NASA's moon plan too ambitious, Obama panel says

[guyver01]

I dunno what to say about this.. other than... If NASA needs more funding to meet its goal... then give it to them. Many of the modern conveniences we enjoy today come from technology developed to help NASA put a man on the moon in the 60's. Imagine how the technology we develop to put back on the moon.. or on Mars.. would help modern society. I think it's a crime we dont' fund NASA better

NASA's moon plan too ambitious, Obama panel says

NASA's moon plan too ambitious, Obama panel says
A panel reviewing NASA's current plans for human space flight will report that there is no realistic way to return to the moon by 2020 -- or even 2028.

WASHINGTON -- NASA doesn't have nearly enough money to meet its goal of putting astronauts back on the moon by 2020 -- and it might be the wrong place to go, anyway. That's one of the harsh messages emerging from a sweeping review of NASA's human space flight program.

The Human Space Flight Plans Committee, appointed by President Barack Obama and headed by retired aerospace executive Norman Augustine, has been trying to stitch together some kind of plausible strategy for America's manned space program. The panel has struggled to find options that stay under the current budget and include missions worthy of the cost and effort.

 

[Freshgeardude]

its fucking retarded because Nasa is so important to this country. Instead of giving a couple billion to Nasa for an actual progress and guaranteed jobs, they gave billions to shitty fucking companies like AIG who just give millions in bonuses to their shit management which got them to the shit hole they were in

 

[Andrew1990]

I think we should just gather enough resources to put a colony up on the moon, and then aim for mars. That would be the beginning to a new era of man.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

Lack of interest and there is no reason to go back to the moon at this time unless we plan on building some sort of colony there.

Not to mention competition was the main goal back then since we were competing against the Ruskies.

Heck they almost beat us to it but their spacecraft crash landed on the moon a few hours before our shuttle lifted off.

 

[Newbian]

DP.

 

[theflyingpig]

Decisions like these will be the downfall of this country. This nation is slowly becoming a haven for fools. Everyone knows this.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

Most people who climb Mt Everest do so only once. We climbed the mountain 250k miles high 40 years ago to prove it could be done. Having done that, we need a better reason to go back.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: theflyingpig
Decisions like these will be the downfall of this country. This nation is slowly becoming a haven for fools. Everyone knows this.

Decisions like what?

 

[First]

Originally posted by: theflyingpig
Decisions like these will be the downfall of this country. This nation is slowly becoming a haven for fools. Everyone knows this.

You, of course, being a prime example.

 

[dammitgibs]

Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

It was a different generation, this is the generation of entitlements. If everyone can't go to the moon why should a few rich guys?

 

[nullzero]

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
its fucking retarded because Nasa is so important to this country. Instead of giving a couple billion to Nasa for an actual progress and guaranteed jobs, they gave billions to shitty fucking companies like AIG who just give millions in bonuses to their shit management which got them to the shit hole they were in

Just because bailing out AIG and other companies etc. protected Chinese interests. The Chinese would not approve deficit spending if it advanced our technology and society over theirs.

 

[Siddhartha]

I have read science fiction since I was a kid and I dreamed of space travel. My family benefited financially from the US space program. My dad worked on the Apollo space mission when he worked for IBM.

We went to the moon in response to the Russian's space program.

The reasons we stopped going are:

1. There was not anything of value discovered on the moon to justify the expense of going back. It did make for good TV entertainment though.

2. The Viet Nam war and Great Society programs were considered to be of higher priorty than going to the moon.

 

[irishScott]

If the economy picks up and our dual wars end (in terms of minimal US military presence) NASA will have an easier time with funding. Until then they're royally fucked.

 

[SimplyComplex]

I don't understand what is wrong with our government and funding research.
It always pays off ten fold. This isn't even like the stem cell thing where there's a group of people who have serious opposition to the idea.
Provided NASA doesn't want to do something frivolous like shove a twinkie in an asteroid, fund them. When has this not payed off dividends?

 

[canadageek]

there is no real reason to go to the moon right now. establishing a base on mars would be way better way to spend that money.

 

[LumbergTech]

Originally posted by: canadageek
there is no real reason to go to the moon right now. establishing a base on mars would be way better way to spend that money.

wouldnt establishing a base on the moon be a good practice run......?

 

[Pneumothorax]

Originally posted by: canadageek
there is no real reason to go to the moon right now. establishing a base on mars would be way better way to spend that money.

