Obama and the Final Frontier

[photog212]

President Obama announced today his commitment to NASA and the US space program, predicting that US astronauts would land on an asteroid and then on Mars. Both events, he predicted, would occur "within his lifetime", implementing rockets and technology "still to be imagined and developed."

The cynic in me doesn't really see the point in sending people to a desolate rock with no advantage to me personally, but the nerd in me is very excited.

So, what are your thoughts on our venture to Mars and/or the space program in general.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-ap-us-obama-space,0,4170207.story

 

[Strykz]

Couldn't of picked a worse time really... but we need to get around to it sooner or later, so

 

[Agayek]

Couldn't of picked a worse time really... but we need to get around to it sooner or later, so

Basically this. I applaud the goal, but I'm not sure we can actually spare the funds to do so with the economy as it is.

 

[The Fork of Truth]

Of course this is important! Those Prothean ruins won't find themselves!

In seriousness, this probably isn't the ideal time to talk about space exploration when there's enough problems closer to home.

 

[Woodsey]

Couldn't of picked a worse time really... but we need to get around to it sooner or later, so

Basically this. I applaud the goal, but I'm not sure we can actually spare the funds to do so with the economy as it is.

Well he did say "within his lifetime", and he's only late-forties.

OT: They might as well start things going again now, before funding hits total rock-bottom.

 

[Matt_LRR]

Couldn't of picked a worse time really... but we need to get around to it sooner or later, so

Basically this. I applaud the goal, but I'm not sure we can actually spare the funds to do so with the economy as it is.

Well he did say "within his lifetime", and he's only late-forties.

OT: They might as well start things going again now, before funding hits total rock-bottom.

the high-tech job creation, industry involvement, and technological development neccessarily associated with such a task will only serve to get the economic ball rolling better.

-m

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

I thought the USA government was scaling back on NASA and the whole space thing? Or am i totally misinformed?
Of course, both things would be awesome. But first we need to establish a permanent colony on the Moon

 

[Hutchy_Bear]

Nah, the UK space programme will get there first... Well after we manage to make the buses run on time.

 

[Bladecatcher]

Couldn't of picked a worse time really... but we need to get around to it sooner or later, so

Basically this. I applaud the goal, but I'm not sure we can actually spare the funds to do so with the economy as it is.

Well he did say "within his lifetime", and he's only late-forties.

OT: They might as well start things going again now, before funding hits total rock-bottom.

the high-tech job creation, industry involvement, and technological development neccessarily associated with such a task will only serve to get the economic ball rolling better.

-m

I'm not sure about the job creation, but I agree with the rest of this, especially the creation of technology. Do you know how much of the stuff we have today came directly from developments made for going in space? It's seriously a metric assload.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Wow, that's awesome to see after he axed the constellation project. Way to double talk there Obama.

 

[Misterian]

Sneding people to Mars can help ultimately indicate weather their is (or was) any life here, and the asteriods may be able to provide valuable raw materials, think of it as space mining, which might be more fun than Earth-mining.

Frankly, I'm more interested in the idea of being able to colonize Mars or The Moon, I'd like the idea of being able move out of earth, especially if I lad on a planet with somewhat weaker gravity and another sentient lifeform that I can be neighbors and friends with.

which brings me to how I'd also be more interested in First Contact with another sentient species.

 

[Cody211282]

Wow, that's awesome to see after he axed the constellation project. Way to double talk there Obama.

Yea I'm not to sure what he's doing with NASA anymore I keep hearing we are not going to have anymore astronauts, and that he has put the development of future space programs on hold, but now this? What the hell is going on I'm so confused!

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Wow, that's awesome to see after he axed the constellation project. Way to double talk there Obama.

Yea I'm not to sure what he's doing with NASA anymore I keep hearing we are not going to have anymore astronauts, and that he has put the development of future space programs on hold, but now this? What the hell is going on I'm so confused!

The constellation project was development of new rockets to replace the shuttle and to take us to the Moon and Mars. Since we are retiring the Shuttle, we'll have to hitch a ride with the Russians when they go up to get to the Space Station.

 

[Spaghetti]

Nah, the UK space programme will get there first... Well after we manage to make the buses run on time.

The rocket to Mars due to depart at 3:45pm is now delayed due to cobwebs on the launchpad and a lack of sausage rolls in the catering compartment.

Firstly, I'd like to throw this image out there, as it was genuinly my first thought when I saw this thread.

Spoiler

There, now that the Republicans are enraged, I can continue

I like this idea of actually getting on with Manned space flight as it's something I find fascinating being the Sci-Fi nerd that I am. Admitidly this could have come at a better time (i.e. 3 years ago!) but it might be a good idea to get the planning stage sorted out when we have no money, so that when we do we can throw it at NASA, ESA, etc.

 

[shaboinkin]

I thought the USA government was scaling back on NASA and the whole space thing? Or am i totally misinformed?
Of course, both things would be awesome. But first we need to establish a permanent colony on the Moon

From what I read, with inflation, NASA is getting the same amount of money as they did in the late 60s, early 70s. Only thing is that it costs a lot more to fly to space.

 

[Matt_LRR]

Wow, that's awesome to see after he axed the constellation project. Way to double talk there Obama.

The constellation program was hideously overbudget and way behind schedule. The program was a money hole, and he was right to sink it.

That doesn't mean he can't look to start new projects persuing the same, or similar goals.

-m

 

[crimson5pheonix]

It's kind of hard to get new vehicles to go to asteroids/Mars when you cut the funding for research into new vehicles to go to asteroids/Mars!

 

[Cody211282]

Wow, that's awesome to see after he axed the constellation project. Way to double talk there Obama.

Yea I'm not to sure what he's doing with NASA anymore I keep hearing we are not going to have anymore astronauts, and that he has put the development of future space programs on hold, but now this? What the hell is going on I'm so confused!

The constellation project was development of new rockets to replace the shuttle and to take us to the Moon and Mars. Since we are retiring the Shuttle, we'll have to hitch a ride with the Russians when they go up to get to the Space Station.

But didn't we put most that together and pay for a good chunk of it, it seems a bit dumb that we now need to rely on the Russians to get us into space, not to mention how ironic this is.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Wow, that's awesome to see after he axed the constellation project. Way to double talk there Obama.

The constellation program was hideously overbudget and way behind schedule. The program was a money hole, and he was right to sink it.

That doesn't mean he can't look to start new projects persuing the same, or similar goals.

-m

That doesn't change the fact that it was the program that was doing exactly what he just said what he wants to get done. If he felt that way, he should have cut back on the budget, not get rid of it.

 

[Cody211282]

It's kind of hard to get new vehicles to go to asteroids/Mars when you cut the funding for research into new vehicles to go to asteroids/Mars!

Maybe it will be funded by hope and change?