Today is the beginning of a new NASA Tweetup in Houston! 

The gathering takes place in the shadow of budget cuts in the space program.  NASA planned to put another man on the moon in the next decade, but the cost equaled $100 billion.  So, President Obama cut the plan when he sent his new budget to Congress.  Was that the wrong decision?

To help with that debate, here are FIVE INVENTIONS WE OWE TO THE SPACE PROGRAM, thanks to AskMen.com:

1)  GPS.  NASA researchers originally developed it as a space-based navigation system for the military.  And it was used to increase the accuracy of satellite-guided missiles.  But now you've probably got it on your cell phone.

2)  Memory Foam.  NASA needed a new material that would make liftoffs and landings easier on the astronauts' bodies.  Now we get it use it for a better night's sleep in our own homes.

3)  Invisible Braces.  They're made up from a special material that's stronger than steel and doesn't stain.  NASA developed it, and the military used it on heat-seeking missiles.

4)  Cordless Power Tools.  The astronauts needed lightweight equipment that had a decent battery life.  Black and Decker was already working on it when NASA got involved.  But that's when the technology started getting a lot better.

5)  Cat Scans.  During the Apollo missions in the 1960s, scientists needed a way to digitally enhance pictures of the moon.  That technology eventually evolved into CAT scans and MRIs, which are used to help diagnose cancer and many other diseases.

So, was the NASA budget cut the right decision?

To learn more about Houston's NASA Tweetup, go here and be sure to follow them on Twitter (#nasatweetup)!