[Kuehn12]

This is quit a achievement, but I don't know the point of this mission. Are we going to give up on man flight and use space probes only? It is scientific curiosity or human hubris? This month is suppose to be the first shuttle launch since the Columbia disaster, and it will mark the beginning of end for the Shuttle project, due to end in 2010.

I want to know what is next, and will we finally bold go where no one has gone before, or continue to putter around in orbit with that white elephant the International Space Station. We need to decide if space is truly a limit on human endeavor or something we can conquer. Is space travel just to expensive and beyond our scientific capability or can the faith of a muster seed take us to the stars?

[RightWhale]

NASA has been drifting and has been a political toy for Algore and others for a long time. However, this mission could be viewed as the first of the new NASA. This time, NASA will pay attention to PR. There is a lot of new stuff coming.

[NicknamedBob]

"I want to know what is next, and will we finally bold go where no one has gone before,Yes! or continue to putter around in orbit with that white elephant the International Space Station,No!. We need to decide if space is truly a limit on human endeavor,No! or something we can conquer,Yes!. Is space travel just to expensive,No! and beyond our scientific capability,No! or can the faith of a muster seed take us to the stars?,Yes!"

Two major obstacles stand in our way: The Space Treaty, which prevents private enterprise from going there, (It needs to be repealed!), and a willingness to use Nuclear Engines for propulsion.

Chemical rockets are only good for firecrackers. If we are to go to the Moon, Mars, Titan, and beyond, we will need Nuclear Engines. (And a Profitable reason to go!)

[Tunehead54]

Comets are thought to perhaps contain early elements of our universe. By blasting a debris shower with Deep Impact they can analyze the makeup of the comet with spectroanalysis and determine (at least on the outer layer) the elements and compounds making up the comet. Pure science. ;-)

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[meatloaf]

This has solved one of mankind's potential problems with a Bruce Willis type scenario where an asteroid is detected on a collision path with earth. Substitute a nuclear warhead/s for the impacter.

We still need to get off planet Earth to ensure the future of mankind in the event of a widescale planetary catastrophe such as the eruption of Yellowstone.

[Hildy]

why can't space exploration be privatized?