In regard to Sen. Tom Coburn’s Dec. 23 op-ed “NASA is Lost in Space”: The senator paints a very negative picture about NASA’s investments in the programs and technologies that will enable America’s journey to Mars, while benefiting our new technology-driven economy here on Earth.

Under this administration, America has begun an exciting new chapter in human space exploration, returning launches of cargo and crew to American soil and handing over responsibility for access to low Earth orbit to American industry. Had Congress...