Obama orders a review of NASA's plan to return to the Moon

[John Picard]

I love politically charged knee-jerk reactions to a President's decision. It's so mature and a well thought out means of expressing one's opinions. It's also good to armchair quarterback how *you* (the person with the knee-jerk reaction) knows all and has it on the utmost authority that the person who is ordering a course of action you disagree with is a complete imbecile.

 

[Falcor5]

Spend it on Mars, not the moon.

The article posted in the original post said they planned on going to the moon to build a base for future trips to Mars. Here is the quote:

In January 2004, President George W. Bush announced plans for the United States to return to the moon by 2020 and build a way station there for flights to Mars. NASA's last human flight to the moon was in 1972.

 

[Squiggy]

Yup. That's the plan. Get back to the moon and THAT would be our launch pad for Martain missions.

But you gotta give NASA the money to do it. You can't just say "Go to Mars" and then "Go to everything else we tell you to do without any more money". So, the current Administration has ordered NASA to go over it's books and see what can be scrapped in order to fund the Ares/Constellation buildups. As it stands now, NASA must pick and choose what gets the appropriate resources and money.

 

[John Picard]

Yup. That's the plan. Get back to the moon and THAT would be our launch pad for Martain missions.

But you gotta give NASA the money to do it. You can't just say "Go to Mars" and then "Go to everything else we tell you to do without any more money". So, the current Administration has ordered NASA to go over it's books and see what can be scrapped in order to fund the Ares/Constellation buildups. As it stands now, NASA must pick and choose what gets the appropriate resources and money.

You know what would be a real bitch (and also very hilarious)? If a mission to Mars gets to the Moon and finds a bunch of supplies missing, and a note written in some alien language, as well as binary, that says, "This is an IOU for some parts we had to borrow to fix our hyperdrive. Sorry, but we were behind schedule and had to get home quickly. Thank you, ADFHHFJS, FHUUVNW, and FHJFHUES".

 

[Squiggy]

I'd blame JJ.

 

[msbae]

Yup. That's the plan. Get back to the moon and THAT would be our launch pad for Martain missions.

But you gotta give NASA the money to do it. You can't just say "Go to Mars" and then "Go to everything else we tell you to do without any more money". So, the current Administration has ordered NASA to go over it's books and see what can be scrapped in order to fund the Ares/Constellation buildups. As it stands now, NASA must pick and choose what gets the appropriate resources and money.

That makes sense. And since we're dealing with the Government here, I somehow doubt that's the reason. Poor NASA... They get so much shit...

 

[MIB]

Iraq and Afganistan alone are getting 170 Billion, and they're both substantially more hospitable than outer space is. They actually have atmospheres.

To be fair, as a rule, no-one shoots at you in outer space, and roadside bombs are pretty much impossible.

Except for God with his gamma ray lasers and micro meteorite machine guns. =/

 

[USS KG5]

Iraq and Afganistan alone are getting 170 Billion, and they're both substantially more hospitable than outer space is. They actually have atmospheres.

To be fair, as a rule, no-one shoots at you in outer space, and roadside bombs are pretty much impossible.

Except for God with his gamma ray lasers and micro meteorite machine guns. =/

Well if God is against you you are pretty screwed anyway, unless you are Lyra Belaqua of course.

 

[Squiggy]

To be fair, as a rule, no-one shoots at you in outer space, and roadside bombs are pretty much impossible.

Except for God with his gamma ray lasers and micro meteorite machine guns. =/

Well if God is against you you are pretty screwed anyway, unless you are Lyra Belaqua of course.

Or Robau.

 

[Shawnster]

Yup. That's the plan. Get back to the moon and THAT would be our launch pad for Martain missions.

But you gotta give NASA the money to do it. You can't just say "Go to Mars" and then "Go to everything else we tell you to do without any more money". So, the current Administration has ordered NASA to go over it's books and see what can be scrapped in order to fund the Ares/Constellation buildups. As it stands now, NASA must pick and choose what gets the appropriate resources and money.

You know what would be a real bitch (and also very hilarious)? If a mission to Mars gets to the Moon and finds a bunch of supplies missing, and a note written in some alien language, as well as binary, that says, "This is an IOU for some parts we had to borrow to fix our hyperdrive. Sorry, but we were behind schedule and had to get home quickly. Thank you, ADFHHFJS, FHUUVNW, and FHJFHUES".

There was a short story I read years ago that detailed a memo conversation between upper management and lower management of an alien species in concern of some human artifacts taken from the moon. The aliens weren't supposed to take anything because humans might come back some day and everything needed to be as it was. After much squabbling the lower management finally returned everything - so they thought. Turns out the aliens didn't return all the space suits - they either left one too many or one too few (can't remember).

 

[kitsune]

I feel bad for NASA. Every administration gives it a new direction, making it very difficult to plan for future missions, or construct the hardware necessary for them before funding is re-allocated.

 

[USS KG5]

Except for God with his gamma ray lasers and micro meteorite machine guns. =/

Well if God is against you you are pretty screwed anyway, unless you are Lyra Belaqua of course.

Or Robau.

Well unless God has a big pointy stick of course.

 

[warriorsfan]

Yeah... of course, if Bush had done this, you'd all be jumping on him, and calling for his to stop, and help NASA... but now that Obama's President, you're all mellow about it. Figures.

What exactly has Obama done? He ordered a review, so what? We're mellow about it because he HASN'T DONE ANYTHING.

 

[MANT!]

Funding for NASA isn't unlimited like in the 60s..So there has to be some give and take...

NASA can't spend a lot on low speed flight research, Reduce sonic booms for a future SST and set up a Lunar base with an eye to Mars with the budget it has..

So they will prioritize..with the Lunar program at the top of the save list..

I really wouldn't want to be studying Bumble Bee aerodynamics with NASA money right now..

 

[John Picard]

Funding for NASA isn't unlimited like in the 60s..So there has to be some give and take...

NASA can't spend a lot on low speed flight research, Reduce sonic booms for a future SST and set up a Lunar base with an eye to Mars with the budget it has..

So they will prioritize..with the Lunar program at the top of the save list..

I really wouldn't want to be studying Bumble Bee aerodynamics with NASA money right now..

NASA's budget is a mere pittance compared to two giant black holes called the Department of Energy and the Department of Education, both of which should be abolished. If that were to happen (keep dreaming), NASA's budget could easily be doubled and STILL be a mere pittance.

 

[msbae]

NASA's budget is a mere pittance compared to two giant black holes called the Department of Energy and the Department of Education, both of which should be abolished. If that were to happen (keep dreaming), NASA's budget could easily be doubled and STILL be a mere pittance.

In the words of James Hetfield... Sad but true!

 

[3superearthtrek]

who cares about the moon.When are we goin to mars or europa?

 

[Squiggy]

who cares about the moon.When are we goin to mars or europa?

After we go back to the moon. It's kinda integral.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

who cares about the moon.When are we goin to mars or europa?

This statement in and of itself is part of why the manned space program is where it is now. We need to recapture the excitement, because contrary to the views of this poster regarding lunar flights, and if I may quote Montgomery Scott:

"IT'S EXCITING!"

 

[yellowdingo]

1. The USA has missed it's window of opportunity. the Axis powers have a foothold link

2. I corresponded with the largest US lawfirm to manage a colonization program that would borrow 20 billion-billion dollars from the USA and spend it on colonization in the US economy - but still have to pay it back as a loan.

No reply yet- probably not even taking it seriously.