"Before the Next Decade is Out"

Today NASA briefed White House officials on a $100 billion plan to send astronauts back to the moon by 2018. Sending a crew to the moon is the first step in a phased plan (yet to be unveiled) to ultimately send man to Mars.

According to an article by Benedict J. Gaylo, the deputy director of the original lunar module program for Grumman Aerospace Corp. the original Apollo Moon Program cost approximately $24.5 billion; that was approximately 5.3 percent of the federal budget in 1965 and roughly equivalent to the money spent by Queen Isabella to fund Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. Given today's numbers, how does this newest mission measure up?

The first program brought about several economic boosts. According to noted space historian Andrew Chaikin, at its highest numbers, nearly 400,000 people had a hand in sending man to the moon - either working for NASA or one of the hundreds of subcontractors hired by the agency to create the various items needed for the program. Additionally, the states of Florida and Texas made out huge because NASA located its two centers for operation of the projects within their borders.

Will our economy see a similar boost when NASA ramps up this initiative? How many jobs will this new mission create?

At the very least, I believe companies will be running over each other to bid on the work and shoring up their employee rosters to ensure proper talent is available. Specifically, I think it will increase the demand for engineers through 2018 and beyond. What other things could a project of this proportion do to help boost the economy or do you think it will have no economic impact at all?

Just my marketing advice - NASA should consider a "corporate sponsorship" program for the various space vehicles. Given the dollar amounts sponsors are willing to pay to have their logos on a car at a race televised across the country, what would they pay to have their logos on the side of a craft flying to the moon with every news organization in the world broadcasting its every maneuver? Talk about maximum exposure! They could even make money in the deal.