Congress Provides NASA Funding To Build a Space Habitat for Astronauts on Mars

I'm not one of those who thinks that the space program is a waste; on the contrary, I think it's a much better way to spend tax $ than perpetual war and huge subsidies for mega-corporations. But on this, I'm afraid I have to join the 'Bad Idea' side.

How about taking that money and preparing/hardening our electric grid against an EMP/Solar Flare? It's completely doable, would only take some cash and a few years. And as far as good investments, I would argue there's none of a more critical importance. If the sun randomly spews one big Coronal Mass Ejection in our direction (as has happened before with devastating results- Google 'Carrington Event'), or fill in the blank country decides to set off a nuclear airburst over North America and EMP our asses back to the stone age, it would be bad. Current estimates are at least 100 years to get us back to our current condition... so it's game over man, game over! And once all the nuclear power stations started overheating and melting down from lack of offsite power, and no fuel for their diesel generators due to no working gas stations and clogged roads, our country- and eventually the whole planet- world would be a nuclear wasteland for thousands of years.

So yeah, better ways to spend that billion than a cool clubhouse on Mars.

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: lostbook

Fantastic!

Finally, I finally get to start my potato farm.

Hopefully, you won't run out of ketchup and come down with scurvy and have to resort to using Vicodin as a condiment.

Whoops, double post

a reply to: lostbook

I thought Bigelow Aerospace already had all the contracts for the US?

originally posted by: IkNOwSTuff
Is it just me or do all American alphabet agencies seem to really struggle with math when it comes to money?

$1.3 billion to build a $55 million habitat?

I know it sounds confusing...I see it as NASA is getting an extra $1.3 billion for next year. Of that amount, $55 million has to be spent on the Mars habitat. I assume the rest will be used on other important parts of the Mars effort.

They are just leaving breadcrumbs for a trail as they are already running far far ahead of the pack high tech wise.

At this rate we will all be dead before we see the big picture. I am surprised Trump has not used getting back into space in his campaign as that would rope in damned near everyone except for those miserable SJWs votes.

originally posted by: lostbook
Congress Provides NASA Funding To Build a Space Habitat for Astronauts on Mars

An astronaut zoo on Mars sounds like a great notion.
Will there be other species, or are humans/astronauts just too dangerous to be allowed near other species?
What concerns me is where will the tourist $ come from?
Not Earth, not yet!
You know, they are going to require food and medical and habitat upkeep,... beer... like any captive species.
What sort of tricks can they do that I'd even want to see them? *__-