O'Keefe: NASA dark on cost of moon-Mars mission

Mercury News ^ | Jan 21 04 | Mercury News

[ambrose]

WASHINGTON - How much will President Bush's grand plan to send astronauts to the moon and then Mars cost? NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said Wednesday that his agency doesn't know and doesn't want to know just yet.

Coming up with a cost for the mission or even a date for sending humans to Mars would "start to close off options," O'Keefe said. When pressed by reporters Wednesday for a ballpark overall price tag, he responded, "Let's not presume that somehow we've got an answer to it now."

[LibWhacker]

We'll tell the libs that when they tell us how much their cherished welfare state is going to end up costing us.

[ambrose]

ping

[XBob]

thanks amby

ping guys

[Phil V.]

If you'd like to be on or off this MARS ping list please FRail me

[brazucausa]

Thanks Phil

[RightWhale]

In this time of record budget deficits, we certainly don't want to start a project when we don't know what the costs are."

The budget for the next 5 years is clear enough. Maybe there will a better idea of what they want to do after they get the new program going. There will be a range of options all along. An extended-stay base on the moon comes first.

[snopercod]

Thanks for the ping Bob, but I really have little interest in this Mars trip fantasy. Ain't never gonna' happen in my lifetime.

I wish the Chinese well, though.

[meenie]

The Mars shot is not necessary for science. We have a rover up there now collecting materials and analyzing the surface of Mars. As a spending priority, it should be far down the list of things to do. With the spending program that Bush has obligated the nation for, it seems that the President has no appreciation for the worker and businessman that have to finance the extravaganzas he thinks up in his spare time.

[FReepaholic]

I like this idea of several "buses" orbiting between Earth and Mars. When a "bus" comes by you catch it and ride it to Mars:

Buzz Aldrin's "Mars Cycler" idea

[RightWhale]

Regular service is the way to travel. If they don't run the bus route on a regular schedule, the route won't make money.

[hopespringseternal]

A lot of this is just empty posturing -- on both sides.

NASA will probably be spending every last penny either way. Congress doesn't mind funding NASA, they just don't like having NASA accomplish anything too visible, or at least they find irrestistable the urge to look responsible by killing visible progress made by NASA.

Until the launch technology to put men into orbit appears and the capabilities of the CEV is decided, going to Mars is wish more than a goal. Just like it has been for thirty years.

[bonesmccoy]

This is so fricking pathetic... the gd liberals want NASA to put a final price tag on our international leadership in science and technology and engineering????

What is the price tag of Medi-Care???

If it's 250 BILLION a year... or 2 TRILLION over 4 years, why are these morons complaining about NASA's paltry 80 billion price tag for an entire project?

[ambrose]

I find it difficult to believe that the technology isn't there to do a Mars mission. I'd wager that such a mission could be pulled off in months if the Martian Leader announced he wished to speak to an Earthling, in person, within two years... or Earth would be vaporized.

Kind of a ridiculous example, but you'd be amazed what humans are capable of accomplishing when they put their minds to it. The will has to be there, and that has certainly been lacking over the past 30 years.

[Porterville]

I love her flowers.

[ambrose]

Totally agree with you. The mentality of the luddites is astounding.

The "fiscal conservative" objections are even more laughable. Every dollar that doesn't go to NASA doesn't mean a dollar back in taxes. It is an additional dollar to illegal aliens, mediscare, etc.

[anymouse]

Space ping.

[Doc On The Bay]

You WANT you're G'G'Children to be Forced to learn Chinese to visit Mars???

Hmmmmmnn.

Doc

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Phil V.]

;)