So as Nasa is currently so underfunded to even go to the damn moon, what makes you think we can establish a base on mars? Guess there's a Martian discount?

What we're giving up up here folks, is a major technological advantage tothe Chinese.

 

[retrospooty]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

Lack of interest and there is no reason to go back to the moon at this time unless we plan on building some sort of colony there.

Not to mention competition was the main goal back then since we were competing against the Ruskies.

Heck they almost beat us to it but their spacecraft crash landed on the moon a few hours before our shuttle lifted off.

That and the rediculous amount of money we spent to do it... The reasons to do it no longer exist and the fact is, once we got there we found a lifeless useless rock. Why waste money - there isnt much of that going around these days.

MAybe in another 20-30 years, tech will exist that makes it cheaper to accomplish gettng there, building a permanent colony and mining the hell out of it - but intil that is economically feesable, forget it. - right now its THOROUGH waste of money.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

Lack of interest and there is no reason to go back to the moon at this time unless we plan on building some sort of colony there.

Not to mention competition was the main goal back then since we were competing against the Ruskies.

Heck they almost beat us to it but their spacecraft crash landed on the moon a few hours before our shuttle lifted off.

What alternate universe are you residing in?

:laugh:::shocked:

 

[SammyJr]

Originally posted by: Andrew1990
I think we should just gather enough resources to put a colony up on the moon, and then aim for mars. That would be the beginning to a new era of man.

Socialism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MovingTarget]

Originally posted by: SimplyComplex
I don't understand what is wrong with our government and funding research.
It always pays off ten fold. This isn't even like the stem cell thing where there's a group of people who have serious opposition to the idea.
Provided NASA doesn't want to do something frivolous like shove a twinkie in an asteroid, fund them. When has this not payed off dividends?

This. Doing anything else is pretty damn shortsighted. If we don't dream big and shoot for those goals, we are doomed to mediocrity.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Many great technological discoveries (including technology that is plenty useful here on planet earth) have been generated by NASA and their private contractors throughout the space program. As long as the funding given to NASA is made sure not to be overly squandered on bureaucratic overhead, then it will yield significant dividends and rewards for both taxpayers and private industry.

The last batch of presidential candidates left a good bit to be desired in regards to support for NASA, shame the population cannot be electrified again like during the space race. Maybe our old competitors over in Russia can kick off a new space race once their (and our) economy stabilizes. Nothing drives innovation like competition, throw in a hefty dose of nationalism and we might have a motivated population again.

I hope (while I doubt it will come about anytime soon) to see a space elevator, moon / mars base and most importantly near earth asteroid mining before I go. Imagine what we could learn with massive space telescopes (radio, optical, etc.) on the dark side of the moon.....

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: retrospooty

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

Lack of interest and there is no reason to go back to the moon at this time unless we plan on building some sort of colony there.

Not to mention competition was the main goal back then since we were competing against the Ruskies.

Heck they almost beat us to it but their spacecraft crash landed on the moon a few hours before our shuttle lifted off.

That and the rediculous amount of money we spent to do it... The reasons to do it no longer exist and the fact is, once we got there we found a lifeless useless rock. Why waste money - there isnt much of that going around these days.

MAybe in another 20-30 years, tech will exist that makes it cheaper to accomplish gettng there, building a permanent colony and mining the hell out of it - but intil that is economically feesable, forget it. - right now its THOROUGH waste of money.

Not if the research to create said technology isn't funded.

 

[Darwin333]

Originally posted by: retrospooty

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Why is it that this was done 40 years ago but cannot be done now?

Lack of interest and there is no reason to go back to the moon at this time unless we plan on building some sort of colony there.

Not to mention competition was the main goal back then since we were competing against the Ruskies.

Heck they almost beat us to it but their spacecraft crash landed on the moon a few hours before our shuttle lifted off.

That and the rediculous amount of money we spent to do it... The reasons to do it no longer exist and the fact is, once we got there we found a lifeless useless rock. Why waste money - there isnt much of that going around these days.

MAybe in another 20-30 years, tech will exist that makes it cheaper to accomplish gettng there, building a permanent colony and mining the hell out of it - but intil that is economically feesable, forget it. - right now its THOROUGH waste of money.

Lol, NASAs budget is pennies compared to what we are spending right now. Besides the pure science aspect they also provide a ton of high paying jobs across the nation. We can't have any of that though, Congress needs some new gulfstreams.