Buzz Aldrin: Why we should leave the Moon alone and settle Mars instead

Daily Mail ^ | 07/06/09 | Claire Bates

[datura]

There is so much wrong with your statement that I have no idea where to start.

[Vaquero]

yup Alpha Centauri and use atomic explosion propulsion as designed by Freeman Dyson.

[cripplecreek]

The “Fix earth first” crowd seems to think that human nature will allow them to fix earth before we ever do anything again.

War is a beautiful example. Humans have been fighting wars for thousands of years. Persians gathered up armies and walked thousands of miles to fight with people they had never encountered before. Its pretty likely that Neanderthals slaughtered others of their kind when they came into conflict.

[Gator113]

I no longer believe that we will make it to Mars. We are devolving. Simply look at what’s in power.

Libs are the best proof there is to demonstrate that human brains are on their way back to Neanderthals. No brains=no road trip to Mars.

[Richard Kimball]

Tangcro! It tastes sorta like metallic orange juice and sticks to everything! Wait, that’s the original Tang. Never mind.

[KevinDavis]

I use to think the Fix earth first wimps use to be only libs, not any more.

[dforest]

You may get your wish. I believe I heard O has cut some NASA funding. Apparently NASA doesn’t employ ACORN folks.

[wastedyears]

The fastest thing we’ve experienced was a solar flare that made it here in 15 minutes. According to Wiki, that’s about a third the speed of light.

[wastedyears]

How bad would it be for a nuclear propulsion spacecraft to explode during ascent?

[cripplecreek]

Light from the sun takes about 8 and a half minutes. Pretty good time for around 93 million miles.

[wastedyears]

A solar flare takes more time than light?

[cripplecreek]

Yeah. A solar flare has mass and to date we have seen absolutely nothing that can exceed the speed of light.

[RandallFlagg]

How bad would it be for a nuclear propulsion spacecraft to explode during ascent?

If I read their theory on this, they're talking about a, "Project Orion," craft that uses nuclear explosions while already in space. Liftoff would still involve an H/O2 chemical rocket.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, folks.

[G Larry]

Hey Buzz, as someone who’s been in the Space Biz almost as long as you, there is no constituency for either.

The cost of sending robots is about 10% - 20% sending of men, depending on whether the robot needs to return or not.

The marginal gain is not worth the marginal difference.

Obama has already allocated that money to making people dependent on the government to ensure a permanent voting block. There is no room for productive pursuits.

[Canedawg]

Apparently NASA doesn’t employ ACORN folks.

LOL!

I dont need to 'splain it, Lucy. Just LOL!

[KevinDavis]

If we use that type of propulsion my guess the ship will be built in space.

[Tanniker Smith]

Buzz wants to be the first man on Mars and Armstrong strongarmed his way into the number one position on the Moon.

[JoeProBono]

[morkfork]

yes we do have money to spend on space. To explore. To push our boundaries. To dream and inspire dreams in others.

But that promotes indepedence and individuality. To be what we each want to be, not what government says it should be.

When the money we spent on AIG is more than NASA’s whole budget......we have much money to spend on space. We decide not.

[morkfork]

Not bad at all actually. The nuclear material can be sealed in little blocks. They had one that worked in the 60’s. Seen it firsthand. Stuck my head up the nozzle. But it never went into production.

Actually pretty darn safe statistically.