[Man of the Right]

It isn't worth bankrupting society to provide test pilots interesting craft to fly.

There's no support for NASA in society because it's irrelevant. Cyberspace matters. With the exception of earth satellites, physical space doesn't.

[VRWC_minion]

We should have stayed with webbed hands and feet, if your ask me.

[Kip Lange]

It isn't worth bankrupting society to provide test pilots interesting craft to fly.

Manned space flight is an investment *in* society. If you can't see that, I'm not going to argue it with you; we're knocking premises. I'd strap myself on the next shuttle mission if I could get the chance. If I could see the Earth from space, well, IMHO, I could die feeling completely fulfilled. Space flight captures the dream of people -- not just Americans; the whole WORLD. Why do you think we obssess so much over science fiction? It's the Turner thesis played out *after* Turner...

There's no support for NASA in society because it's irrelevant. Cyberspace matters. With the exception of earth satellites, physical space doesn't.

If you'd rather stay inside and surf around the Internet pulling up garbage than hook a ride into space...that's your choice.

I'm not even going to talk about the many inherent, logical benefits of manned space flight and exploration. What I am debating here is the *principle* of manned space flight. There are few instances when human beings are truly able to transcend the petty things that divide them and come together in order to cooperate towards a great common goal -- manned space flight is one of them.

[Jhoffa_]

There's no support for NASA in society because it's irrelevant. Cyberspace matters. With the exception of earth satellites, physical space doesn't.

Speaking for myself, I agree with what Poobah posted earlier.

We need to explore, it's part of who we are.

I think there is great support for NASA and space exploration. "What's over that hill?" has driven man from the beginning of time, it's not going to go away anytime soon..

[FITZ]

I partially agree ---I can see sending robots out there if we want to analyze the soil on Mars for whatever reason we would want to do that, or monkeys like we used to. I don't think there's that much point in sending humans and risking this kind of tragedy. To be honest, I didn't even know there was a manned space shuttle coming in until I read on here it didn't arrive. I feel bad for the people and their families, but I don't even know the purpose of their mission.