Manned space flight worth the risks

Baltimore Sun ^ | September 2, 2003 | E.J. "Jake" Garn

[Cincinatus' Wife]

HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT is not a luxury. Nor is it a whim, passing fad or eccentric hobby. Make no mistake, human space flight is critical to the future well-being of the United States and, ultimately, the world. The continuation of human space flight is a necessity.

For those who accept that premise, it is vital that we get the space shuttle flying again as safely and as quickly as possible. Our very future may depend on it.

To not understand or acknowledge that Earth is but a stepping stone for humankind is to ignore history, reality and Manifest Destiny. Through age, natural catastrophe or by our own hand, life on Earth has a finite amount of time left. For the human species to go on, we must go out into the far and promising reaches of space. We will do this, or we will eventually perish on the stepping stone adjacent to endless possibilities and salvation.

....Human space flight is not a luxury, and the People's Republic of China, above all others, seems to recognize that. The PRC is poised to launch its first astronauts, and with them launch potentially the most ambitious plan ever for humans in space.

They have their eyes on the moon, Mars and beyond. The question for our country is: Do we cede the future of human space flight, and the future in general, to them or another nation?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

China set to join ranks of space-faring nations

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[Cincinatus' Wife]

China Plans to Send Probe to Moon***China's communist government has poured huge resources into making the nation a force in space. In addition to its scientific benefits, lunar exploration has an ``immeasurable usefulness to raising national prestige and inspiring the nationalistic spirit,'' Xinhua said. ***

Pentagon Report Calls for the United States Control of Space-- U.S. Armed Forces are dedicated to protect and advance American interests, on a national and global basis, and if necessary, to decisively defeat threats to those interests. The QDR notes that "enduring national interests" include protection of critical U.S. infrastructure. Furthermore, part of the country's economic well being includes "security of international sea, air, and space, and information lines of communication."

China Announces 2005 Space Plans --Say space arms race has begun

[harryK]

Manned space-flight isn't worth the cost. The technologic barriers are just to great, and the payoffs to small. We are more than forty years into the space age and haven't had one manned flight to Mars or any other planet in the solar system. The cost to do so now would be outragous now and the dangers unwarranted for such an undertaking(ex.lost of two Mars probes). Our world is in a mess, so why engage in such flights of fancy.
Take steps now to ensure the survival of life on this planet before thinking of spaces between planets or stars.

[Centurion2000]

Manned space-flight isn't worth the cost. The technologic barriers are just to great, and the payoffs to small.

An entirely NEW planet to open to colonization is not worth the cost of developing spaceflight ? How much is Earth worth ? How much is having a second cradle of life in the solar system worth ?

We are more than forty years into the space age and haven't had one manned flight to Mars or any other planet in the solar system.

That is a lack of will, not technological ability. We could send skyscrapers into space if we had the will and were willing to contaminate an island in the pacific for it.

Orion drives are the way to go.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Take steps now to ensure the survival of life on this planet before thinking of spaces between planets or stars.

Expand your vision and realize they are one in the same. Cislunar space is where our military and commercial comsats reside and the Moon is beyond with low gavity and resources to power launches to protect and service them.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

We could send skyscrapers into space if we had the will ..

Bump!

[qam1]

Manned space-flight isn't worth the cost.

I partially agree,

It should be Manned Space Shuttle Flights aren't worth the cost.

Launch a space shuttle mission one more time for pride then put them in museums

[Flightdeck]

A great intangible result of human spaceflight is it's effect on the next generation. Thousands of smart young adults become the best scientists/pilots/engineers they can possibly be in the hopes that one day they will be selected by NASA. While some do get selected, the end result is a fantastic scientific resource for America to draw from. Without human spaceflight, our overall scientific arsenal would be greatly damaged.

[Prodigal Son]

It should be Manned Space Shuttle Flights aren't worth the cost.

Yep. I never imagined the Space Shuttle would become the raison d-etre for NASA when they fielded it. I looked on it as being a stepping stone to much greater things. It doesn't seem like they're going to push the envelope with any out of this world new ideas as long as they have the Shuttle Fleet in operation. Perhaps it's time to moth-ball it and move on to different things.

[harryK]

This kind of talk is what I'm talking about. We are tying national prestige on manned space flight. On the notion that technologic advance is based on sending people on mission that no one really cares about. Perhaps, if NASA had a grand vision guiding its programs. I would feel differently but they don't. They have been mess around running experiments only ivory tower academic care about. People still have stars in their eyes and nostalgia left over from our moon missions, and people have bought into the idea that if we just keep pluging away, we will one day have a STAR TREK. We can't even find a safe cheap, clean and renewable power source or stop killing each other. We have forty million Americans without health insurance. It will take 1.6 trillion dollars by some estimates to fix an aging infrastructure. GOD, help us. We need to get our heads out of the clouds.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

We need to get our heads out of the clouds.

No, we need to start acting like the great nation we are and stop running away from our importance to the world. Being the ones leading space exploration and the technological advances that come from that must be put back on the front burner. If we give this advantage to our enemies, we will live to regret it.

[Frank_2001]

We've only got a billion years before the sun becomes a red giant and roasts the Earth. We'd better get going!;)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

If you only believe nature is going to take you out, it's the comet or asteroid you don't see that will get you.

[KevinDavis]

Human space travel is worth the risk. To stop would be catastrophic for the future of the human race. The planet Earth not going to be around for a long time. I would rather see the human race go beyond the solar system. To stop would be criminal.

Space Ping! This is the space ping list! Let me know if you want on or off this list!

[KevinDavis]

You claim to be a consertive yet you are demanding that goverment spend money on this and that. I'm for private industry taking the human race to the stars. You must be afraid of new things.

[Paulie]

"No, we need to start acting like the great nation we are and stop running away from our importance to the world."

Right on, CW! This is EXACTLY the attitude the American people and its leaders need to embrace. We're still a kick-butt nation if we'd only get our act together.

[Aeronaut]

I'm for private industry taking the human race to the stars. You must be afraid of new things.

The X Prize.

[buccaneer81]

We can't even find a safe cheap, clean and renewable power source or stop killing each other. We have forty million Americans without health insurance. It will take 1.6 trillion dollars by some estimates to fix an aging infrastructure. GOD, help us. We need to get our heads out of the clouds.

Liberals, especially liberal newbies like you, are never amusing. Go vote for Nader.

[adx]

If you only believe nature is going to take you out, it's the comet or asteroid you don't see that will get you.

Especially if a hostile foreign power diverts said celestial object to crash it into CONUS.