Saaaay, I thought Bush was supposed to say something about the space program and plans to go to the Moon and Mars...What happened?

The white house made a comment on this subject about a week ago.

Yeah, but I wish it would be announced, not just a small comment! And at the State of the Union address, imagine the impact that would have had on the space program!

Sorry but I think the trillion being spent on moon base to launch future mission to mars is a steaming loaf. We dont need humans to do it. Machines are completly capable at a fraction of the cost. I love the idea just not at this moment in time (money wise).. After all, Arnold just told Californians he going to eliminate programs that support handi cap indivuals who are unable to work and provide for themselves. I think we need to ensure our citizens are taken care of before we spend trillions on a trip to find if there is water on Mars. I really dont want to be living out a dumpster to fund that puppy!! Sorry if thats unpopular

[Edited on 21-1-2004 by dreamrebel]

Originally posted by dreamrebel
Sorry but I think the trillion being spent on moon base to launch future mission to mars is a steaming loaf. We dont need humans to do it. Machines are completly capable at a fraction of the cost. I love the idea just not at this moment in time (money wise).. After all, Arnold just told Californians he going to eliminate programs that support handi cap indivuals who are unable to work and provide for themselves. I think we need to ensure our citizens are taken care of before we spend trillions on a trip to find if there is water on Mars. I really dont want to be living out a dumpster to fund that puppy!! Sorry if thats unpopular

[Edited on 21-1-2004 by dreamrebel]

This is to be funded by Nasa by cancelling things such as the ISS and Hubble refit, into the tools needed to fund it. Also just 1 billion a year increase Bush asked for, as he wants a slow step by step approach. So the the current budget for Nasa will increase by that 1 billion for only 5 years.

Michael

Ps - I think the ISS is a waste anyway , outdated when it was still on the drafting table, but to keep feeding it money that is a waste.

since when are they cancelling the iss dont they need that thing to get to the moon etc.

I hear you on that Ark Angel (point taken). I realize the benifits in tech and other things that become when we engage on these missions. After all there would be no velcro, tang, or gps without previous expenditures (to name a few). I just think spending is kinda spiralling out of control. I DONT WANT TO PAY ANY MORE TAXES DAMMIT.. I want the 405 freeway expanded so it doesnt take 2 hours to get 25 miles to work.

I think that going back to the moon is a waste of time and money. However, going to Mars would be a worthy endevor because this planet is overcrowded and someday we're going to have to expand. It sucks that I'll be a middle-aged man by the time we put a person on Mars, though.

Originally posted by Kriskaos
since when are they cancelling the iss dont they need that thing to get to the moon etc.

If memory is true I read that O'Keef is going to move 11 billions dollars that is going to the ISS over to this project of getting to the Moon and Mars. In 2010 the Shuttle and the ISS project should be mothballed if I read it correctly. Yes we will need this as a stepping stone but I'm guessing the money we now pour into the ISS will be greatly reduced or cancelled.
Me I believe the ISS was wrong to begin with, we need not a low space station but one that is permanently stationed, then we could really learn the effects of space on the human body. Flying under the the protection of earth magnetic field we will never see the full effect space will have on us. The Moon is even more hostile than the ISS as it has no atmosphere to fight off the effects of the sun, radiation.

Maerlyn:
Learning on the Moon before going to Mars is a wise step, and not a waste of money or time. Wanting to go straight to Mars sounds great, but the needed understanding of how space travel on LONG trips will affect the human mind, body and spirit is yet to be fully understood. Probe's to Mars are the scouts needed to locate needed resouce for staying on the planet. Same on the Moon, and they can tell us how hostile living there is going to be. Technology has taken great leaps and using what we have been blessed with to protect life sounds like a sure way to successfully take back the Moon for all that it's worth, along with new property Mars.

Michael

[Edited on 22-1-2004 by Ark-Angel]

Originally posted by dreamrebel
...I DONT WANT TO PAY ANY MORE TAXES DAMMIT.. I want the 405 freeway expanded so it doesnt take 2 hours to get 25 miles to work.

Amen to that!!! But I do want to go to the Moon and then onto Mars. The ISS is going to turn into a Skylab was, obsolete. There is only so much we can do on the ISS. We need to look beyond and set our sights higher, which is what Bush did in his announcement about returning to the Moon and setting foot on Mars.

Originally posted by dreamrebel
Sorry but I think the trillion being spent on moon base to launch future mission to mars is a steaming loaf. We dont need humans to do it. Machines are completly capable at a fraction of the cost. I love the idea just not at this moment in time (money wise).. After all, Arnold just told Californians he going to eliminate programs that support handi cap indivuals who are unable to work and provide for themselves. I think we need to ensure our citizens are taken care of before we spend trillions on a trip to find if there is water on Mars. I really dont want to be living out a dumpster to fund that puppy!! Sorry if thats unpopular

[Edited on 21-1-2004 by dreamrebel]

It doesn't cost a trilion dollar. that is just a comment from the people who always want to bring bush in discredit. If clinton said it on his term it would be fine but now bush says it whow lets say it cost a trilion so everyone is against building a base on the moon. they can build the part lowcost on earth send the parts by rocket to the surface and let them land at a specified place where robots builds the parts together this can be done remote controlled. its low cost and will cost less. much less as a trillion dollar.

I didn't know they were going to pull funding from the ISS! How are the russians going to beat us for a tenth of the price if there is no space station from which to launch their craft to Mars?