We got the spirit !

[eric]

Spirit has landed and is doing well !

http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=Science&cat=Mars_Exploration

 

[Moi]

I'm not trying to be rude, but could someone please tell me why we are spending so much time and money on space?

Is it the hope that we'll be able to live there someday? If so, what's so great about living in space?

Again, I'm not being sarcastic I just never got it.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by Moi
I'm not trying to be rude, but could someone please tell me why we are spending so much time and money on space?

Is it the hope that we'll be able to live there someday? If so, what's so great about living in space?

Again, I'm not being sarcastic I just never got it.

Well many advanced military technologies in the united states can be attributed to the money spent on space technologies. Humans are also a race of explorers and hence, besides the oceans, the only thing left is space. I personally think NASA is a great US institution that has furthered the realm of human knowledge considerably. I for one applaud NASA on their most recent attempt and wish it much success with the next rover.

 

[bushin04]

Originally posted by Moi
I'm not trying to be rude, but could someone please tell me why we are spending so much time and money on space?

Is it the hope that we'll be able to live there someday? If so, what's so great about living in space?

Again, I'm not being sarcastic I just never got it.

This planet only has like 50 years worth of life in it at the rate we're going, so it's only sensible that we occupy ourselves with the idea of space exploration to further the goals of mankind. Besides, let's say one day NASA discovers there's oil, and gold, and whatnot on Jupiter, it'd make far more sense to establish bases on mars, and other surrounding planets so that we don't have to travel from earth all the way to jupiter. It makes way more sense to have ports. Also, imagine a scenario in which NASA discovers an astroid on a collision course with Earth. If wanted to, we could move powerful politicians, scientists, philosophers, teachers, gardners, engineers, etc onto the moon or mars (if by that time we have some sort of biodome there), that way humankind can restart even if earth gets destroyed. Humans are prone to try to find some way to avert their extinction

 

[MtnBiker]

That would be cool. Driving and SUV on Mars would be bitchin.

 

[eric]

Not to mention expanding our knowledge of physics, which has practical applications here and now. Isaac, has also brought out some good points; there are military and manufacturing reasons for our travels.

 

[MtnBiker]

Off subject but that's a cool avatar Eric!

 

[Moi]

I acknowledge the benefits of the inventions...heck, I love tang (and, no I'm not being sarcastic. I remember when it came about...I grew up on the stuff. I've hiked the entire Appalachian Trail eating freeze dried food!) But does it take a space program to have inventions? At one time, Bell Labs was much more prodigious in terms of inventing world-shattering things. Look what happened there- the government purposely drove them into insignificance.

Wouldn't giving monies to university programs or other research institutions also accomplish the goal of discovery?

As far as the argument that oil or other resources would be found, perhaps that's true. But I still question whether that much money should be spent pursuing such a remote dream.

What has the Hubble telescope or it's sisters ever contributed toward the human condition?

With all the money that's been spent, have we gotten our money's worth? Are we really better for it? I can't say that we have- but I'm not saying that we haven't. I just don't know.

 

[bamthin]

I think humans are just very curious about the origin of life and the origin of the universe. I beleive the Mars landers are looking for signs of life or signs of traces of water on the planet.

This is great and a nice bounce back for NASA after the tragedy earlier this year.

-Bam

 

[bushin04]

Originally posted by Moi


What has the Hubble telescope or it's sisters ever contributed toward the human condition?

We've mapped the entire universe with the Hubble Telescope, we know exactly how big it is, how galaxies are arranged, how old the universe is judging from the remaining radioactive material, etc. If we didn't have Hubble discoveirng background radiation, we couldn't say the universe is 16 billion years old, and religion would be the only answer to that question

 

[Moi]

Originally posted by bushin04
We've mapped the entire universe with the Hubble Telescope, we know exactly how big it is, how galaxies are arranged, how old the universe is judging from the remaining radioactive material, etc. If we didn't have Hubble discoveirng background radiation, we couldn't say the universe is 16 billion years old, and religion would be the only answer to that question

I'm not sure the people who are going without food, water, medical care, housing and education are better off knowing how old the universe is or where all the planets are.

 

[bushin04]

Originally posted by Moi
I'm not sure the people who are going without food, water, medical care, housing and education are better off knowing how old the universe is or where all the planets are.

yeah but there's a difference between those two. There's always going to be a small percentage of people in countries with the capitabilities to reach the stars who are homeless or on welfare. You can't eradicate it. Besides, Nasa only gets like what 0.75% of the United States budget, like about 800 million dollars a year right? I'm not exactly sure on those figures, I'd have to look. Imagine what Nasa could do with even 5 percent of the budget, they could make some kind of artificial atmosphere on the moon or on Mars and grow food

 

[Moi]

Originally posted by bushin04
yeah but there's a difference between those two. There's always going to be a small percentage of people in countries with the capitabilities to reach the stars who are homeless or on welfare. You can't eradicate it. Besides, Nasa only gets like what 0.75% of the United States budget, like about 800 million dollars a year right? I'm not exactly sure on those figures, I'd have to look. Imagine what Nasa could do with even 5 percent of the budget, they could make some kind of artificial atmosphere on the moon or on Mars and grow food

According to the NASA website, the annual budget for 2003 of NASA is $15 billion. I don't know how much of that comes from the government versus any other income but that's a heck of a lot of money that could be put to uses more immediately beneficial to mankind.

Having said that, I'm not anti-space. I cheer when they get back to earth safely and I would agree that they have a right to do so. I just question the benefit of the money towards that rather than more pressing concerns.

 

[Palestinian Jew]

I'm glad it landed so that all of the stupid conspiracy theories about prior missions will stop. aliens intercepted the other probe....the probe didn't really crash, its working on the surface...NASA doesn't want to release the fact that the probe is working b/c aliens live there.....

 

[X.P. Alidocious]

Originally posted by Moi
I'm not trying to be rude, but could someone please tell me why we are spending so much time and money on space?

Is it the hope that we'll be able to live there someday? If so, what's so great about living in space?

Again, I'm not being sarcastic I just never got it.

Aww. You haven't watched Bablyon 5 have you?

More seriously, it makes a lot of sense to me. Most people
don't want our scientists to test things like nuclear missles in their back yards.
But on an uninhabited planet, experiments could be done with risk
to no one but those testing.

And if we could live on these planets somehow, chances are we'd
be changing more than location. When the new world was discovered,
products were exchanged between the old world and the new world.
Commerce changed forever. Potatoes were introduced to the old world
and they saved old worlders from starving. Horses were given to the
new world, which made hunting and travelling faster and easier.

Space probably doesn't have new food to offer us, but it may hold
things that we can one day use to save our lives.

I'm all for exploration. I'd be scared to go on a voyage, and yet,
I'd sure love to someday.