2 billion on this what is the point of all of this?
don’t know, Obama is laying people off in the space program. I have two relatives, one is already out of work and the other has been given an end date.
Ask a twelve year old.
He/She will tell you.
I kinda’ look on Earth and Space as Europe around 1480.
In only a few years it will be 1492 and those seeking adventure and freedom can take off into space to seek new areas and build new worlds.
It will take technology.
To "poke into rocks and scoop up rust-tinted soil."
What, you don't think that's value for money?
Eventually the technology will filter down and help severely retarded ppl like you. Rejoice!
That 2 billion would have bought a lot of EBT cards!
Seriously, I guess people said the same thing about Columbus in 1492, Zheng He in 1413, and Leif Erickson and his father in the first millennium. The point is discovery and expansion of the human race.
Man will get to Mars, some day. Do you want that man to be from the USA or China?
Perhaps you’d rather we’d given the money to SOLYNDRA?
That’s what they’ve asked all explorers.
New spin-offs include water filtration systems that turn wastewater into drinkable water, wireless light switches, remediation solutions for sites contaminated by chemicals, the development of Liquidmetal and sensors on reconnaissance robots used in Afghanistan and Iraq to deal with improvised explosive devices.
The one-half of one percent of the national budget devoted to NASA may be the best investment we make, providing for long-term, high-dividend research, and technology breakthroughs.
Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas)
I think it is mans attempt to find “life” so they can claim there is no God.
2 billion on this what is the point of all of this?
Well, Waxer, it is 2 billion NOT spent on one of Obama’s green jobs program.
Trust me, it's a better investment than most of the government spending going on nowadays.
Sometimes we forget how much ‘impact’ the heavens have on us and how important it will be for the future of civilization.
I'm not a fan of Government doing this but private enterprise IS beginning to go into space. You can't say it was complete waste, however. The Space Race probably accelerated our development by 50-100 years.
Manufacturing and computing has dropped exponentially in price since the Apollo days. IMO,we are technologically only decades away from colonizing and mining nearby planets and asteroids. In fact,I am looking to get into the industry.
Why do this?
-First of all, by staying only on this planet, we severely limit our scientific knowledge. There could easily be elements, compounds or processes discovered on other bodies that completely change our world.
-Second of all, the entire human race faces 100% certain extinction if we do not expand and learn as much as possible about space. Not only because the nice environment on this planet is temporary, but also because we face the threat of cosmic impacts. With current technology,some giant masses will only be detectable within a few months of impact. And even if we do detect,our ability to “touch” them and know what to do with them is almost nil. This Mars landing was great practice but nothing compared to “touching” a much smaller irregular mass with little gravity and variable ice “thrusters” constantly altering its orbit.
World-changing impacts have happened many times in the history of our planet and will happen again. Remember that recorded human history is less than 10,000 years old and early records are poor at best. The Tunguska event was only 100 years ago and believed to be an “air burst” incident. If it happened today over a major city,not much would remain. Today, practically no evidence remains of this event because the vegetation grew back. There could easily have been many more in the past that we don't know of...
The point is to keep government employees employed. Unfortunately government employees vote, and they are sure not going to vote for anyone who promises to cut funding that pays their salaries.
Lewis & Clark, Missouri River
Daniel Boone, Cumberland Gap
The inbreeding of the nobility of Europe
Then compare the 3. That should give you some insight into what happens when mankind explores.
..... said Queen Isabella to Christopher Columbus.
How old are you, to ask a question like that?
I’m old enough to remember a certain porch-sitting group of society, wailing that the money to go to the Moon, was ‘nuttin’ but a waste of money, d’at coulda bin spint on me!’
It’s amazing, that with all the acquired knowledge about the planets, space travel, and space exploration available to you, through the same keyboard you used to type such a question!