Opinions on space exploration

[SlavikHavik]

It seems to be picking up everywhere else in the world. Japan, China, India, Europe. While its been pretty stagnant in the US. Do you see any value in nasa? would you like to see more funding to them, less funding?

 

[hardrock]

I could care less about anything in out solar system, but I do believe there is probably life in others.

 

[Apöllo]

Fuck space, the only thing it's good for is sending out trash out there

 

[rjl296]

send bullit to venus

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

We should do more of it.

it is oneof the rare government spending programs where there can be a clear return on investment.

 

[BO-DEN]

We should do more of it.

it is oneof the rare government spending programs where there can be a clear return on investment.

hes right sadly

 

[SlavikHavik]

yeah

well that and i mean if we stick around here our days are #'d, if we expand outward were not definetly on a finite time line

 

[jackangel]

i think its eval and rong.

 

[Testosterone boy]

I'm for it if technological advancement may be enhaced. Plus I may discover some peers, I'm clearly from somewhere else.

 

[Code]

You're seeing countries going to the moon.
We did that.

I think we (the US and her budget) need to focus on matters at hand.

Let corporations begin funding a trip to Mars.

 

[AustinTX]

more funding.

 

[coldblue1955]

Altho space exploration is cool and all the government should put more money to good use and feed the hungry and get the homeless people off the streets.

 

[Code]

get the homeless people off the streets.

Homelessness is a form of Darwinism. Let the toofless crack addicts freeze to death.

Focus on fixing other problems: (In no particular order)
Environment
Economy
Education
The SEC
Healthcare

 

[PIGEON-RAT]

Homelessness is a form of Darwinism. Let the toofless crack addicts freeze to death.

Focus on fixing other problems: (In no particular order)
Environment
Economy
Education
The SEC
Healthcare

the homeless epidemic didn't start until the gov't closed down a ton of mental institutions in the early 70's. bleeding heart liberals claimed that these people shouldn't be put into institutions against their will, so they were let free. onto the streets, to beg, to starve, to freeze.

it's funny now that so many people want the gov't to subsidize housing and care for the homeless.


back to space, i think space exploration should be privatized. nasa has a ridiculous budget which is really being exploited. the euros made it to mars with a fraction of the money we spent. space exploration does indeed have great benefits, and for this to be taken advantage of fully, there needs to be competition.

 

[kho]

Homelessness is a form of Darwinism. Let the toofless crack addicts freeze to death.

Focus on fixing other problems: (In no particular order)
Environment
Economy
Education
The SEC
Healthcare

well said, well put.

 

[coldblue1955]

space exploration will be just like star trek. you'll see!

 

[Forge]

I'm all for space exploration. Not sure about making it privatized though, for that to work there would need to be a profit incentive. I just don't see a very good ROI for privatized space exploration, other than bragging rights. Now if you were able to make land claims on interstellar bodies, THAT would sure be incentive.

I also feel our space shuttle needs to be retired. We need a space craft capable of taking off and landing like a conventional airplane that can make orbit on it's own power, without booster rockets. Something much more cost effective.

 

[Robert Jan]

"Well I dont understand why we should spend so much money on space exploration... People want to know if there is any intelligent life out there- Well it aint rocket science... 2 options... either there is, or there isnt. Well if there isnt I dont like to waste so much money on it. If there is, there are STILL only 2 options.... Either they are dumber than us, or smarter than us. Well if they are dumber than us, I dont even want anything to do with them. If they are smarter, theyll find us before we find them anyway"

 

[Forge]

"Well I dont understand why we should spend so much money on space exploration... People want to know if there is any intelligent life out there- Well it aint rocket science... 2 options... either there is, or there isnt. Well if there isnt I dont like to waste so much money on it. If there is, there are STILL only 2 options.... Either they are dumber than us, or smarter than us. Well if they are dumber than us, I dont even want anything to do with them. If they are smarter, theyll find us before we find them anyway"

It's not just about finding life in the universe, it's about exploring the history of the universe itself and learning about what makes it tick. There's plenty to explore right in our own solar system.

