NASA waste of money?

[claire]

Perhaps we should start cutting funding and maybe spending the money elsewhere??

The Powers That Be: Are NASA programs a waste of money that could be better spent here on earth?

[Avatar33]

Perhaps we should start cutting funding and maybe spending the money elsewhere??

The Powers That Be: Are NASA programs a waste of money that could be better spent here on earth?

No.

Humanity must move forward; to do otherwise is foolish.

No cell phones, no GPS, no Hubble; soon we would start going backwards.

[SussexWithLove]

In the distant future we will have no choice but to move into space. I think more money should be spent here.

The true origin and end of man is out there.

[Midas]

Perhaps we should start cutting funding and maybe spending the money elsewhere??

The Powers That Be: Are NASA programs a waste of money that could be better spent here on earth?

No! Pushing forward the boundaries of scientific knowledge is never a waste of money, especially when now and again it can provide major breakthroughs, not only in the technology which can make our day to day lives immeasurably easier but in our understanding of who we are, where we came from and where we're heading.

[DC]

No, NASA provides the groundwork for Earth's future economy, it'll be NASA that develops the technology eventually allowing us to mine asteroids and establish colonies.

[DTE]

Four 'No's so far. In the interest of balance I'll say Yes!

Its all well and good saying in the next step forward in science and that maybe we'll discover the origin of the species or something...but thats not goinng to happen anytime soon. The US went to the moon 40 years ago! When you consider how technology has advanced since then is it not obvious that we've reached a glass ceiling on this one? Sure there's the interantional space centre and the continued experiements that go on there, but in a global recession, and in a country where (I think this is right Claire, should look it up... but can't be bothered) unemployment is reaching 20% and financial institutions are going under all over place, maybe spending that money elsewhere would be a good idea.

Space exploration can't happen until we discover some new type of propulsion anyway...so what are we learning?

[claire]

I'm not necessarily against NASA. Right now we're teetering upon the brink of too little funding for it to be useful. Unfortunately that seems like like a lot of tax $$$. I say commit or don't.

[SussexWithLove]

Space exploration can't happen until we discover some new type of propulsion anyway...so what are we learning?

How are scientists going to develop new types of propulsion without funding?

[Midas]

I'm not necessarily against NASA. Right now we're teetering upon the brink of too little funding for it to be useful. Unfortunately that seems like like a lot of tax $$$. I say commit or don't.

NASA, like many vast bureaucratic organisations, can get bogged down with minutiae from time to time and seem to lose focus on what's important, and I suspect that's what's happened over the last few years. It really needs to make a decision on just a few long term projects which will be of real benefit and get the funding for those secured so that it can concentrate on research rather than worrying about where the next dollar is coming from.

Personally I'd like there to be far more international co-operation into space research rather than teams from different countries all doing their own, sometimes overlapping, things. That research, and the spin-off technologies it generates, are going to be of vital importance to mankind in the future!

[DTE]

How are scientists going to develop new types of propulsion without funding?

I'm not saying cut ALL funding. I guess what I was getting at was travelling to another world is so far off in terms of technology that it would be better to focus on things that need doing right now. Many people are going to struggle to pay bills and keep their houses in the next few years, I'm sure they could care less about man going to Mars.

Crude analogy: Its like how the BNP say we should focus on our country first before sending aid to foreign countries.

EDIT: Not that I agree with the BNP position, the analogy is directed at Sussex, who (and I'm sure he won't mind being described this way) is a BNP supporter.

[Midas]

I'm not saying cut ALL funding. I guess what I was getting at was travelling to another world is so far off in terms of technology that it would be better to focus on things that need doing right now. Many people are going to struggle to pay bills and keep their houses in the next few years, I'm sure they could care less about man going to Mars.

Crude analogy: Its like how the BNP say we should focus on our country first before sending aid to foreign countries.

But the spirit of adventure is strong in all of us; you just watch the masses, many of them without much to their name, who stand and cheer as another rocket launches into space! Space exploration gives many a purpose, a meaning in life, knowing that there's something for people to strive towards even though it might be remote from themselves.

[SussexWithLove]

Personally I'd like there to be far more international co-operation into space research rather than teams from different countries all doing their own, sometimes overlapping, things. That research, and the spin-off technologies it generates, are going to be of vital importance to mankind in the future!

I totally agree with you. The World Space Organisation, like the UN but for space.


I was watching the news the other day. It seems a lot of US NASA types are throwing their toys out the pram because countries like China have a space program.

It would be embrassing if another country landed on the Moon and found no evidence that the US went there. Some people believe it was all filmed in the Nevada desert. lol

[SussexWithLove]

Crude analogy: Its like how the BNP say we should focus on our country first before sending aid to foreign countries.

If the BNP spent money on their own space program in theory it would be focusing on our country, our country's development.

We are giving money to India so they can fund their space program. Thats what the BNP oppose.

EDIT: Not that I agree with the BNP position, the analogy is directed at Sussex, who (and I'm sure he won't mind being described this way) is a BNP supporter.

EDIT: A BNP Policy supporter

[DC]

I agree with the idea of a world space program, that'd be cool, and it wouldn't just be all the big countries lording over the little ones, we can have our little bit of space too!

Right now NASA's funding is dismal, I recently saw a chart showing NASA's funding since the moon landing, it's plummeted. In the past, NASA launched the military stuff as well, and NASA and the airforce were pretty close. No more, the military launches all their own stuff now.

I do think we should continue to explore space, with each milestone, there's a big jump in moral all over the world, think of the moon landings. People often gauge technology by actual events, for example a Mars landing would be a major yardstick for where we're at, I mean, people landing on another planet? Not to mention whoever's president would be rockin it.

Off topic, but I really don't think there's enough funding going into wormhole technology, I know it seems like science fiction, but the physics and theories are all pretty sound, and it would put us into another solar system this century. Seems like a better investment than spaceships.