Space exploration doesn’t seem like the government’s highest priority right now. There’s some healthcare website to fix, a widening income gap, climate change, and my inability to find a matching pair of socks (thanks, Obama). But Bill Nye the Science Guy (who now just goes by Bill Nye — guess it’s a Snoop Lion sort of thing) wants to change that.

Nye and his trademark neckwear made a three-minute video urging Obama to dedicate $1.5 billion a year to space exploration, because funding for NASA and the Planetary Science Program is about to be cut. After all, new discoveries create jobs and boost morale and stuff:

Science rules! Matthew Tiscareno, a senior research associate at Cornell, has Nye’s back:

Reader support helps sustain our work. Donate today to keep our climate news free. All donations DOUBLED!

Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How

Planetary science gets less than 10% [of NASA’s budget], but it’s a part of NASA that does more than any other to inspire the public. Planetary science gives the agency a lot of bang for its buck.

Hmm. Maybe that $1.5 billion could come outta the $79.4 billion that Obama wants to spend on war in 2014? JUST A THOUGHT.