U.S. losing its lead in space, experts warn Congress

U.S. losing its lead in space, experts warn Congress

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WASHINGTON — America's once clear dominance in space is eroding as other nations, including China, Iran and North Korea, step up their activities, a panel of experts told the House subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Thursday.

"Others are catching up fast,'' said Marty Hauser, vice president for Washington operations at the Space Foundation, an advocacy organization headquarters in Colorado Springs. "Of particular note over the past decade is the emergence of China's human spaceflight capabilities.''

Russia now leads the world in space launches. China recently became the thir

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Has space fight / exploration become a dead issue among the American people ? Do the American people realize just what the ramifications would be for losing there top rank as a leading expert in space exploration ?

Why is funding for space looked at as a waist of money by many people ?

It would seem that political will for a meaningful space program has been lost a long time ago and now that other nations are at a point that they too can develop there own space programs we just may find ourselves left behind , so far behind in fact that we could be looking at decades to just catch up , if something isn't done soon .

I for one wish we had of went to the moon in steed of Iraq .

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I think the reasons for not spending on space exploration are twofold:
1.we can't afford it.
2. we have lost our desire to explore
Nasa abandoned the idea of manned missions to Mars in favor of using robots. This was contrary to human nature. We have an innate desire to go forth and be be the first there. We must pursue our greatness. We must go forth at all costs. An international plan is needed. Other countries know what explorationg and study is about and America has lost it.

A little competition never hurt anyone - this might be exactly what we need to get back into the game. And we don't have to be #1 at everything.

Earthdude made some good points.

[edit on 11/20/2009 by Cagalli]

reply to post by Max_TO

Has space fight / exploration become a dead issue among the American people ? Do the American people realize just what the ramifications would be for losing there top rank as a leading expert in space exploration ?

Why the American people? Seems to be the government, not the people making the space decisions.

I just think that many politicians feel it is a waste of money. Maybe NASA hasn't done its part to demonstrate the need for a solid space program.

In the eyes of the general american public going to war is worth more than a space program more like the same people who profit from war

other countries are catching up, maybe it's just their turn. If america still has the same attitude from cold war times they will pay some attention to space.

[edit on 20-11-2009 by toshly]

I think its fair to say the American century has come to an end.

As with the uk 50 yrs ago there comes a time when the money runs out and the people crave new goals.

The real question is who will replace the US? I fear that this empire will not be repalced as ours was with an ally but with a resurgant China.

The start of a real New World Order is upon us. As in the 1700's when Europe rose and the rest of the world fell before them, I think we are all in for a large shock and some dented pride.

Originally posted by Max_TO
Has space fight / exploration become a dead issue among the American people ? Do the American people realize just what the ramifications would be for losing there top rank as a leading expert in space exploration ?

Why is funding for space looked at as a waist of money by many people ?

NASA is broken

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/01c3b78cc874.jpg[/atsimg]

Great topic. As soon as I finish this reply. I'm going to star and flag.
I once asked a teacher of mine when I was in grade school why did we stop going to the moon. He replied that the public lost interest because NASA was BORING and people thought we should take care of other more pressing economic and social problems we were having down here on Earth also NASA was saving up it's funding for the space shuttle fleet.

I agree with some of the above. Don't get me wrong and I am well aware of the advances the space program has brought about. There were/are many hidden benefits from the space program too many to count.

BUT NASA is boring! They provide very good science but they make their discoveries about as exciting and eating pocket lint. In the early 70s and most of the 80s if you asked most NASA people and Computer people for that matter what got them excited about those fields they would say things like Star Trek and Star wars 2001 space odyssey, NASA moon landings were hardly mentioned.

Now we find ourselves funding unpopular wars and running huge deficits. Good grief. Once we beat the Soviets to the moon most of the people lost interest. We had a nation wide program. Back in the day NASA had something like 6% of the national budget. Now it's something like .3% and falling.

We are shooting ourselves in the foot.

[edit on 20-11-2009 by SLAYER69]

reply to post by SLAYER69


Agreed. The US space program is boring. 40 years ago we sent man to the moon, that was exciting. All we seem to do these days is orbit earth in the space shuttle....WOW, how exciting. The Mars missions were pretty interesting I guess but it would get more attention if the sent people to explore instead of robots.

Maybe a little competition will spur innovation and creativity once again so I don't see this as a bad thing.

