NASA should steal the Pentagon's budget

The $600 billion per year budget of the US military could be better spent by NASA.  They could use it to both create new space hardware (which would incidentally still require significant aerospace manufacturing, so not detracting too much from the industrial part of the military-industrial complex) and fund new R&D projects that would eventually give rise to new technology and economic opportunities.  Look at how many of the modern technologies that we take for granted come from science related spending; that NASA is so comparatively underfunded is terrible. 

The military is itself a good source of new R&D and it has its own use in defence of the nation.  It would not be necessary to cut out the military budget – that would be equally stupid – but gradually phase it into balance with NASA’s.  For comparison NASA’s budget is around $20 billion per year.  A program could start that aims to make the budgets balance to $310 billion per year for each – still plenty for the military!  NASA would then have a budget of over 15x the amount it currently has.

 Think of all the advancements and achievements that NASA has had a part to play in: the moon landing, satellite construction, the International Space Station and exploring the solar system.   Now imagine that with 15x the funding they could complete projects 15 x faster, or at least complete 15x as many projects at once (a little optimistic but logical).  NASA was created in 1958.  Think about squeezing all of their scientific progress over the last just under 60 years, and doing it all in just 4.