Speakeasy forum: The end of America as a space-faring nation?

Quite frankly is takes alot of moola to get into space. What's on the drawing boards now is return to the moon as a station, then on to Mars. All this costs and all that you mentioned, that costs too. The return from space is little and whatever is Earth bound is bound to take presence. There's alot going on in the here and now that space has to wait. Further, anything in the future is bested served by "robotic" mission as having a better return on the cost. Once, all the grd. work is laid then and only then when funds available will "manned" missions become possible. Since, no one else is going it hardly matters. The Chinese are waiting until we go, so they can copy our stuff anyways. I'm sure if they headout, they'll kill their own people in the attempts. I do say attempts, because they won't get it right no matter how smart they are, "experience" matters in these things. Their own rocket launches came about only after they stole the telemetry from our missions and the USSR wasn't going to give it to them. -----Willy, (aka Rocket dude)

The much respected SciFi author. I read his "The Mote in God's Eye", and "Footfall" many years ago, along with others I can't remember now.

He does seem a little 'opinionated' in his web site articles.

He may be right, but I hope he isn't. Manned space exploration has to continue, and NASA is the most able and experienced to do that.

Mark

...... America;s space exploration future.

The author actually condemns everything re: the current administration.

His tactic is to create fear among those if us who are long-time supporters of NASA, and to place the blame on whatever administration he does not support.

In the years of NASA there has been little, if any, mention of research into developing a better launching system than putting men atop a fire-belching exploitable rocket., or safer fuels. Why? Because requested funding to NASA has not been granted over several administrations because the fact that research is expensive.

It all boils down to money, and how those on the Hill perceive their voting for NASA funding will be received by their constituents, Like some other worth-while projects/programs , the easiest ones to fund are those that have a direct impact on their voters.

Angeline
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