why not have a Global Space Program

I think we can all agree that Nasa is under funded so why not get as many countries as possible like Canada, Japan, Briton, australia,Germany, U.S.. etc to all contribute a certain amount of tax money each year to fund a Global space progam.It said on the discovery channel that we already used up 2/3 of the Earth's resources and alot of countries have little or no space to expand like Japan and Germany.If we can get a 50 or 60 billion dollar program going that would give us a good head start to beign mining the moon and other planets and some day colonize them.Maybe this is just wishful thinking but you would think that once we exhaust most of our resources that war will eventually break out fighting for what liitle we have left.

We've tried this with the ISS, so far, hasn't gone over too well.

Countries inevitably drop the ball and don't meet their commitments (looks at Russia) and puts everyone behind schedule...

Originally posted by Gazrok
We've tried this with the ISS, so far, hasn't gone over too well.

Countries inevitably drop the ball and don't meet their commitments (looks at Russia) and puts everyone behind schedule...

Now you've made me curious, why is russia lagging?

I don't mean each country build a certain component for some project, I mean pick a couple prime locations and gather all of the best scientist out of the countries involved then get each Country to invest a certain percentage of money each year.

How about instead we just make an alternate powersource I am becoming very interested in h3o.

There would have to be world peace befor we put together a system where each country contributes. Also each country would have to be developed

I for one think a space race is a hell of a lot better though. Just look at the U.S., Soviet Union space race. People were sent into space,satellites,moon landings ex.. . Since then there hasnt been alot of advancements. Just a coupla probes sent to Mars Maybe a U.S., EU space race?

I think it is far more likely to have a global effort towards say, growing food, than going into space.

And how likely is it there will be a global hunger relief movement?

And the Russians? They kick a' and all, but (so Ive read) their gov pours all its money into its military while the people starve. Cant even afford to feed their own troops, but can afford to design and build an ICBM that can defeat missile defense. However I think the US is dragging its feet now in the ISS with President Shrubboy's Moon "plan."

I think the ISS has been more badly effected by the Columbia disaster than anything else... without the shuttles the US has been relying on the Russians to get into space... which the Russians have been doing with great strain on their resources...

As for the international space agency... wont happen anytime soon... each country will want the glory for themselves and thus there will be more competing than co-operation

You're talking about the cooperation of countries who are not the best of friends.
You say taxdollars. Who's tax dollars? America pays 25% of the UN although we are but one of the many countries of that gaggle. Are you suggesting that we, the weary tax-payer of the United States, pick up the brunt of yet another program?

I think not.

Originally posted by thecry
I don't mean each country build a certain component for some project, I mean pick a couple prime locations and gather all of the best scientist out of the countries involved then get each Country to invest a certain percentage of money each year.

Very good point, i believe a physical location is the key to success with such massive projects. It would have to be somewhere completely neutral though and definatly not the US purely because nobody will trust them to not start classifying new tech etc.
A large uninhabited island in the south pacific would be a very good location the closer to the equator the better.

Formation of an United Nation Space Agency where every member countries of UN will pay a certain amount every year depending their wealth(get China to breed along with other countries).

Originally posted by thecry
I don't mean each country build a certain component for some project, I mean pick a couple prime locations and gather all of the best scientist out of the countries involved then get each Country to invest a certain percentage of money each year.

I doubt that the countries needed will be willing to tax their citizens to fund an international group like that.

And it can't be in something like the UN, because the UN has to focus on simple humanitarian things.

Better, perhaps, if private companies were encouraged to participate in a cooperative with one government.

Originally posted by Nygdan
(...)
Better, perhaps, if private companies were encouraged to participate in a cooperative with one government.

My opinion too, but it will be necessary then to run that company like a commercial company if they want to do something.

I mean most services, administrations and public organizations such as NASA, military bodies and all such things are money eaters and don't produce...

Originally posted by NotheRaGe
Formation of an United Nation Space Agency where every member countries of UN will pay a certain amount every year depending their wealth(get China to breed along with other countries).

