Alvis 3.1 Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I can't think of a better waste of good money than to shoot it up in a big rocket. While everyone has to accept tax increases and fees on everything all while expecting cuts to government services... it must make sense to someone. They've been loading space probes with cash? I thought they were building them on Earth, with American talent (who then spend the money in the US), and sending the probes into space, to gain knowledge. But if they've been sending money into space, well, that's just wrong. Imagine if it accidentally fell into North Korea, they'd be able to afford basic cable and who knows where that would lead to? Stop the madness, keep all cash on Earth! Earth Cash for Earth people! Alvis 3.1 Space Cadet Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CorsairMan Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 They've been loading space probes with cash? I thought they were building them on Earth, with American talent (who then spend the money in the US), and sending the probes into space, to gain knowledge. But if they've been sending money into space, well, that's just wrong. Imagine if it accidentally fell into North Korea, they'd be able to afford basic cable and who knows where that would lead to? Stop the madness, keep all cash on Earth! Earth Cash for Earth people! Alvis 3.1 Space Cadet Ummm yes... you have me convinced. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CorsairMan Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Total NASA 2012 Budget: $18.4 Billion. US DoD 2012 Budget for air-conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan: $20.2 Billion. The point I was trying to make is - in a time where everyone is being told to expect less but pay more for it... these cash outlays are harder and harder to justify. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alvis 3.1 Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Sure, but at what point do you stop doing everything to justify cutting back on anything? Don't forget, probes in the past have sat and sat, never being launched due to budget cutbacks, yet the majority of the money had already been spent in designing and building the probe. Launching it, and landing it doesn't add much to the cost. I'm sure NASA isn't getting as much as they'd like, having had their budget cut repeatedly over the years. That said, there's always waste in a system, but I think Curiosity made it to Mars for far less than what it may have cost too. I'm pretty sure there were good voyages of discovery during austere times in the past. Maybe NASA could expolore some corporate sponsorship on such trips, maybe, oh, NASCAR could pony up some money to be allowed to race a couple rovers? Alvis 3.1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
toadwbg Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 They've been loading space probes with cash? I thought they were building them on Earth, with American talent (who then spend the money in the US), and sending the probes into space, to gain knowledge. But if they've been sending money into space, well, that's just wrong. Imagine if it accidentally fell into North Korea, they'd be able to afford basic cable and who knows where that would lead to? Stop the madness, keep all cash on Earth! Earth Cash for Earth people! Alvis 3.1 Space Cadet LOL! Love when a good argument is made with a healthy dose of sarcasm ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vimana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 hi all,ive just heard on the news that obahma has promised man will be on mars within twenty years,piggin ell,i,ll be seventy two.i will be stuggling to put my incontinence pants on,while men will be stuggling to walk on another planet,ah well we cant turn back time, ,i did see man walk on the moon though,and drive a cool car,wonder if there will be a mars rover, don Don't worry, Jetboy - by the time you need incontinence pants, our technology will have advanced so far that we'll have incontinence pants that jump out of the box, wrap themselves around your loins and velcro themselves shut! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The_Animal Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I can't think of a better waste of good money than to shoot it up in a big rocket. While everyone has to accept tax increases and fees on everything all while expecting cuts to government services... it must make sense to someone. Well each to his own. If I were a US citizen, I'd be rather pleased that NASA has put a robot on Mars and it only cost me $8 - it's really rather good value, especially when you consider the following; Total NASA 2012 Budget: $18.4 Billion. US DoD 2012 Budget for air-conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan: $20.2 Billion. Vince I guess now would be a bad time to bring up the $15.9 Trillion National Debt. http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jetboy Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 Don't worry, Jetboy - by the time you need incontinence pants, our technology will have advanced so far that we'll have incontinence pants that jump out of the box, wrap themselves around your loins and velcro themselves shut! hi vimana,dont worry,ive found the answer,check out the advert,its on the post asking for advice,it was pointed out to me one of the advantages of this offer,was wait for it....prolonged life,so if i take this offer up,it doesn't matter how long it takes to get there,plus the added bonus of being able to crush and maim everyone i meet,pure manna from heaven all round. cheers don, recent master of llap- goch (probably means something awful in welsh,should have checked?) ah well not every puddle is over my wellies. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erik_g Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Software developers are always looking to get the most from the processor (in the 'civil' market it makes things quicker and prettier). I was going to argue that most developers are lazy and just uses Microsoft Visual Studio, which renders anything but quick and pretty software - but I realized that was just an excellent argument for the need of more powerful computers.. :-) Sure, I don´t believe the development is slowing down, nor has it slowed down in the field of aeronautics, but for the average user, the perceived increase in performance of the computers each year has become quite smaller. I remember the days when games ran in 320x240 unless you bought a new one, with an intel 486 cpu, which allowed the unheard of resolution of 640x480. Sure thing, a similar increase in resolution today would also need a similar increase in computational power, but the difference between 1080p and 2160p on a 22" screen is really not that visible. Both aeronautics and computers have become so complex fields of engineering now that there are so much research and development needed to get to those really big breakthroughs that will be felt by the general public. Well each to his own. If I were a US citizen, I'd be rather pleased that NASA has put a robot on Mars and it only cost me $8 - it's really rather good value, especially when you consider the following; Total NASA 2012 Budget: $18.4 Billion. US DoD 2012 Budget for air-conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan: $20.2 Billion. Vince I´m not paying tax in the US (just like some of the presidential candidates I´ve heard, but I got quite a good excuse). But I have several times wondered if not NASA should put up a "donate-button" on their site, so we who support space exploration but not live in the US too can support NASA - pay the equivalent of the US "space tax". As a European a small amount of my tax goes to ESA, but I don´t feel like ESA is doing the really cool stuff. But they can have $8 from me too, if I give that much to NASA. It´s not even a lunch here in Sweden. I´d pay $16 if they spend half of it on FTL-research (Faster Than Light). /E Quote Link to post Share on other sites
toadwbg Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) But I have several times wondered if not NASA should put up a "donate-button" on their site, so we who support space exploration but not live in the US too can support NASA -. This is a great idea I´d pay $16 if they spend half of it on FTL-research (Faster Than Light). Don't hold your breath on that one however! FTL is fantasy. If we ever transcend our bodies to become etheral than maybe FTL would be possible! We need sleep hibernation for prolonged trips. I thought James Cameron did an excellent job portraying this and stellar travel in Avatar. Edited August 8, 2012 by toadwbg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erik_g Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Don't hold your breath on that one however! FTL is fantasy. If we ever transcend our bodies to become etheral than maybe FTL would be possible! We need sleep hibernation for prolonged trips. I thought James Cameron did an excellent job portraying this and stellar travel in Avatar. With conventional techniques FTL is indeed impossible, but I remember reading an article in which scientists claim that "warpdrives" and "worm hole travel" might be possible, at least mathematically. Don´t ask me to explain how, because it is way over my head. I spend my spare time sniffing glue and sanding plastic, not scrambling over scientific reports and colliding Hadrons.. But yeah, for now warpdrives and hyperspace travel are way beyond our reach. Hmm, I got an old, well, reissued, AMT Enterprise in my stash.. maybe I should boldly go and bring it out.. /E Quote Link to post Share on other sites
toadwbg Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 With conventional techniques FTL is indeed impossible, but I remember reading an article in which scientists claim that "warpdrives" and "worm hole travel" might be possible, at least mathematically. Wormholes apparently do exist. I don't have a lot of hope for us sending the Millenium Falcon Thru them however... Messages maybe however. For example, we may have FTL communications some day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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