Nasa = Waste Of Money?

Okay I understand needing Nasa for satellites for phones, the military or whatever. But why waste money on a space station, going to the moon, sending rovers to mars? To most people around my age I know, and myself it seems like a big waste of money.

Going to the moon, okay been there done that. There's the whole "what did we miss" thing, but really not much. Then there's the belief that going to the moon is a goal to unite Americans or whatever like when they first went. But now no one really cares, we have been to other galaxies, and universes in movies, and video games. The moon doesn't sound impressive.

Same with mars, or a comet. I know it's "for science" but would it really help anything?

The space station is to do what exactly? Go a little further, and last a little longer in space? Why?

I think the money could be better spent. Keep the satellite radio, and four bars on my phone. Keep the solders, and country safe. That's all we need. I never understood why a country always complaining about money wastes it on things that are unimportant.

At least I don't understand the importance. When I was little I thought it was to escape earth before something happens to destroy it. Now that I'm a little wiser, I'm clueless why we need to go where no man has gone before.

reply to post by dementedtheclown


The need for NASA is pretty obvious if you consider the mining industry.

Can't let Russia or China be the first to start mining minerals on the Moon or Mars - hence NASA exists.

Humanity remains a competition for resources, whatever they may be.

Not being rude here at all so do not take it like that.

The space station performs tasks and experiments in a low gravity environment that is hard to reproduce here on Earth. They have plenty of scientific studies and experiments it would take a couple of pages to post them all. I think someone should do some reading on the subject.

Also Hubble has such spectacular pictures because it does not have the Earth's atmosphere to contend with when taking pictures. It is able to reveal far away objects with stunning detail all because it is orbiting outside of our atmosphere.

Nasa and space experiments are some of the more progressive ideas that mankind are doing to advance ourselves, and with what little they do have for funding the make go a long way. Nasa has helped with many of scientific endeavors from putting a mirror on the moon so that we can accurately measure the distance to prove if the theory of relativity is valid.

Please do not harp on Nasa for their meager budget when we are wasting a billion plus a year on a useless and never ending war.

If we could put all that money into Nasa we would be on Mars and have half of the solar system colonized.

Thanks

Pred...

How else are we going to get all those "For Sale" signs with real estate agents pictures on them to Mars? (Does just the word "Mars" count as a second line? Nevermind.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3d327819c900.jpg[/atsimg]
Nasa is not a waste of money. . .well, somewhat. All the lives that have been saved by satellites alone, regarding the weather, not just GPS and phone service. I mean, it's the nature of man to expand beyond his boudaries. . .to touch the face of another world, and so on, until we find that which looks back at us and says "hello".

reply to post by dementedtheclown


OK it seems you fail to see the bigger picture. Understanding the universe will help us better understand ourselves. I'm pretty thrown off by what you have stated simply because it's extremely ignorant. You state "Then there's the belief that going to the moon is a goal to unite Americans or whatever like when they first went. But now no one really cares, we have been to other galaxies, and universes in movies, and video games. The moon doesn't sound impressive". What are you talking about? Are movies and video games reality? Do you actually think NASA or even space have something to do with bars on your phone hmm maybe if you have a satellite phone. A little research might do you and the people you know good instead of just blasting something you have no idea about. You said it yourself " At least I don't understand the importance". To try understanding something takes an open mind and critical thinking.

If your so worried about how much your government spends on NASA, you should see how much money they spend on other things, and trust me I'm sure NASA will be the last of your worries. This is a little web page I found doing a quick Google and its a little shocking.
space exploration

cost of war

reply to post by dementedtheclown




Survive that without Spaceships.

Go ahead....

-Edrick

Okay I got science, satellites, and defense. I agree with the last two, but I still don't see the point with going to the moon, and to everyone talking about the wasted war money I already know. The government wastes made up money on things they don't even tell us about. I was just asking why we need Nasa besides satellites, and defense. All there little science projects seem pointless to me. For example mars rovers, going to the moon, and the space station.

Show me what these have really done to help me, and people I care about. Has it cured anything? has it solved any major world problems? has it made us a nice chunk of cash?

I live in crappy Florida, it's funny to watch everyone run outside to see the rockets go up. Doesn't impress me much anymore. I watched columbia go up in school. Think that was the last one I went outside to see.

reply to post by dementedtheclown


We need to develop technology to get us into space and colonize at least the inner bodies of the solar system. In the long run, thats all that matters for humanity, to ensure our long-term survival.
The most logical way to do this is to start with HLV able to build bigger space station (experiments, tourism...) and manufacturing depots in LEO with it, then colonization of the moon (helium-3 mining, tourism), then propulsion technology to enable us to reach Mars in reasonable time (VASIMR, NTR), and then colonize Mars and asteroids (for mining).
The first phase in each step (initial development of said technologies) cannot be done by commercial entities, because its too risky and unprofitable in the short time. So it must be done by government agency, and when the technology is developed enough, outsource it to commercial providers.

I agree with you that exploration with unmanned probes is less important and can be done more eficiently after our colonization of space, so I would consider enabling our space colonization more important than probes and mars rovers.

reply to post by Maslo


Good point, but still a pretty big IF we last long enough to colonize, and IF we can do it successfully.

reply to post by dementedtheclown


If we dont at least try it (we finally have resources to do so), we have already lost. The more we wait, the bigger is the probability that some global meltdown or other catastrophic event may rob us of the opportunity.

Originally posted by dementedtheclown
But why waste money on a space station, going to the moon, sending rovers to mars?

Because we learn things we didn't know, we develop new technologies we didn't have. The knowledge and technologies find there way back into our hands and they can help improve our standard of living. Space exploration really forces us to push the limits of what we can do, due to the extreme conditions.

It's really not a waste of money. You do get a bit of a return on investment with the space program. You might find this interesting.

The space station is to do what exactly? Go a little further, and last a little longer in space? Why?

It's for experiments that could not be done on Earth, as well as to figure out how to live and work in space. While expensive, it is a valuable tool that could have payoffs that we're yet to see or realize.

Now that I'm a little wiser, I'm clueless why we need to go where no man has gone before.

Because it's human nature too explore.

nasas a waste of your money because they mostly lie about their findings u only hear about the boring discovers or half truths about them, u will never hear the whole story from them.

No it is not. You should really read up on NASA and what they do. I am exhausted when it comes to telling people that NASA does more than just send shuttles to space. They have many other functions and are not a waste of money.