NASA is one of the largest and most well-known agencies in the US government. But while many Americans associate the famous agency with moon walkers, space shuttles, and dramatic countdowns from 10, the agency actually has two clearly defined missions: Simply put, it is NASA's job to both study space from Earth and to study Earth from space.

And it was these two core missions that Sen. Ted Cruz wanted to discuss with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in a Senate subcommittee hearing yesterday. More specifically, how the two missions should be funded next year.

Senator Cruz, (R) of Texas, became the new chair of the Senate's subcommittee onSpace, Science, and Competitiveness when the Republican Party took control of thechamber in January. Since that time, he has been pushing the agency to adopt a "more space, less Earth" strategy.

His position ran into some opposition on Capitol Hill yesterday during the hearing onPresident Obama's $18.5 billion budget request for NASA for fiscal 2016,when he told Mr. Bolden he'd like to start "by asking a general question."

"In your judgment, what is the core mission of NASA?" Cruz asked Bolden, according to the National Journal.

Bolden replied that he'd been contemplating that mission over the past few days, including reading over the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which created the agency.

"Our core mission from the very beginning has been to investigate, explore space and the Earth environment, and to help us make this place a better place," Bolden said.

The answer did not seem to satisfy Cruz, according to the National Journal, who replied that "almostany American would agree that the core function of NASA is to explore space."

"That's what inspires little boys and little girls across this country," Cruz added. "I am concerned that NASA in the current environment has lost its full focus on that core mission."

Cruz then pointed to a chart behind him illustrating that, since 2009, NASA funding for Earth sciences has seen a 41 percent increase, while funding for exploration and space operations has seen a 7.6 percent decrease.

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Ted Cruz tells NASA chief to focus less on climate change and more on space exploration (+video)