To the Moon, Alice? After You.

The Washington Post ^ | January 11, 2004 | Hank Stuever

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The moon! Bang, zoom!

But who gets to go this time, this way?

NASA probably wants to send astronauts -- the overdegreed kind, and also the jet jocks, like the same admirable nerds we sent the first time. Whenever it tries to build a town, the government creates army bases (junior-enlisteds living in tract housing with tiny lawns) or reservations (bland existence on bleak rock). The moon is a long way to go to create public housing, and more taxation without representation.

For its part, Hollywood always sends the multiethnic crew of argumentative blue-collar workers to colonize its version of space: the hot babe, the brooding captain with the impending divorce, and the black guy who fixes the pipes and makes nasty jokes. They're doomed, because they never listen to Ripley.

The only other model for this kind of settlement is to turn to the disenfranchised, the people yearning to be free. People who dislike their parents that much. The kooks, the paranoid, the criminal, and even the home-schooled. What kind of person are you if you've given up on Earth? You're probably not much fun at parties, and not very hip. (Mark our words: The first moonsters might be smart and resilient, but they won't be hip. NASA will make sure of that.)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

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[G.Mason]

After my current "tour" here is over, I will be watching , with awe, and pride, as future generations of man, much like the pioneers of the past, conquer the "final frontier".

It will be a great show, and I only hope I get a front row seat.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You and me both.

Time ripe for colonization*** ……….Relying only on unmanned probes and robots, however necessary these technologies may be for a scientific picture of the universe, does not satisfy the human spirit.

The reason is simple. Human consciousness tends to lose awareness of technologies as long as they are doing their job. We marvel at the beautiful images produced by the Hubble telescope, but lose awareness of the telescope itself.

Only when our fellow humans are out there working with the technologies are we acutely aware of the new environment of space. People identify with astronauts; in a very real psychological and spiritual sense, they take us with them when they go. Machines, while important proxy precursors to manned exploration, are not fulfilling substitutes for red-blooded astronauts.***

[Gerasimov]

I want THAT picture to be the "earthrise" that my grandchildren get to see from their bedroom windows.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's amazing, isn't it?

[G.Mason]

Re: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1055214/posts

"Charles Laughlin ....... "As earthly problems mount, we may soon lack the strength and resources to move into this new frontier. If we're serious about space exploration, we must make it happen soon."

The good professor may be right, but I am reminded of the saying ....... "All things in their time".

The space program of today is much like the Wright Brothers of 1900, with the exception that the government must provide the impetus. It would seem, I think, the Bush administration is going to do this.

I wonder what the professors political views are?

Surely our many social "give away" programs, selfish political infighting, and this determined effort, by many, to reduce the United States to a third world power, are not a favorable base from which to launch us into any meaningful space exploration.

[Batrachian]

Relying on robots doesn't work because the whole point is to get people up there. It would be like putting your car on remote control and having it drive to work. A nice technical accomplishment, maybe, but ultimately pointless. Robots are useful as scouts or work beasts, and exploration of the universe will be impossible without them, but they are precursors or helpers, not substitutes. The fools who say that sending robots is sufficient miss the point, possibly intentionally. They'd just as soon use the money to "feed the homeless" anyway.

Even on our side we have our share of luddites who see the space program as "big government" and "not in the constitution". Settling the west wasn't "in the constitution" either. They forget that most of the great expeditions throughout history where funded by governments. Private enterprise followed afterwards.

Some people can't see past the ends of their noses. They're flatlanders, always looking down. This yearning for space is the same urge that made life leave the sea, and has made humans explore every part of the globe. It is part of our DNA and it is the future.

What I'm afraid of is that these new proposals by the President are just publicity stunts, and he won't fight for the funding. There just isn't a strong enough space constituency the way there is a constituency for handouts. We'll see.

[Thermalseeker]

Some people can't see past the ends of their noses. They're flatlanders, always looking down. This yearning for space is the same urge that made life leave the sea, and has made humans explore every part of the globe. It is part of our DNA and it is the future.

The real reason we'll be going back to the moon is simple. It doesn't involve science as its primary reason, or exploration, or as a steppng stone to Mars. The primary, underlying reason we will go back to the moon can be summed up in one word. China.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Left is a bit trapped with this. They can't step on space too hard because people like it and centers are in some of their districts. But they would much prefer an entitlement program (space is discretionary) where they can parlay giveaways into votes. Funny how those never "cost" the American taxpayers.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

What I'm afraid of is that these new proposals by the President are just publicity stunts, and he won't fight for the funding. There just isn't a strong enough space constituency the way there is a constituency for handouts. We'll see.

I have a very strong feeling this is being done right.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

National security fits in nicely.

[RadioAstronomer]

What ticks me off is that our generation got "stuffed". Basically we (the US space program) sat on our arses for the last 40 years. If we had push the X-15, NERVA, SP-100, Saturn V, etc to their ultimate destinations we would already "be there".

[RadioAstronomer]

Ummm.... Make that 30 years.

Note to self: retake arithmetic. LOL!

[CasearianDaoist]

Sure is. Brings back memories. What a great country we were bavk then. Let's get it back.

[stopem]

Ok wet blanket time. So how do we afford that and zillions more dollars already going out??
Does anyone not understand the state of the union? We are practically broke.

They are all high-minded ideals that and taking out every country we want but there comes a time to step away from the computer and think. Where will the money come from?

Just the way I have to tell my kids, do we, your parents look like a cash-cow?

[Brian Allen]

Never in the history of the human species, let lone in
America's history has
So much money been squandered by so few in the "accomplishment" of
Absolutely nothing.

[thesummerwind]

The primary, underlying reason we will go back to the moon can be summed up in one word. China.

Royal Doulton, Lennox, Haviland Limoges.......? Did they find some there the first time?

[thesummerwind]

Never in the history of the human species, let lone in

America's history has

So much money been squandered by so few in the "accomplishment" of

Absolutely nothing.

Never in the history of the human species, let lone in

America's history has

So much money been squandered by so few in the "accomplishment" of

Almost nothing.

*******

Smoke detector, ear thermometer, etc. ........;)

[RadioAstronomer]

You missed my point. We had The money. We squandered it over the past 30 years. Just like we squandered the Superconducting Supercollider.