European space prepares to make a really big decision

More than 300 of Europe's leading space scientists gathered in Paris this week to discuss how to spend more than a billion euros. The options? Well, try to choose between these three:

(1) a 20m-long telescope called IXO that could see the very "edge" of a black hole; or (2) a trio of satellites collectively known as LISA which might be able to detect the ripples in space-time left by the moment of creation itself; or (3) a pair of spacecraft that would visit two of the most promising locations for life beyond Earth in our Solar System. This is called EJSM/Laplace.



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reply to post by grindhouzer


well I know currently my vote would be for option (3) a pair of spacecraft that would visit two of the most promising locations for life beyond Earth in our Solar System. This is called EJSM/Laplace.

Number 3.

Been fascinated by the potential of Europa since reading the sequels to 2001 when I was younger.

i really want 3 .... given the recent news about new planets being discovered... but lets face it its going to to be 2 so we can "learn more about the creation of the universe" either way... results from either 2/3 would result in most religions being discredited ... soo might not be thatbad

It's a tough choice but I'd have to go with #3 as it is the most "needed now" operation. It's more important we locate other possible planets where humans could thrive in the event of a coming extinction, even if those places needed to be terraformed, versus seeing the edge of a black hole or detecting the ripple of creation. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the other two -- I think seeing the edge of a black hole would be an incredible revelation for all of mankind. But at this stage of human civilization, the most important exploratory task is to find other worlds we could possibly live on in the future.

Oh they will easily spend billions,
then hide what ever they find.
I say just throw one hell of a party so everyone can enjoy!

Definitely number three! And yes, they would hide anything found, but I think it'd be easier to just stage it, and have nothing to hide in the first place. And a billion dollars.

reply to post by grindhouzer


Most people will want number 3 so..... let me guess they'll spend the money on number 1...

I was going to pick #1, until I re-read #3, and now I want #3. Even if we don't find life, I'm sure we'll find SOMETHING of interest. Still, I'll be happy with any of the three choices if they come back with interesting data.

(At first I thought #3 proposed to send probes to other solar systems, but by the time they got there in a few decades or more, we'd probably have invented way faster propulsion systems and outrace them there)

reply to post by grindhouzer


None of the above. They could take that money, create a fund, with NASA, Russia, Japan, and other emerging nations, with a Space Program, and start building a one-way manned space mission to Mars, as suggested by DARPA.
Isn't it about time that the world pulled together, in the same direction, and tried to build an off-earth base? Wasn't one of the roles of the ISS to serve as a platform for manned space exploration?

Enough with the robots, satellites, probes, telescopes, and the likes. Let us Humans join in an program that we, as a species, actually care about, and that can draw from the better facets of Mankind, into one common gigantic, and useful goal.

Good question... Personally before choosing option 3 I would like pressure to be placed on NASA to release any info they might have that would confirm microbial life beyond earth. The most recent info to come out about Mars suggest the viking landers did in fact find the buidling blocks of life.

If thats true, why reinvent the wheel?

Save that money and allocate it for creating jobs in Europe today. It may not be much, but with each job created, the returns will be exponential with consumer spending, going further into social expenditures such as education and better research into the further evolution of our sciences, that will make the retarded spending for either of the 3 options a joke and a waste of money decades later, with improved knowledge that may reduce the time and cost of such options.

Although number3 at first seems attractive,It is also the most risky and likeley to fail in terms of technology IMO.
I would go with an all out effort for a colony on Mars,as some folks have already mentioned-its a better bet,and I believe it is doable with todays technology.

I can't help thinking that the reason no one is doing this is that some secret black ops folks have already done so.
Its their territory for the time being,maybe they have lasers/missiles preventing others from taking the risk.

A big russian fsb owned mining/energy company maybe...or something out of dugway.
Someones gotta have at least tried by now I bet.

Maybe there are humans getting born on Mars as we go about our earthly business.

Originally posted by Silcone Synapse
Although number3 at first seems attractive,It is also the most risky and likeley to fail in terms of technology IMO.

Actually, it's the least risky one.

The International X-ray Observatory would require support from both NASA and JAXA. The more collaboration, the more chance of someone backing out and building a completely new kind of X-ray observatory has obvious technological risks.

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna would require support from NASA and uses completely new and untested technologies and total of 3 spacecraft. Serious risks.

Meanwhile the Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter isn't that special. Remember, ESA has a lot of experience with these things. Even at this very moment they are operating the Mars Express in orbit of Mars, the Venus Express in orbit around Venus and the Rosetta on it's way to a comet. The JGO doesn't require co-operation with other agencies and it doesn't rely on any new novel technologies.

I would go with an all out effort for a colony on Mars,as some folks have already mentioned-its a better bet,and I believe it is doable with todays technology.

Sending a small unmanned spacecraft is several magnitudes lower in price compared to any kind of manned flights.

source: futureplanets.blogspot.com...

I'd go with #3. Make a colony elsewhere, possibly make money, and then make #1 and 2. ?

Sick and tired of another "small unmanned" crafts.

Humans need to Dream, and conquer uncharted borders.

Nobody actually cares about any Space Program, presently available, be it from NASA, ESA, Russia, China, Japan, Brazil, India, and so on. Why? Because humans are passionate creatures, who need to feel like they are part of something Bigger. And, I'm sorry, little probes, satellites, robots, observatories, and whatever, just doesn't interest anybody, outside the scientific community.

A truly worldwide effort at manned missions is what people want, and probably the only project capable of uniting powers that are destined to collide. It would also:
- Create thousands of well paid jobs
- Contribute for a more peaceful world
- Permit huge technological leeps
- In the ling run, be an economically profitable endeavor

Let us be like JFK - we must think BIG. Our ancestors would expect nothing less from us...

As for the money, just a small cut in the stupid, useless, military budgets, of the major powers, would more then pay for any project, no matter how bold, and huge.

Originally posted by CerBeRus666
Sick and tired of another "small unmanned" crafts.

Humans need to Dream, and conquer uncharted borders.

Nobody actually cares about any Space Program, presently available, be it from NASA, ESA, Russia, China, Japan, Brazil, India, and so on. Why? Because humans are passionate creatures, who need to feel like they are part of something Bigger. And, I'm sorry, little probes, satellites, robots, observatories, and whatever, just doesn't interest anybody, outside the scientific community.

A truly worldwide effort at manned missions is what people want, and probably the only project capable of uniting powers that are destined to collide. It would also:
- Create thousands of well paid jobs
- Contribute for a more peaceful world
- Permit huge technological leeps
- In the ling run, be an economically profitable endeavor

Let us be like JFK - we must think BIG. Our ancestors would expect nothing less from us...

As for the money, just a small cut in the stupid, useless, military budgets, of the major powers, would more then pay for any project, no matter how bold, and huge.

Kudos kudos my friend. Best post today.

I always hope they'll one day decide to devote a majority of the time, resources, money, and technology to colonizing the cosmos. I intend to be there when that day comes. =P

A manned mission to Mars, please. We have never been to another planet.

reply to post by grindhouzer


Option number three hands down!

The others are interesting but two craft out looking for life well that would be so much better. Hopefully by then they won't hide their findings

Option # 5....

.....build a shipyard on the moon..

....build several really large ships from lunar titanium.

Oh i'm sorry..dreaming again!!

Cosmic...