President Obama Signs NASA Space Exploration Act Into Law

President Obama Signs NASA Space Exploration Act Into Law

www.foxnews.com

President Obama signed a major NASA act today (Oct. 11) that turns his vision for U.S. space exploration of asteroids and Mars into law.

The signing makes official a NASA authorization act that scraps the space agency's previous moon-oriented goal and paves the way for a mannedmission to an asteroidby 2025. A manned mission to Mars is envisioned for some time in the 2030s.

The bill also calls for a budget of $19 billion for NASA in 2011, adding one extra space shuttle flight before the fleet retires next year, and the extension
of the International Space Station through at least 2020.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Keeping NASA in business I see.

Now we get to go into space but this time to explore rocks floating around in space. Wonderful.

Personally while NASA is a cool and historic organization. It really hasn't done alot except to launch the suttle fleet into space. Opening up space to the private sector would go a long way to getting us up in space more.

How about funding companies that can go into space or giving them tax breaks for building ships that can get us there.

www.foxnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by grey580
Whew,nothing like "Ear-Marking" untold bazillions of dollars for space exploration,when most of our problems are here on earth.

Budgets are being slashed everywhere,but not the biggest budgets.

Now it's a law?.

I give up on this place.

reply to post by grey580


And what exactly is in the act?
Anyone?

I understand hesitant views however there are several things we could accomplish here.

1. Who knows what resources are available within asteroids? We may discover previously untapped resources which could lead way to a more privatized space program especially if a method is developed for relatively inexpensive transport to earth.

2. A manned mission to mars is something humanity has strived for since we landed on the moon. I think we can all agree that landing on a distant world is a very cool thing.

3. This could lead way to other methods of propulsion and funding for experimental sciences ergo travel to another world orbiting around another star.. We already have a good candidate for this.

I understand it's expensive and all that but I would much rather our money go into this than into another stimulus package lining the pockets of foreign bankers.

I'm mixed.
When it comes to space exploration, we can't let all the other countries have all the fun.

Yet at the same time I'm also skeptic because seems everything Obama touches turns to ...
well,
you get the picture.

To borrow a famous space exploratory quote:

reply to post by jazz10


Here is the full text. I haven't read it. frwebgate.access.gpo.gov...:s3729es.txt.pdf

I don't approve of the space program. Never have. I think it's a big mistake to be spending billions of dollars to explore space when we're so messed up here. So to me, this is not good news.

Such a profound waste of taxpayer money. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the 1200 laid off NASA workers surrounding the enthusiasm of space exploration. I'm sure there is much going on behind the curtains of the Obamaverse than meets the eye.

While China is pushing ahead with their pursuit of a lunar mission by the year 2020, Obama scraps NASA's because it was the Bush Administrations initiative. This is the only reason and there isn't another. It's very obvious now that Obama doesn't have any idea of the cost and logistics that's going to required to do any one of these, two especially with our national debt prohibiting such extravagant and quite useless projects.

He needs to rethink the advantages of returning to the Moon and humble himself and scrap his own pursuits. Of course we've been to the Moon and that's why we need to return because we already have the technology of getting there. No more research and developement on systems that requires months and months of performance without failure, especially without the funding that's required to do so.

I've asked a couple of NASA engineers what they think, and while being professional in their opinion, you could sense a disdain for Obama's ideas. With costs aside, they noted the time and shear complexity to catch up with an asteroid while sustaining an astronauts life, not to mention the danger that would be involved.

Of course I'm going to get flamed for being 'pessimistic' about Obama's plans but we, and he, needs to listen to people who are the experts in the feild of space travel. While it's easier that time travel, it's harder than establishing a permanent presence on the Moon.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


"But Signore Columbus...how can we possibly benefit from the exploration of a new continent?"

"I don't know...let's see...."

Originally posted by grey580


Keeping NASA in business I see.

Now we get to go into space but this time to explore rocks floating around in space. Wonderful.

Personally while NASA is a cool and historic organization. It really hasn't done alot except to launch the suttle fleet into space. Opening up space to the private sector would go a long way to getting us up in space more.

How about funding companies that can go into space or giving them tax breaks for building ships that can get us there.

www.foxnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

You think NASA hasn't really done a lot? If it wasn't for NASA research and development, private enterprise spacecraft builders would have NOTHING to base their designs on.

NASA scientists have pioneered many of the technologies that you use in your everyday lives

Originally posted by avocadoshag
"But Signore Columbus...how can we possibly benefit from the exploration of a new continent?"

