Since it's the 40 years anniversary of Apollo 11 I thought I'd ask the question.

Should we be investing money to go back to the moon?

Since the Space Shuttle we've not really moved very far forward in space exploration. It's like we put Hubble up there and figured human exploration just wasn't needed.

My opinion is we should. With technology as it is today it would have to be easier to go back now than it was 40 years ago. And given the tech think of how it could be covered on TV?

Not too many things inspire us as a country anymore. I think looking to go back would.

"Been there... Done that... got the T-shirt and the Moon Rocks"

I'd rather go for Mars. We have 10 years of data on long duration space flight-- both medical and engineering, so we have the knowledge base to design a interplanetary spacecraft.

Constellation/Orion isn't really designed to go to Mars. Its too small (4 person) so its only good for Moon and Earth orbit. We could use the X-38 to go to the Space Station instead.

It doesn't make a difference that it would be "easier to launch" to Mars from the moon.. the cost of putting a launch infrastructure up there is prohibitive.

I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

Quikie mart on the moon now a days anyway. I want a FTL drive. so you know my answer.

No. Unless we're gonna install solar collectors and beam energy back down to earth as microwaves. AND if that can be proven to be cost effective.

For obvious reasons I like NASA. I have taken the position of arguing for gov't sponsored research b/c you can't always make a business case for what you don't yet know. But, going to the moon offers little probability of solid advances.

On a related note, did I ever tell y'all about when I met Neil Armstrong in Tucson (Kitt Peak)?

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

(07-18-2009 02:32 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

So you want space to be under military rule? Figures. Prowar/prokilling people on Earth would be the same way in space I guess.

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

At exactly what age were you dropped on your head?

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

So billions of people are confined to this small space we call earth. And all together we make a virtually unmeasurable impact. And your worried about us spoiling the vast universe. I guess that's the logical next step in the de-evolution of the liberal mind.

(07-18-2009 02:58 PM)zeebart21 Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

At exactly what age were you dropped on your head?

At what point did you become a violent thug that thinks bombing and killing is the way to solve all our problems?

(07-18-2009 03:08 PM)Paul M Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

So billions of people are confined to this small space we call earth. And all together we make a virtually unmeasurable impact. And your worried about us spoiling the vast universe. I guess that's the logical next step in the de-evolution of the liberal mind.

Yes, I am worried. Especially when nutcases like yourself can't actually see all the damage humans are doing to this planet. I would just hate to see REAL star wars with weapons killing each other in space.

NO

(07-18-2009 03:39 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 03:08 PM)Paul M Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

So billions of people are confined to this small space we call earth. And all together we make a virtually unmeasurable impact. And your worried about us spoiling the vast universe. I guess that's the logical next step in the de-evolution of the liberal mind.

Yes, I am worried. Especially when nutcases like yourself can't actually see all the damage humans are doing to this planet. I would just hate to see REAL star wars with weapons killing each other in space.

Thanks, I guess, for that admission. That must be why all those beings from the far corners of the galaxy are rushing here, to stop us from destoying their homes. Only you and Hollywood, Robbie.

What if we go to the moon and Al Gore tells us it's getting warmer?

.

I believe we should be aiming for "Manned Missions to Mars" and leave the Moon where it is .... we have been there an done that already.

I truly believe we will find some sort of Life on Mars and that is an awesome future for us.

And I am not talking "War of the Worlds" kind of silliness, but even a glimpse of Microbial Life on Mars would be fantastic in all senses of the effort.

Mars could be the place to try to colonize rather than some Dry and Dead Moon that will NEVER have an atmosphere.

I vote for Mars over the Moon any day.

.

(07-18-2009 03:39 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 03:08 PM)Paul M Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 01:53 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 11:18 AM)Artifice Wrote:  I support the space program in general mostly due to my curiosity but also because of the byproduct technological advances.

Mars though. Pit stop at the moon.

I just hope we don't make space a war zone(like Bush wanted). I hope it can be preserved(as much as possible) to be open to all.

So billions of people are confined to this small space we call earth. And all together we make a virtually unmeasurable impact. And your worried about us spoiling the vast universe. I guess that's the logical next step in the de-evolution of the liberal mind.

Yes, I am worried. Especially when nutcases like yourself can't actually see all the damage humans are doing to this planet.

YOu mean like Chicago?

The space station, then back to the moon, then on to Mars.

We need goals to inspire us to greatness in all endeavors. Otherwise, we'll just continue our downward slide.

(07-20-2009 09:22 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  The space station, then back to the moon, then on to Mars.

We need goals to inspire us to greatness in all endeavors. Otherwise, we'll just continue our downward slide.

I'm for that if we can find the money and get additional international interest. The world is currently benefitting from the $$$ of just a few countries. Anyway, with the economy the way it is, we won't hve the hundreds of billions to do this for a long time.

I am all for going to the moon, and mars and beyond. There is great discoveries to be made. I only cringe at the loss of life of America's best. I morn for each and every one of our fallen space heroes. During that timeperiod of maximum pressure on the orbiter, I think of the fallen, the sadness never escapes me.