NO, SON, YOU CAN'T BE AN ASTRONAUT

boblonsberry.com ^ | 07/08/11 | Bob Lonsberry

[GonzoGOP]

Did the U.S. Senate actually ratify that “Space Treaty”?

Space Treaty yes, Moon Treaty no. And of course these treaties are enforced by the UN so they have as much force as the prohibition on nuclear proliferation.

[Westbrook]

In the late 60s, 70s, and 80s, the “Space Race” was a powerful economic driving force.

Large swathes of our technological advances are due to the applied research from the Space program.

Today, NASA is in the shadow of its former technological and scientific apex.

[cripplecreek]

They have yet to do rendezvous and docking, something that we did during the Gemini era.

My Granddad was friends with Jim McCivitt. The Gemini 4 attempt to dock failed but McDivitt and White did pull off several other operations.

Seems that orbital mechanics weren't well understood plus there were some disagreements between the astronauts over perceived distances to the target.

Real space cowboys in those days.

[count-your-change]

No, my son, you cannot be millionaire basketball player either but somehow life will go on and happiness will still exist.

[cripplecreek]

Yeah they ratified it. The more restrictive Moon Treaty wasn’t ratified but is pretty much globally accepted.

[Lou L]

As of today, America is out of the space business.

Oh please. This sounds suspiciously like those pro-government whines when they talk about cutting funding for the arts...as if no art will ever be created again, if not for a grant by the government.

We do have a vested national security interest in the exploration of space. Did it ever occur to this author however, that it might not be so efficient to always require an actual astronaut in space to explore it? We do have the ability to launch unmanned rockets and space vehicles...and we don't even need the government to do it, at least not to fund it.

I know plenty of young boys who wanted to be rock stars, but for whatever reason, they couldn't. They choose other professions, are just as happy, and life goes on.

[hedgetrimmer]

This sounds suspiciously like those pro-government whines

The United States of America achieved the apex of human endeavor by putting an American citizen on the moon.

It was the culmination of efforts by Americans funded by Americans. Since WE made that investment as a people and a nation, we have a right to preserve it. When the globalist trash in our government take that away from us, they are stealing from us as any thief breaking into your garage and taking the car you just finished paying for.

The concept of American liberty is fertilized by a desire to be continuously advancing to new frontiers. By killing the national space program, it is nailing the coffin on the unity of purpose the American people need to understand and pursue the liberty of the frontier.

I can imagine a rotten globalist making your arguments--the money that the American people are taxed for the government must go to support the global cartels and trashnational corporations,and not to advance the American people, nor to preserve the freedom of the American people. It must be redistributed to the Russians, Indians and Chinese , as these countries have been anointed by the globalist trash for their large populations and slave labor controlled by their communist socialist governments.

[Lou L]

Your huge leaps in logic are astounding.

Whatever unity we once had as a nation vis-a-vis the space program and subsequent moon landing are long past. We were pioneers, and in under the guise of science, other nations benefitted. Yes, like many other things including advanced medicine and healthcare, they did it on the backs of the US taxpayer.

That's beside my point. What I was trying to say is that we must re-consider EVERY expenditure our country currently makes because we are out of money. There can't be any sacred cows, including (what I would consider a very successful) space programs such as NASA.

[hedgetrimmer]

Whatever unity we once had as a nation vis-a-vis the space program and subsequent moon landing are long past

He's NOT dead, Jim!

[NonValueAdded]

Correction for the author: Son, you CAN be an astronaut but you have to learn Russian or Mandarin first.