The Powers That Be
Just the other day I was having a conversation with my liberal sister in-law when a shot of the space shuttle came across the television. She said that going to space was such a waist of money. I pointed out that she was watching a news story on satelite tv. I don't think she got it.
Ahahaha! Oh man, that's too funny. If you don't mind, I've got to add that as an addendum to that post.
sorry I misspelled waste.
I agree it's hilarious, but I'd like to point out that the shuttle program has very little to do with satellites. (Yes, I know the shuttle has carried a few satellites, but that job is done much cheaper with a traditional booster rocket.)
I'm not one that would argue the $8 billion would be better spent on homeless programs and cat food for the elderly. I would, however, argue that the portion of that $8 billion dedicated to the shuttle, the space station and other manned missions would be better used on unmanned missions and other new technology. The shuttle seems like a vanity project to me, and the two disasters have scuttled that aspect as well.
Related, the manned Mars mission is pie in the sky. Our guys can't even stay on the space station for extended periods without measurable loss of bone mass (1-2% per month).
Unfortunately for some, space projects have been like warfare... even if we've been against it, we're utilizing the gains made as a result of the existence of such... dehydrated meals, teflon, velcro, barbed wire, nuclear power, radar, satellite television, etc.
Speaking of bone loss in zero gravity, now experiments are being conducted on how to combat osteoperosis here on earth... those experiments are taking place in the area that accelerates the disease... in outer space. When they find a way to keep astronauts from losing bone mass in space, it'll trickle down to us calcium-challenged schmucks here on earth.
Many reasons it's a good thing, even when it may seem a waste at any given point in time. It just requires patience.
But, alas, yes, NASA is a government program, and as such needs to be viewed with the same skepticism with which we view the other branches... but, at the same time, it is way cooler than the other branches.
8 billion dollars a year? That is a lot of money. I know some kids that would like to have their sports programs, music programs and art programs back in their schools. They'd also like to quit having split session, asbestos removed from their 100 yr old buildings and new buildings built instead of hanging out in the awful trailer parks that they are using around schools. Let's multiply that 8 billion over the next ten years, it certainly would go a long way to improving our school system. And to all the products that we have obtained as a result of the space program, lets be real, they were discovered right here in a lab on earth. It would have happened eventually with or without the space program. It is a pipe dream that we are ever going to live on another planet. It is time to put that money to much better use.
I would like to see the 8 billion go to the military payroll... give them a raise and bonuses for extraordinary performance.
Let the taxpayer keep the money being spent on the government propaganda pits laughingly referred to as “public schools”. Private schools and home schooling really teach.
And we better develop a way to get off of this planet and/or put up a shield before we get hit by a “planet killer” asteroid or comet... it’s only a matter of time.
Private enterprise space exploration will get us there faster, cheaper, smarter, safer, etc.
Oh, and that asbestos scare is an exageration/lie... read some science.
It is a waste, but we should spend it equaly
right?
yeah but i like boobs
it is a waste i believe, because everything has a price, and i belive the price for fulfillment of childlike dreams is too high.
Yes indeed, NASA is a waste of money. Let's see can anyone of you Geeks tell me how many NASA missions to Mars have failed? What about there cost? Do you really think the International Space Station or Hubble Telescope are going to make any monumental changes to the average human's life? With all the modern technology we have, NASA sends probes to far away planetary moons or to Mars just so we can all admire the same old, grainy, black & white picture of the same old rock. I think all of NASA and the Geek Scientists that work there all need to get laid. Perhaps then they would understand vs. theorize what life is all about. Isn't it funny how any scientist always has to theorize about things? That's due to having absolutely no clue as to what they are talking about. I tend to live my life in reality, not some idiot's assumption of what they believe is true. Instead of looking for water elsewhere, perhaps I can theorize that perhaps, life is not water dependent to sustain life on other planets. There, I made a theory, if you think it's ridiculous, then perhaps you need to get laid.
Good Day
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