Mars, Here We Come! Congress Approves $19 Billion NASA Budget

reply to post by zorgon


We are becoming obsolete. Replaced by robots. Our greatest edge and asset may be our soul. Whatever that is.

Now, how many of those 1200 who were laid off will try to make some money selling conspiracy theories as "credible" witnesses who once worked at NASA?

reply to post by henriquefd


None yet. Your faith in mankind is lacking, I dont blame you. Perhaps there is motives for actions we do not understand.

Originally posted by rajaten
reply to post by henriquefd

 

None yet. Your faith in mankind is lacking, I dont blame you. Perhaps there is motives for actions we do not understand.

Wow. From that post you go all the way to judge my faith in mankind? Please to meet you, Judge Dred! I do have faith in mankind and mostly it is because I am part of it! (i have shades too! Ha!)

Nice to see our government has their priorities in line.

I wonder how many citizens could benefit from that 19 billion.

I wonder if any one citizen (not involved in the project) will benefit from our vacation to the red-dead.

I'm sorry to all those Buck Rogers types, but in this economy, this seems absolutely insane.
That's still a lot of money, and we the voters have no say in it. None. I would like someone here to explain to me how this spending is going to help us out of our economic mess. Or how we are going to learn something so profitable that it would be worth it.

Reply to post by Rustami

Yeah its featured on the movie Total Recall


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by Ben81
with the 19 billions ...it should be the opposite and hire more people WTF ..

Well it's the Shuttle workers that are being laid off. With the Space Shuttle being retired soon, there isn't going to be much need for there services unfortunately.

Originally posted by zorgon
If you look at the new USAF Space Plane that is currently in orbit... it requires no pilot...

There isn't exactly any room for one.

The Russian Progress series space craft that service the ISS are also robotic

No more people needed, tell your kids to forget wanting to be an astronaut

So is the ESA's ATV. JAXA's HTV, SpaceX's Dragon (the cargo variant anyway) and Orbital Science's Cygnus Spacecraft, which is still in development.

But these are all cargo vessels, so you wouldn't want people in them taking up space. You're being bit sensationalistic when you say that no more people are needed. There will always be a need for Astronauts.

reply to post by jra

There will always be a need for Astronauts.

Exactly!!!

Light speed limitations result in severe difficulty IF one wishes to have some sort of direct remote controlled robotic device. Still, improvements in the algorithms, programming and other tech make the more autonomous robots better, with each passing year.

Those devices are best used as the forerunners, the "advance scouts" to accomplish many goals, so that the (very) expensive, eventual transport of humans to more distant asteroids and planets will have eliminated as many 'unexpected' problems and uncertainties as possible.

Still....we are a long, long way from Star Trek, or any other fictional creation and representation of how it "might be". Reality is, it is a far more difficult endeavour, and will take a great deal of time...perhaps a few generations. Technological improvements, and continued invention, will be keys to future successes.

Certainly, the "best" stuff will likely be happening well after my turn on this rock has ended.

If you keep throwing money into 'rocket' programs... and you will never have Star Trek! Let's see this new technology Aries 'rocket' on it's way to explore Gliese 581g.

Stop wasting money on rocket propulsion. Get on with developing quantm field propulsion.

reply to post by rajaten


couldn't we be feeding some starving humans with that money or shouldn't we at least try to develop a healthy coexistance with this planet before we go f*ck up another one...?

I mean its cool & all as an idea I just think in these times there are more important things..

-B.M

Originally posted by SLaPPiE
I'm sorry to all those Buck Rogers types, but in this economy, this seems absolutely insane.

Originally posted by B.Morrison
couldn't we be feeding some starving humans with that money or shouldn't we at least try to develop a healthy coexistance with this planet before we go f*ck up another one...?

Oh for crying out loud

I can't believe the level of ignorance I see at ATS these days
19 billion and you getting mad? Why not cry about something that should REALLY get you mad? I get so tired of people making this "feed the people' red herring when at the same time no one even bats an eyelash at stuff that is posted everywhere

19 Billion? Want a real crusade to feed the sheep...errr people?

2.3 TRILLION missing... unaccounted for released ONE DAY before 9/11 carried on CBS



FY 1999 2.3 trillion missing
FY 2000 1.2 trillion missing



Is Anyone Minding the Store at the Federal Reserve? FY 2009 ( NINE TRILLION MISSING)



That is 30,000 for every man woman and child in the USA Just LISTEN to those people running your country
You want something to get mad about... try that and leave the peanuts for space exploration alone

Originally posted by jra
There isn't exactly any room for one.

Precisely my point

But these are all cargo vessels, so you wouldn't want people in them taking up space. You're being bit sensationalistic when you say that no more people are needed. There will always be a need for Astronauts.

Really? Sensationalistic? All our military planes are leaning towards UAV's with awesome fire power... we can phase out those pilots too... mark my words, the robots are taking over I am surprised that you haven't kept up

So your on record now saying the new Air Force Space Plane is merely a cargo vessel?

Originally posted by weedwhacker

There will always be a need for Astronauts.

Exactly!!!

Wanna bet? But no worries... you could always get a job unloading that cargo.... Oh wait... isn't Dextre the Robot taking that job too?

Dextre at Work What's the world's most complex space robot doing up there? In June 2008, Dextre was moved atop the Destiny Laboratory Module of the International Space Station (ISS), completing tasks prior to the the STS-124 mission's deployment of Japan's Kibo pressurized science laboratory.

www.nasa.gov...

