Posted on 09/16/2009 6:05:34 PM PDT by KevinDavis
Neil Armstrong's first small step for man was widely believed to be the start of a long and glorious road to the stars. Forty years after the first Moon landing, the dream has faded. Astronauts have been stuck in low-Earth orbit, boldly going nowhere. American attempts to kick-start a new phase of lunar exploration have stalled amid the realisation that Nasa's budget is too small for the job. And last week, a committee chaired by the aerospace engineer Norman Augustine concluded that "no plan compatible with the
2010 budget profile permits human exploration to continue in any meaningful way".
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Me too.
I’d pay for Obama to be flown to Mars, one way.
Thanks. Now I need to hear Sinatra doing ‘Fly me to the moon’, as arranged in ‘Space Cowboys’.
***I am on vacation the week of 9/14, and will have limited access to my graphics, my avatar, and my pre-planned smartass comments. I will be returning to my computer the week of 9/21, and will resume offending you then, as time permits - thanks to all in advance.***
how about a robotic sample-return mission.
send along two jars with human eggs and sperm.
‘grow them out’, when the jars return to earth.
zero risk
big weight savings
Why not? Any venture to Alpha Centauri or beyond would be, by necessity, one way. We could have plenty of supplies and hardware sent ahead to Mars to be in place for the settlers.
...a committee chaired by the aerospace engineer Norman Augustine concluded that "no plan compatible with the ... 2010 budget profile permits human exploration to continue in any meaningful way".I'm encouraged that NASA has resumed Von Braun's practice of naming their projects in illogical ways -- Von Braun called the first orbital program "Mercury" (had nothing to do with that planet), called the next orbital / rendezvous / space walking / docking program "Gemini" (suggestive I guess of the two astronauts found in each flight), then the lunar program was called "Apollo" (had nothing to do with the Sun), and used the Saturn V booster (had nothing to do with that planet)... now we've got the Ares booster family (has nothing to do with the planet Mars, which is the same as Ares in ancient mythology). :')
Orion starter solar system run-about kit, 10,000 tons with a crew of 150. Next 40,000,000 ton interstellar veheicle. As planned in 1964.
it will work...only need people with balls who are not afraid of a little Nuke-ie.
... and abrogating the space treaties made in the 60s with the UN.
F*** the UN.
if we need to send a mission to stop the big rock from turning us all into swiss cheese...we will have to just say...wow wEll thats illegal....guess we will all have to just die....
the UN out of the US
and
the US out of the UN
However, Hussein will give a great speech using both telepromters and everyone will be filled with Hope for the Change to come...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.