Posted on 01/02/2007 8:56:20 AM PST by Rodney King
NA$A?........
"What Won't Nasa Invent Next?"
A profit?
Yes, I'm afraid it's largely true. NASA did a pretty good job in the early years, but it's been quite a long time since they did anything very useful, aside from pushing back the frontiers of astronomy with the space telescope and exploration of the planets. And the best of that now seems to be past, too.
On the other hand, we do still hold the high ground from a military point of view, and we had better continue to do so. The Russians and Chinese understand the importance of space superiority, and are still determined to challenge us.
There is clearly a commercial use and therefore an economic drive to develop satellites. But it's not clear whether there will be that much of a drive to get out and claim the planets or develop tourism in space, unless things get cheaper. I'm not sure that you can say that NASA is blocking progress in these areas simply by existing, because they are doing so badly that they really don't offer any competition to anyone who can figure out a way of going past them.
Flying machines that go in to space. What's next, a musical about the common house cat?
NASA is given its task and its funding by Congress, and Congress is where commentary should be directed. The article of this thread should be directed to the circular file.
Agreed. Just another waste of pixels from mises.org.
I don't think that you have thought what who wrote through: Since all federal agencies are given funding and task by Congress, does that mean no Federal agency should every be criticized for its usefulness or performance? If I spent the time going through your posts, would I find that you have never criticized an agencies actions, usefullness, or performance? Would you instead always just blame congress?
I proposed that the ISS be converted into a Space University. Not like the one in Stassburg but like the one in Clarke's Island in the Sky.
Imagine if you announced that students could compete for a scholarship to study in Space. Think our math and science score might soar? The Space Shuttle would be modifided, painted Yellow and would become the Space University School Bus!!
My hidden agenda is to wrest control of space from NASA and pass it on to the business community where entrepreneurial spirit, which has been and will always be , UPLIFTING, (obvious pun intended).
NASA used to be superb at nurturing new technologies (such as the means for using photominiaturization to create computer chips) by promising to buy whatever the company could produce for its own research and use.
Since the tax incentive for pure R&D disappeared in the Carter Admin, companies rarely go to NASA and say "I have a widget, and I don't know what to do with it." If it doesn't answer an immediate need, companies won't mess with it, and many good ideas get left on the drawing board.
Rewarding failure will bring more failure. See Government Schools
.
And NASA's manned flights are nothing but a method to test obsolete shuttles.
.
Your time would be better spent doing almost anything else. But even so, not all my written product is represented in the FR database content. Come to think of it, some has ended up in NASA archives.
Probably there is more purpose to NASA's manned flight programs than merely testing old hardware.
OK, but my question is: Is NASA the only federal agency that is off limits to criticism since its budgest and direction come from congress, or are all Federal agencies off limits to criticism for the same reason?
I don't like NASA. They offered me a job once and I found something else to do. They are possibly slightly more interesting as a gov't agency than, say, the Bureau of Land Management. It would be horribly misleading to think that NASA is in the business of space development. If space development is the goal repeal the Treaty. But NASA's job is to maintain preeminence in space. That's it, and it's not much considering the competition so far.
"Probably there is more purpose to NASA's manned flight programs than merely testing old hardware."
To fund the russians space tourism industry, and to create a platform for the commercial marketing arm of the russian space agency (ala the "golf ball" ad of a month ago).
NASA has no pride whatsoever. The Russians completely had their way with the incompetent bureaucrats of NASA with regards to the International Space Station, and continue to do so to this day.
We need to have a space capability, but sadly, NASA isn't about excellence in spaceflight, it's about bureaucracy and sending the first all-lesbian crew into space or comparable meaningless political gestures du jour.
I might have mentioned this recommendation before:
Repeal the Treaty.
.
Are you kidding? Look at the Mars rovers. A *huge* success, and they are sending far more advanced ones soon. NASA does a ton of great work. Project Constellation coming up will also be amazing.
Is it too late to apply as their official in-flight photographer :c) ?
.
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.