Why do we need a space program?

Jdarg, that is the nonanswer answer. I understand why having satellites is necessary for telecommunications and defense. I am refering moreso to aspects of the space program like putting people on the moon.

LuciferSam, for those of us who use mobile devices to read Sowal- we can't see your avatar. Can u share your reasons in writing?

NASA spinoffs, space benefits, space history, NASA space spinoffs, NASA technology products

NASA spinoffs, space benefits, space history, NASA space spinoffs, NASA technology products

You had me at Dustbuster.

Glad I asked the question. SO...
I walked away with the insight I was looking for. I believe we should chill on the manned flights but there is obvious tangible value in the continued funding for exploration.

Thx!

Jdarg, that is the nonanswer answer. I understand why having satellites is necessary for telecommunications and defense. I am refering moreso to aspects of the space program like putting people on the moon.

You are probably aware that we haven't put people on the moon since the early 1970's only a few years after the first moon walk. Are you referring to manned space missions? Our best research comes seems to come from unmanned space missions like Hubble and the Mars rover mission.

Why was the race to space started? power, ego, posturing, and the perception of security. I guess you could ask why people drag race cars and get a similar answer on a quite different level. If you go back to the late 1950's, the Soviets launched Sputnik into orbit around Earth. They then tested some rockets which scared the crap out of the US, with the idea of potential surprise attacks on the USA from space by the Soviets. So, the USA had to ramp up their space program. Whomever leads space, has ultimate power over all other countries, at least in theory from a standpoint of firepower. Want to be scared? Do some searching and learn about the number of human-made satellites orbiting Earth. Then, search some more about the huge building on Eglin AFB which monitors all objects around the Earth.

With the costs of such missions, it likely takes some entity like the gov't to be able to print the money for the missions. Companies like Virgin or Google might take us there in the future, but the gov't doesn't want everyone playing around above our heads, so it is easiest if they can control things, or at least have a big hand in the say so.

Just to be politically fair, how long could we fund them at current levels with the money spent on Bush's unnecessary war?

That isn't completely fair. If it is Bush's war, it is also Obama's war. Obama promised to bring the troops home in his political rhetoric, but instead, he increased the number of troops. In complete fairness, you could say it is OUR war, since we elected the guys.

Anyone else want to fly their geek flag and name this tv show quote-

"Is it worth it? Should we just pull back, forget the whole thing as a bad idea and take care of our own problems at home?"


"No. We have to stay here and there's a simple reason why. Ask ten different scientists about the environment, population control, genetics and you'll get ten different answers, but there's one thing every scientist on the planet agrees on. Whether it happens in a hundred years or a thousand years or a million years, eventually our Sun will grow cold and go out. When that happens, it won't just take us. It'll take Marilyn Monroe and Lao-Tzu and Einstein and Morobuto and Buddy Holly and Aristophenes .. and all of this .. all of this was for nothing unless we go to the stars."

Anyone else want to fly their geek flag and name this tv show quote-

Too easy.....Babylon 5 ;-)

Easy B5 would have been the Ivanona is God rant.

That isn't completely fair. If it is Bush's war, it is also Obama's war. Obama promised to bring the troops home in his political rhetoric, but instead, he increased the number of troops. In complete fairness, you could say it is OUR war, since we elected the guys.

I would say it is the American troops war since they and their families are the only ones making a sacrifice. It was a nice try but those talking points are getting stale.

i believe we could all have gold encrusted jetpacks to bring democracy to uranus

Pardon me...is there a ring of debris around Uranus?

;-)

To be holed up in Uranus is anyone's worst nightmare.

The current future of space.

SPACE.com -- Experimental X-37B Robot Space Plane to Launch Thursday

"From the perspective of international observers — especially in space-aspiring states such as China, the X-37B program just reinforces their view that the U.S. is pushing to gain first mover advantage in rapid response including possible weaponization of space using this vehicle or a derivative," Handberg responded.

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/top10_space_weapons.html