollars and jobs. As of result of NASA missions, our fiscal year 2023 tech transfer activities produced 1,564 new technology reports, 40 new patent applications, 69 patents issued, and established 5,277 software usage agreements.
✦ Scientific research and development, which fuels advancements in science and technology that can help improve daily life on Earth and for humanity, is the largest single-sector benefitting from NASA's work, accounting for 19% of NASA's total economic impact.

NASA bullet points replaced with cute stars for emphasis.

Tip! The economy also runs on public investment.