NO!

"Depending on their wealth"

What horse #! Why should the US have to pay more then anyone else? Because we are more wealthy?

And if we do do this, do we then contract all AMERICAN companies to do the work? Do WE get our money reinvested in our economy? Or is this going to turn into another "the US pays, the rest get paid" type of thing?

How about this, every country PAYS THE SAME AMOUNT?!?!?!

What is wrong with that? God forbid that each country pulls it's own weight!

Screw 'global programs'. They are always wastefull and far more currupt then national ones.

The US made it to the moon by it's self, we can make it to anywhere in our solar system by ourselves too. Besides, rivalry and compitition bring out the best in man - much better for the US to have Russia, China, India and the EU beathing down it's neck to push us then have our top scientists get put in some global BS program where the US pays for everything and gets half the results.

I like the idea of a United Nations Space Program, but I think it be wiser to dump the UN (cost us over one fat billion per annum) and divert the money towards NASA, public works, and education. With the whole WTO, NATO, and what not, is the UN necessary, specially when we pay more than anyone else by a longshot.

The best shot to keep NASA alive and operational is to do what they are doing now: offering challenges to private citizens and corporations for prize money and tax exemptions for having won.

Originally posted by specialasianX
I think the ISS has been more badly effected by the Columbia disaster than anything else... without the shuttles the US has been relying on the Russians to get into space... which the Russians have been doing with great strain on their resources...

As for the international space agency... wont happen anytime soon... each country will want the glory for themselves and thus there will be more competing than co-operation

Yes russian did something imposible. (Without money)

And USA did not pay a cent.

What more intresting: USA said that they would not build another living module. After that every country said we do not need this project. But russia said that if america would not do it then russia would. So i think what we have now on pictures of final ISS is really wrong. I reallity we do not know what will be final. And will be it finish at all.

Mine point is that every country doing same thing as USA. They would never be together. if it will continue like that.

Ever BEEN to planet earth?!

YOU try getting those bad boys to work together!

It's a fantastic idea, and isn't likely to happen. No one wants to pay for other people, no one wants to carry the burden and share equally, no one wants to draw funds from other issues, no one wants to be distracted from current issues.

No one wants to.

Originally posted by Amorymeltzer
No one wants to pay for other people, no one wants to carry the burden and share equally, no one wants to draw funds from other issues, no one wants to be distracted from current issues.

No one wants to.

Speak for yourself. I want to. I am not 'no one', and I am not 'the only one'. The Universe is so constructed that a species cannot endure and colonize the Cosmos if it is not altruistic- at least to its own species. An International Space Agency is a great idea.

True story: I am a 'civilized' American Indian aerospace worker. And I know guys from the mountains of Ecuador who spend their break time drawing pictures of Neil Armstrong on the Moon when they are not doing heavy manual labor around the base. Ask them if they want a dollar of their taxes to go to the Moon. The answer would be "Si Senor, con mucho gusto". They want to contribute in any way they can to The Great Enterprise.

And if no one wanted to be distracted from current issues, beer would go bankrupt.

Originally posted by Chakotay
Speak for yourself. I want to. I am not 'no one', and I am not 'the only one'. The Universe is so constructed that a species cannot endure and colonize the Cosmos if it is not altruistic- at least to its own species. An International Space Agency is a great idea.

True story: I am a 'civilized' American Indian aerospace worker. And I know guys from the mountains of Ecuador who spend their break time drawing pictures of Neil Armstrong on the Moon when they are not doing heavy manual labor around the base. Ask them if they want a dollar of their taxes to go to the Moon. The answer would be "Si Senor, con mucho gusto". They want to contribute in any way they can to The Great Enterprise.

And if no one wanted to be distracted from current issues, beer would go bankrupt.

Ah, maybe I misspoke. By 'no one,' I was referring to 'nations' around the globe. I am a massive supporter of everything astronautical. There's almost nothing I'd rather see than global unification to go to the stars.

The things I mentioned, however, refer to nations in general. We are notorious for not working together, especially on said issue.