You know what I REALLY like? When NASA gives me the ammo I need to shut guys like you and JRA down

NASA Robonaut Program
robonaut.jsc.nasa.gov...

NASA Outlines Big Plans for Humanoid Robot - NASA Science
science.nasa.gov...

ISS Mission - Robonaut: Home
robonaut.jsc.nasa.gov...

R2 (not D2!): Humanoid robot heading to ISS
www.cfnews13.com...(not-D2):-Humanoid-robot-heading-to-ISS
ATS URL bug bites again... you will have to copy this url from quote. Is there a work around for that yet?

Astronauts of the past Meet ROBONAUT

They don't eat, and they don't talk about Space UFO's and don't need a paycheck or pension



Face it Wacky, pilots and astronauts are being phased out In YOUR lifetime

No More Astronauts Needed... Meet ROBONAUT
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by zorgon


You missed my point.....the utility of robots is NOT in question, NOR is it being ignored. They are increasingly useful tools....and always WILL be...because they aren't alive. (Well...barring any breakthroughs, like positroinc brains and androids and the like....and A.I., etc. But, that's going to be more of a philosophical debate, someday I suppose....)

As I wrote, they will be in the vanguard in many instances....precursers to the eventual humans to follow. It will be about making as SAFE as possible, for the people. Also, it's incredibly expensive to keep the meat alive, compared to just the fuel and energy needed to loft mass that doesn't require all the TLC.

reply to post by SLaPPiE

No kidding the only thing this will do is save jobs for some NASA employees, but who gives a FFFF about the rest of the nation.

Originally posted by zorgon
Really? Sensationalistic? All our military planes are leaning towards UAV's with awesome fire power... we can phase out those pilots too... mark my words, the robots are taking over

I am surprised that you haven't kept up

Yes there are a number of UAV's in development, but I don't think UAV's will take over completely. I think we'll just see a mix of manned and unmanned aircraft working together. The same goes for spacecrafts.

So your on record now saying the new Air Force Space Plane is merely a cargo vessel?

I said no such thing.

Wanna bet? But no worries... you could always get a job unloading that cargo.... Oh wait... isn't Dextre the Robot taking that job too?

How does Dextre help unload cargo (by that I mean food and supplies) when it's on the outside of the space station?

And besides, wouldn't cargo ships be rather useless if there were no astronauts to deliver cargo to? Think about it for a minute.

Originally posted by zorgon

I can't believe the level of ignorance I see at ATS these days
19 billion and you getting mad? Why not cry about something that should REALLY get you mad?


That is 30,000 for every man woman and child in the USA Just LISTEN to those people running your country
You want something to get mad about... try that and leave the peanuts for space exploration alone

edit on 1-10-2010 by zorgon because: Insanity RULES at ATS

I can't believe you called me ignorant. I will give you your opinion, though we shall see.

Uh first off...No, I will not leave it alone just cause you said to.
Second...no need to change the subject, as I am well aware NASA is far from all of our problems. That is not what is being discussed here now is it?

Lastly, Why don't you answer my questions? Or are you Ignorant?

Missed your point? No I am pretty sure I got it, I just don't think that is their goal.

Originally posted by weedwhacker
reply to post by jra

 

There will always be a need for Astronauts.

Exactly!!!

Originally posted by jra
I said no such thing.

My bad you said "But these are all cargo vessels" I guess I missed the part where you said "except the space plane that had no room for a pilot"

Originally posted by SLaPPiE
no need to change the subject, as I am well aware NASA is far from all of our problems.

Well seems silly to be worried about Peanuts when it's the caviar being stolen out from under us. Besides every dime ever spent on the space program has been returned many fold in offshoot discoveries like Velcro that everyone uses and jobs provided to feed people from that same tech now in the manufacturing domain...

So as I said a red herring

And I apologize for dragging you into the generalization of ignorance

reply to post by zorgon


Just to jump, whether invited or not, into a reply to -jra- was this exchange:

My bad you said "But these are all cargo vessels" I guess I missed the part where you said "except the space plane that had no room for a pilot"

Well....when -jra- points out that the "space plane" (let's be specific, current designation 'X-37') ...uhhh, because of its (the 'X-37')'s size, it ALSO has little room for cargo.

The darned thing, let's be clear here....it is (and this doesn't even need any 'Top Secret' clearance to figure out) is nothing less than a high-tech version of the old U-2 'spyplane'.

Military "spy" satellites are vulnerable, of course, because once on orbit, they are pretty well fixed, and predictable. Orbital trajectories aren't difficult for space scientists (in any nation) to calculate. CHANGING orbit, when 'on' orbit, reguires a change in Delta V (velocity) and that requires thrust, and thrust requires fuel.

This means, even if "Top Secret" when launched, and IF it has a quantity of fuel to achieve any orbital adjustments, a satellite will eventually exhaust its supply. Any missions back to it, will usually be fairly obvious to prying eyes.

This 'X-37', if it carries a payload (and it will) is, to my mind, most useful as the epitome' of the UAV (so-called "drones") that are being used to such public display in Pakistan, for example....it is a "Space UAV" spy vehicle (Trademark Pending) that will incorporate the best of the orbiting platforms' abilities to "spy" (camera technology) with a vehicle that can maneuver on command, and be recovered and re-launched at less cost than traditional "Orbital Handicapped" (another Trademark Pending) satellite platforms.

(ps....how'm I doing, so far??? Are the 'MIB' tracking my activities yet????)