Are the moons simply leftovers from the creation of the planets, or are they debris from some later catastrophe? Is the asteroid belt the remains of an exploded planet? Do many of the moons around Jupiter and Saturn prove that? Did Mars once have oceans and an atmosphere? And if so, was there life on Mars? Is Pluto the last planet in our solar system or are there more beyond Pluto? What really are comets, and where did they come from? What keeps the red spot on Jupiter raging on? Why don't all planets have rings like Saturn?

It's about exploring history as much as it is the search for other life. I'd rather we explore space than rage war against each other on the Earth over petty differences and resources.

 

[Robert Jan]

I know I just thought it was a funny rant.

Even when you do limit it to life its still not correct, thinking in smarter/dumber is just too simplistic

 

[Dante Alighieri]

I love the idea of space exploration and especially colonisation, though unfortunately it's too costly with the current global "system".

I'm not offering an amazing argument - I just think Space/ The Universe is cool

 

[Mr. dB]

We should do more of it.

it is oneof the rare government spending programs where there can be a clear return on investment.

True. Plus, eventually, we need to spread our seed. Humanity has all our eggs in one basket.

 

[Paulo]

Nasa isn't just about space travel.

They happen to have some of the worlds brightest people working for them, constantly creating new technological advances and making discoveries. Things that are an everyday part of life we take for granted.

Of course, they have their problems...

 

[Burning_Inside]

For those selfish people who can care less about space exploration and whatnot...

Do you realize that in as *little* as about 500,000 years, the temps on Earth are going to be bad enough where it's not even going to be inhabitable anymore? Bye Bye oceans.

This isn't because of global warming or anything. This is because of the inevitable expansion of our Sun.

Now let me ask you this: How much time do you think it's going to take to come up with the technology and knowledge to get the human race off this planet in time and move to some other planet? Is 500,000 years enough time?

Do you have children? Do you want to have children?

if the answer is yes, and you have this attitude towards the whole space thing, then just stop reproducing. Because obviously, you can care less about your future bloodlines, and what they would be going through 500,000 years from now if we didn't start on this whole space "junk" today. Just because they will be born hundreds of thousands of years from now doesn't make them any less a part of you.

That is why I made the "selfish" remark in the beginning.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

We should do more of it.

it is oneof the rare government spending programs where there can be a clear return on investment.

I agree with you to a point. I see the return on investment as the advances in technology that occurs with funding space programs. I'm not convinced being in space will do anything for us in a human life cycle.

 

[Fonz]

It seems to be picking up everywhere else in the world. Japan, China, India, Europe. While its been pretty stagnant in the US. Do you see any value in nasa? would you like to see more funding to them, less funding?

This is right up my alley.

There are several problems: - A powerful enough inter-stellar propulsion system.

The most powerful reactor we can build is a Deuterium-Tritium fuel based fusion based reactor. But this reactor is MASSIVE, still not controlled(reaction wise), and weighs too much to be put into orbit on an STS.

Thats what I'm going to work on eventually when i graduate.

A fusion based prpulsion system would deliver ten times the energy(and propulsion) as a fission based reactor, and you could in essence replenish your fuel in space...as hydrogen is everywhere in space, whereas uranium is not.

In other words you could get to mars in 18 days instead of 180 days, using the fusion based reactor.

Fonz

 

[Forge]

This is right up my alley.

There are several problems: - A powerful enough inter-stellar propulsion system.

The most powerful reactor we can build is a Deuterium-Tritium fuel based fusion based reactor. But this reactor is MASSIVE, still not controlled(reaction wise), and weighs too much to be put into orbit on an STS.

Thats what I'm going to work on eventually when i graduate.

A fusion based prpulsion system would deliver ten times the energy(and propulsion) as a fission based reactor, and you could in essence replenish your fuel in space...as hydrogen is everywhere in space, whereas uranium is not.

In other words you could get to mars in 18 days instead of 180 days, using the fusion based reactor.

Fonz

Yep, fusion is the future of space travel, the technology is just too young yet to be practical. Hopefully I'll see it in my lifetime.