Posted on 04/18/2002 9:36:38 AM PDT by RightWhale
The Ls ought to want NASA shut down altogether since there is nothing there the private sector wants.
Americans would be like, ho-hum, so what's on MTV?
Gee I wonder where we got this idea from? You sure sound like someone who believes in collectivism.
As to thinking America should be first: that is because we have the expertese and the money to do it. I'm not a socialist, so I don't believe in giving handouts to other countries in this or any other regard. If they can get into space, then they should do it, not expect the US to hold their hands or help them. This, in fact, might help provide some competition and act as a spur to all nations.
I do think that if science ever develops a way to control of offset the limitations imposed by gravity, it should be freely distributed...the theories, that is, not the applications.
People don't get enthusiastic over things like the ISS. They do sometimes get that way over what they consider specially theirs...something local or national. Yes, for one shining moment, Apollo 11 represented all of Mankind, transending nationalism to embrace the planet. But only Americans had that extra warmth of knowing that *we* did it and did it first...that only Americans have ever been on the Moon (as far as I know).
This is also why I support the idea of corperations and individuals getting involved in space: they will definitely be competitive and push the edge of the envelope when it comes to getting into space and to providing *jobs* in space.
As I've said before, you can only really learn about being in space by being in space. NASA isn't getting us there. We need to find another way.
Tuor
Quite so - how on Earth did you contrive that I was talking about America's "poor"?
From the following comment:
I'm sure America has enough problems at home with dominating the world's economy and keeping the poor where they are in order to line the right pockets.
I didnt realize that you were blaming America for Chinas poverty. I have news for you we dont keep the poor where they are in other nations. Their (marxist and otherwise) governments do that for them.
Stop blaming far off nations for your ills and try to better your lot through your own labor and political decisions. We are not your mommy.
Oh fess up. You are really Laz having a joke on us and ridiculting the luddite libs at the same time.
If Libertarians can figure out a way to grow dope on the moon, good for them.
Just so long as they don't try to ship it back here.
I honestly doubt that.
Oh, it's arguable, since no modern empire calls itself such, but puh leeez!
What was the USSR, if not an empire? What is Red China? Besides a workers paradise, of course.
Empire is arguably, barring a new civilizational paradigm, the natural state of man. Also, historically, the most stable.
And, to paraphrase Arthur Clarke, if mankind is to survive for any measurable length of time, the word 'ship' must refer to 'spaceship.'
Unfortunately, the noble ideals you have expressed are seldom enough to engender in a man a desire to risk life and limb.
It'll be fortune and glory that pulls man to the planets, and even to the stars. Same as every other human migration. The initial explorations will be done for glory (see Shackleton), they'll go just because 'it's there.' Then will come the fortune hunters. They will see the potential for wealth, either as entrepeneurs or as employees. They'll go to avoid the hand of oppressive government. They will be followed by people providing services for them (not for nothing is it called the oldest profession).
Earth is far too fragile a basket for man to leave all of his eggs in it.
Government? Piffle. NASA killed the Saturn 5 rocket, the most powerful lifting engine ever invented. They have prohibitions against experimentation by the private sector. In the meantime, they worry about funding and safety. They dare not try anything too far out, lest it cost too much or kill somebody. Which would lose funding. And round and round we go...
There are, literally, thousands of citizens in the USA at this moment who would give their right arm to get into space. Why can't they? They're not allowed. These people would sign a release in an instant if it got them to Luna, or into orbit.
Men Wanted For Hazardous Journey.
Small wages, bitter cold, long months of
complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.
Honor and recognition in case of success.
Shackleton received several THOUSAND responses to that advertisement in an English paper. Maybe NASA should get a clue...
Yes they were. NASA billed it as mankind reaching out and leaving Earth. As it was, we went and stopped going. The nation that lost the moon.
The nuclear interplanetary shuttle has no mission, nor will ever have a mission worth the trouble.
Agree with the mining of asteroids. Disagree that such a shuttle would be worthless. First off its design could be the framework for a space truck for getting mining spoils back to Earth, or Moon, or where ever they would be processed. Two, there are no doubt other bodies to be explored and resources to be retrieved from other areas of the solar system. Why not have a nuclear powered craft that doesn't require the massive amounts of conventional fuel now used?
You realize that this argument has already lost. There are thousands of people working on plans to get us into space and back to the moon. It has already started and it's too late to stop it. We'll see the first lunar hotels in thirty years. Even sooner if China's efforts prod us along. (which seems likely) Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Umm.... so, we should continue exploiting the resources we need here on Earth then?
If it is not ours (Earth Human's) to claim, then whoose is it? I don't see any other inhabited worlds within the sphere of influence that can lay a claim.
Would we infriging on the rights of the native Moonies (or is that Mooners) too?
I know I know, the "Save the Man in the Moon" society will get their panties in a wad because we defaced the man in the moon. That must be it.
Americans would be like, ho-hum, so what's on MTV?
They're getting ready to send Lance Bass of N'Sync to the ISS later this year. I hope that maybe,just maybe, this will be a "Sputnik moment" for this current generation. And once again, it's the Russians behind it. ;)
If there were a manned base on or orbiting Mars, a nuke shuttle might be convenient to reduce transit time for the crews, but not necessary.
Aside from those two uses, I don't see commercial viability for the nuke shuttle.
Duuude. Like, that's totally deep, man.
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