Welcome to the archived messages from In The 00s. This archive stretches back to 1998 in some instances, and contains a nearly complete record of all the messages posted to inthe00s.com. You will also find an archive of the messages from inthe70s.com, inthe80s.com, inthe90s.com and amiright.com before they were combined to form the inthe00s.com messageboard.
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Subject: Trip to Mars
Do you think we should spend the billions of dollars on putting man on Mars.
I understand the curousity of the planet and the exploration of it, but I think there are issues here on earth that could use this money like putting a stop to foreign poverty, contributing to educational institutions, repairing and developing better living areas, etc.
What are your thoughts about this issue?
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Not yet, in 25-50 years... we'll see when the time comes.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Here are some people who were happy to hear about new developments in the space program: http://www.iowastatedaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/01/21/400dfa735f3d3?in_archive=1
Despite the fact that there are other things we could be putting money toward, I am glad that so many people (like people from my school :)) will be able to use their talents/education to develop science and technology in this manner. It sounds like a lot of jobs will be created, which is undoubtedly good news for aerospace engineers and people in related fields.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
As I said in another post, if the space program had been given the necessary funding to continue in the 70s, there would be a base on Mars already. The advances in technology that are the ultimate legacy of space exploration have immense benefit to humanity and there must be a huge boost to many industries associated with it. Space travel has incredible long-term benefits to those of us here on Earth; the fact that we don't always sees these results right away tends to blind us to the fact that they are there.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Quoting:
I understand the curousity of the planet and the exploration of it, but I think there are issues here on earth that could use this money like putting a stop to foreign poverty, contributing to educational institutions, repairing and developing better living areas, etc.
End Quote
How about putting an end to domestic poverty first? :)
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
I agree with LyricBoy. We have TOO many earthly problems to solve first before we start to venture out Mars and other planets. It's just common sense which our government seems to lack. I remember when I served in the military... if you lost one of your supplies (for example: a sleeping bag) instead of providing the soldier with another one---they make the soldier pay for it by garnishing their pay. The superior officers bitched and moaned about the military doesn't have the money to replace every little item ---all the time. Yet, the government has money to fund these space projects??? Just boggles the mind... ::)
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Quoting:
The superior officers bitched and moaned about the military doesn't have the money to replace every little item ---all the time. Yet, the government has money to fund these space projects??? Just boggles the mind... ::)
End Quote
Nice try. The US military infrastructure gets W-A-A-A-Y more than what NASA gets. Your "black" projects get more than the NASA budget.
Many space scientists imagine all the planets they can send probes to if only they had 1/10th the budget alotted for the Space Shuttle. :P
How about dumping your SUV's, driving hybrids so that you can cut your domestic oil consumption, thereby cutting the amount of money you pay to your enemies, and reducing your national debt. That alone would go a whole long way for your economic situation.
Be honest with yourselves, if the U.S. were to cancel the entire space program and funnel the money into social programs, over time the greed tendencies in all the tax payers would eventually demand that those programs be cut as well. Way to go. Killed the space program and solved nothing. ???
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Quoting:How about dumping your SUV's, driving hybrids so that you can cut your domestic oil consumption, thereby cutting the amount of money you pay to your enemies, and reducing your national debt. That alone would go a whole long way for your economic situation.End Quote
::) Oh where to start on that comment.
You can't blame the law of "supply and demand" on the govt.
People have spoken with their wallets, and they want SUV's. Hybrids are available, yet they aren't selling. Why? Well there's several reasons, perhaps for another thread.
Personally, I would like us to get our own oil, but the tree-huggers won't allow it...again another thread.
Quoting:Be honest with yourselves, if the U.S. were to cancel the entire space program and funnel the money into social programs, over time the greed tendencies in all the tax payers would eventually demand that those programs be cut as well. Way to go. Killed the space program and solved nothing. ???
End Quote
huh?
I would comment on that....if it made sense. ???
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Quoting:
I agree with LyricBoy. We have TOO many earthly problems to solve first before we start to venture out Mars and other planets. End Quote
And as I said, a lot of the technology developed via the space program will help solve them. The advancement of science is the key to the advancement of society, and the greatest advancement of science is the exploration of space.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Quoting:
Personally, I would like us to get our own oil, but the tree-huggers won't allow it...
End Quote
What's left of the domestic supply isn't enough to hold your standard of living over for much longer. Even with advanced extraction technology. It would cover your lifetime but not the next generation... which you and many MANY others obviously don't care... which is precisely the problem and cause of many of today's issues. And completely relevant to this topic of expenditures vs. social well being.
As an outsider (non-American) I say keep your space program, junk the Shuttle, scrap the Hubble because the Japanese one going up this year will make it look shameful and pathetic, but most of all.. keep an even balance on health, education, and defense. Don't abandon one for the other. You will always have welfare bums who bluntly don't want to work.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Personally, I think we should spend money on improving life for people on Earth.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
I wonder how many hospitals and schools could have been built with the money used to fund the mission.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Quoting:
What's left of the domestic supply isn't enough to hold your standard of living over for much longer. Even with advanced extraction technology. It would cover your lifetime but not the next generation... End Quote
As true as that may be, supplementing our own oil along with the oil we get from abroad would cut down on our foreign oil consumption until an alternative is found.
I am not by any means suggestiong that we totally abandon foreign oil and try to live off of our own. I just would like to see us at least get some of our oil from the homeland.
However, like I said, some people are more concerned about rare species of algae than to allow us to get our own oil. ::)
Quoting:
And as I said, a lot of the technology developed via the space program will help solve them. The advancement of science is the key to the advancement of society, and the greatest advancement of science is the exploration of space.
End Quote
That is correct.
I look at the space program as a sure investment.
Yes, the initial cost seems staggering, but the payoffs are much worth it in the end. There are so many modern everyday things we see and use on a daily basis that were developed from the space program. Some by choice, others by accident.
Subject: Re: Trip to Mars
Space exploratin is a major dynamic for progress, technology begets technology, knowledge begets knowledg,e etc and that translates to a better world for all of us.
Yes, more funds can be spent here in social programs but if we supply that same logic to everything than we can cut the arts, public tv, border protection, AIDS research, (insert valued publically funded program here).
There is economic, scientific, and technological results from space exporation that will have direct benefits for us all, it is best not to close the door on progress.