The others competitors (Russia, China, Japan, India, Brazil, Esa) spends few money regarding what spends NASA, but reaches objectives that expose publicly. Their investment in the new materials and new carriers and new propulsions is indeed important. NASA has only become a hidden arm of the DoD and continues to carry out its functions like a dog that goes to collect the stick. And hidden the goals. Perhaps the competition in the space will make to raise the head to NASA and some of its men before it is too late. S&F

Personally I can never remember a time in our history that the U.S would EVER except placing second to anyone , what's changed ?

Why or what has happened to the American population that lets them think its now ok to aim for second , or even third place ?

The only thing that would make this ok in my mind would be the event that there is some supper top secret space program that renders NASA irrelevant .

reply to post by Max_TO

The only thing that would make this ok in my mind would be the event that there is some supper top secret space program that renders NASA irrelevant.

That's actually what I'm sitting here thinking. It would seem likely the United States government has some top secret projects going on. They must know something and are up to more than just shuttle orbits and Mars rovers.

Think of it along the lines of government/military aircraft. They finally release information once the technology is obsolete. But by the time we hear of it, it's old technology. The government does this quite often and will only present something, that generally is amazing, that we never knew existed but was in use for 50 years.

Or perhaps think along the lines of some UFO sightings possibly being top secret U.S. space vessels?

[edit on 11/20/2009 by AshleyD]

If the government has knowledge of extra terestrials thats something to think about.

Time to bring something out of the Area 51 black-budget developments for use.

You can't tell me the public would not be excited to see NASA launching a manned anti-gravity 'flying saucer' to the Moon, Mars, etc.

Originally posted by AshleyD
reply to post by Max_TO

 

The only thing that would make this ok in my mind would be the event that there is some supper top secret space program that renders NASA irrelevant.

That's actually what I'm sitting here thinking. It would seem likely the United States government has some top secret projects going on. They must know something and are up to more than just shuttle orbits and Mars rovers.

Think of it along the lines of government/military aircraft. They finally release information once the technology is obsolete. But by the time we hear of it, it's old technology. The government does this quite often and will only present something, that generally is amazing, that we never knew existed but was in use for 50 years.

Or perhaps think along the lines of some UFO sightings possibly being top secret U.S. space vessels?

[edit on 11/20/2009 by AshleyD]

Right AshleyD!
This is what NASA have already in its hangars... (FOXNEWS)
www.disclose.tv...
A NASA Hypersonic jet that will able to blast off to six times the speed of sound whit a pulse detonate engine.

[edit on 21-11-2009 by Imagir]

I wouldn’t say other states are getting ahead, id say other states are willing to push the envelope in weaponising space.
I mean, once the US got to the moon, the only realistic next step was Mars, but, what would be the advantage?

The cold war meant we had to defeat the Russians, not just militarily but theoretically.
Thus, the moon.

But the 70's, 80's, 90's saw a more focused approach on OIL, industry, technological advancement in the home. It was a lot more important to lead the world in these areas at that time.

Today, things have changed.
All of a sudden the US appears fallible. All of a sudden other nations can hamstring them.

The day is coming where American will be forced to put up, or shut up.
It won’t be Iran, it won’t be Israel and it won’t be its own people.
It will be China, and the west Asian states telling the US, your time as big dog is over.

reply to post by earthdude


The world is going to hell in a hand basket.....War, pollution, famine........and people like you think that "going forth" is going to produce what exactly. The idea of all of man's problems being solved by space exploration is immature and juvenile. NASA and space is a huge waste of money right now. I know I know........I hear it all the time.......oh but if it wasn't for space we wouldn't have supercomputers and Apple Ipods. As if the world and human beings need anymore technology????????????????

America has more homeless and starving people (children) than ever before, unemployment is going through the roof, our wars are milking us dry, corruption is more prevalent on WallStreet and in DC than ever................but yeah let's spend billions exploring space. Typical behavior of the human psyche......ignore reality and live in a dream world.

NASA has lost every credibility in the world-wide the public opinion.
See the LCROSS project.

The real problem is tha NASA during all these years has yielded to the arrogance of the MILITARY. NASA, although the hundreds and hundred of billions dollars of federal budgets, have not obtained no meaningful result. NASA for a its hidden strategy has preferred to reach money by the BLACK BUDGET and to operate secretly on secret operations of tightened military competence.

[edit on 21-11-2009 by Imagir]

[edit on 21-11-2009 by Imagir]