Article

2004-01-11 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Why a reinvigorated space program is a good idea

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Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-01-11 9:10:43 PM|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Amen. In spades.

Posted by .com 2004-1-11 9:41:00 PM|| 2004-1-11 9:41:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 The problem with NASA is not simply the budget. I dare say Americans wouldn't mind even tossing up to 50-70 billion at NASA. PROVIDED of course they actually got something done. Its been nearly 50 years since man stepped on the moon, so many probes, satellites, launches and lives have been lost and yet not another visionary challenge has NASA come up with. NASA tries to do many things at once rather than try to focus on goals one at a time. We killed the Saturn program, it took until now to get a device like Spirit back on Mars as a followup to Viking. Whats our follow on to Voyager? Sorry, NASA's only method of survival now is to reinvent itself, it needs to find a way to get those scientists and engineers back and a lot of the management problems out.

Posted by Val 2004-1-11 9:47:46 PM|| 2004-1-11 9:47:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Personally, if we're going to throw bushels of $$$ at NASA, the entire administration there should be swept out beforehand. Get some direction (and val touched on this), quit trying to juggle so many things at once, and actually get something DONE (without exploding or burning up). Right now it should be ISS and whatever rovers are working. That shouldn't be too much to ask, but apparently they can't get that right, either (air leaks, balloons blocking the rover?!?!). Then go back to the moon as cost-effectively and as safely as possible. And use that as a staging for Mars.

Posted by 4thInfVet 2004-1-11 10:03:35 PM|| 2004-1-11 10:03:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Its been nearly 50 years since man stepped on the moon,

For values of 50 that are 3/5ths of normal.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2004-1-11 10:15:43 PM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/] 2004-1-11 10:15:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Val,

You are forgetting the first mars rover that was on mars a few years ago...

Also it is unfair to blame NASA for the lack of focus they have. The lack of focus is due to the fact that we are just giving them a bunch of money and saying do something with it but don't screw it up. NASA has been given no mission. If we tell NASA to get men on Mars, they will do it. I'm sure of it.

Posted by Damn_Proud_American 2004-1-11 11:51:00 PM|| [http://brighterfuture.blogspot.com] 2004-1-11 11:51:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 I agree,do it in focused stages(1)get the ISS up and running,
I mean with a perminant crew,large enough to do something.
Get industry into research,development and manufacturing of materials,chemicals,and medicine.

Use the ISS as a staging area to put a perminant presence on the moon.
Get industry up there to start mining and manufacturing materials,etc.

Once the things are up and running the rest of the Solar System is within reasonable reach.

Posted by raptor 2004-1-12 7:21:41 AM|| 2004-1-12 7:21:41 AM|| Front Page Top

11:22 Faisal
07:21 raptor
23:51 Damn_Proud_American
22:41 snellenr
22:22 .com
22:15 Robert Crawford
22:12 Anonymous
22:09 Val
22:03 4thInfVet
21:58 Val
21:55 Gasse Katze
21:47 Val
21:44 Super Hose
21:41 .com
21:39 Super Hose
21:32 Old Patriot
21:02 Norman Rogers
20:38 LJ
20:21 Constitutional Individualist
20:20 Super Hose
20:17 Super Hose
20:08 JDB
20:01 Anonymous
19:50 .com