NASA Budget Could be Cut to Save Money

The exploration of space is often viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity and the NASA budget can become an easy target for cutbacks...

source

If the ecomony keeps going downhill nasa might not even be able to afford to send a man to mars...
what a shame.


[edit on 14-12-2008 by SuperSlovak]

We don't even have a base on the moon.

Doesn't it make sense to use a moon base as a springboard to Mars?

NASA never intended to send a man to Mars.

The reason why we dont have a moonbase is because back in 73, the politicians began scrapping the space program down to literally nothing. Had NASA been allowed to continue with the drive and determination it once had back then, we would have that moonbase today, mining operations to resolve resource problems here on Earth, a Mars base with mining operations and regular shipping trips back and forth, new industries and countless jobs for millions, and a whole new infrastructure and way of life that would have taken us in a completely different direction than where we are today.


It is more of a political vision problem than just a NASA problem. And it looks like the political vision, drive and inspiration to explore and expand our capability, is falling short once again with the upcomming administration. It is a sad thing to see. Nothing will get fixed or changed with the politicians doing the same thing again as they have done since 73. It is a shame, a disaster and an embarrasing, massive failure of our leadership.



Cheers!!!!

reply to post by RFBurns


So the money spent on the shuttle program and the space station couldn't have been used for a Moon base? Please....

There is more to this than just economics and politics.
Somewhere there is a significant design flaw in NASA's overall space program approach; If not just overall bureaucratic ineptness just like in the rest of taxpayer funded govt. programs.



[edit on 14-12-2008 by whaaa]

The problem with unfettered space exploration is that it has the scary possibility of creating new frontiers.

This is obviously not in the bureaucratic best interest. Governments exist to maintain a monopoly on the boundaries of the use of force; frontiers are antithetical to that goal.

Why establish a "moon base" or new, innovative space-industry, if there's the possibility of it being subverted to weaken the hold of power upon the people?

Now, launching spy satellites and orbital weapon systems, sure, that they'll get behind. But a true "new direction for humanity"? Why would entrenched powers desire that?

Originally posted by whaaa
reply to post by RFBurns

 

So the money spent on the shuttle program and the space station couldn't have been used for a Moon base? Please....

Did I say it couldnt have been used for a moonbase? Please read carfully what I do say and dont jump to conclusions. It certianly would have been fabulous if they did use the shuttle and the funds to go put a moonbase on the moon instead of dumping it into ISS. The shuttle, with very little modifications, could have been a perfect platform to go to and from a moonbase.

Originally posted by whaaa
There is more to this than just economics and politics.
Somewhere there is a significant design flaw in NASA's overall space program; If not just overall bureaucratic ineptness just like in the rest of taxpayer funded govt. programs.

Obviously. I did say that it is more than just a NASA problem. All those engineers, designers, scientists, managers, are not making the decisions on their own however. They are under the big G's thumb. What the big G-man says..goes. Again I did say it is not just a NASA problem, it is a political will and vision problem. Please study up on what occured to NASA and the space program in 73 and after Apollo 18 came home. It will definately give you the real reasons why there is no moonbase or manned missions back to the moon or out to mars.

While the politicians were sharing the ticker parades in NY when Apollo 18 came home, they were scrapping the Saturn 5 rocket, dismantling the entire infrastructure, letting go all the bright and incredible engineers and designers of the Apollo era who gave the space program the abilty to go to the moon when technology was not very advanced at all, yet it was done and done within less than 8 years begining in 61. Had NASA been allowed to continue, there is no doubt in my mind that we would have that moonbase and so much more, instead of all this war over oil, collapsed economy, banks failing, industries failing, massive job layoffs, and all the rest that this entire forum is so flooded with about these very problems.

It isnt rocket science to understand the reasons why there are so much problems today and why there is no moonbase or space industry.



Cheers!!!!

[edit on 14-12-2008 by RFBurns]

reply to post by SuperSlovak



This would not surprise me. I find it VERY sad IF true.

We have gained a TON of technology from space flight. BOOKS worth. Most of what people have in their house is a result of manned space flight.

Google "space spin offs" and see for yourselves......

If nasa went to the moon more than once or twice and actually did some work we could have a small base up there by now im sure of it.

reply to post by SuperSlovak


Exactly! From program start, we were no where near the ability to send a man to the moon in 61. We could put a man up into orbit, bring him back down, and thats about it.

But when that challenge was given by Kennedy, that inspired the whole nation, and NASA, to strive for the goal, we developed hydrogen-oxygen rockets, huge lifting capabilty, interplanitary communications, inerplanitary navigation, spacesuits, telemetry aquisition systems, life support systems, power systems, CO2 removal systems, Earth to Lunar orbit and Lunar to Earth orbit techniques, soft landing techniques on the moon, return trajectory techniques, landing and recovery procedures, sheesh the list is comparable to Santa's gift list for the whole world! And we developed all those technologies in the 1960's!!! And we were there on the moon in 69.

But in 73, it all came to an end!! An abrupt end, and a tragic end. There is no doubt in my mind that today, in 2008 soon 2009, there would be moon bases and mars bases and a whole space based industrial infrastructure today, that would have millions of jobs, incomes, and most important of all..a real future.




Cheers!!!!

[edit on 14-12-2008 by RFBurns]