"I don't know...let's see...."

If we weren't about to destroy our planet and if we were living happy, healthy lives and not on the verge of the fall of the Empire, I would be behind NASA 100%. But whatever problems we have here that have not been addressed will follow us wherever we go. The grass is not greener in space, and if it is, we will surely turn it brown.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


what a bunch of baloney. we have the technology to make a colony on another world like ours reliant solely on wind, water, and solar power. and a colony on worlds like mars solar and wind powered. short of zero point energy that's as green as you can get. the space program has done wonders for our technological level. the government money used by nasa to contract companies like ibm has resulted in advances that each of us use every day.

we're one big rock away from total extinction. self loathing isn't going to help us.



we need to explore space, learn to gather resources out there and expand out into the solar system and beyond, if our species (and others if we bring them with) is to survive into the distant future agencies like NASA, along with private companies are essential. what we learn along the way helps with problems at home as well.

so this idea that we aren't worthy of exploring space, or that it's a waste of time...is ignorant. NASA's current budget is around 17 billion, this increase is hardly noticeable. they need a bigger budget, and less bureaucracy. that's what you guys should be complaining about.

reply to post by grey580


waste of taxpayer funds..............................

its is my profound belief that space exploration needs to be privatized.......................... the innovation and cash of people who have that vision lead the way.....................let them foot the bill.

nasa itself should just be absorbed in the air force...............


the most expensive element is on the moon he3 last time i checked its price was 5 million a gram...........i see profit

Originally posted by optimus primal
reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

 

what a bunch of baloney. we have the technology to make a colony on another world like ours reliant solely on wind, water, and solar power.

We have the technology to do that here. And we don't. Because of the politics involved. What makes you think there won't be politics to prevent us from doing so on another planet?

the space program has done wonders for our technological level.

And the increase in our technological level, coupled with politics, ignorance and greed, has practically insured our downfall. What makes you think the same won't happen on another planet?

the government money used by nasa to contract companies like ibm has resulted in advances that each of us use every day.

Absolutely true. But space exploration was not necessary for these advances. And I'm having a hard time thinking of advances that we couldn't live without. The Space Program LED us to a lot of advances, but the Space Program wasn't necessary for us to come to these advances. We could have invented a cordless drill without going into space, for example.

we're one big rock away from total extinction. self loathing isn't going to help us.

If you're assuming self-loathing from my post, you are incorrect.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Whilst I think you are absolutely right in regards to sorting out life on terra firma before gallivanting round the galaxy, I wonder if we could repeat some of the romantic ideals witnessed during the race to the moon. That quest seemed to enhance national identity which in turn fostered a community spirit. It encapsulated a lot of dreams about reaching into the unknown and achieving the impossible. All things we have lost in a 21st Century world of terror.

Well allow me to jump in with both feet and although I think NASA isn't the most efficient agency around at the moment it's what we have. I hope they'll get their head out of their rear and go back to doing what made them great instead of sending unmanned robots that could drive over a fossil and miss evidence completely.

Human exploration is the way to go. I also consider the amount of jobs created and supported by the space program not only that but all the technology both known/commercial and unknown/military that it develops. Yeah sure one can argue it's a waste of time, money and energy but what else are we going to do with it? Give it to somebody on food-stamps?

reply to post by LarryLove


I would like to think we can go back there, but I don't. We have become too cynical, mistrustful, selfish and willfully ignorant. I don't think there's any turning back.

A mission to an Asteroid?? Who gives a flying crap about landing a man on an Asteroid? Not me thats for sure.

This is bullsh*t, we should be pulling out all the stops to land a man on Mars at least! Not the Moon not an Asteroid....MARS!

In fact we should of been to Mars already...a good 20 years ago.

I believe it was Ben Rich, the former CEO of Lockheed Skunkworks who the follwing quotes was attributed to:

"We now have the technology to take ET home" ......
“We already have the means to travel among the stars".....

If this is the case the NASA are insulting our intelligence in a BIG.....BIG WAY!

Originally posted by SLAYER69
Yeah sure one can argue it's a waste of time, money and energy but what else are we going to do with it? Give it to somebody on food-stamps?

How about putting it into green energy? Making solar power more of a reality? Creating jobs by rebuilding our infrastructure for the 21st century? Designing an energy efficient car? Reducing our dependence on oil? I can think of TONS of good causes for the billions that are, I believe, wasted in exploring space.