| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/3/2008 9:55:15 PM | | Think of a world where there is no space exploration particularly of the observational type. Why we might not be aware of a "killer asteroid" headed our way. Wouldn't that be a big disappointment to all the doomwatchers expecting the big one any day now? | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/3/2008 11:24:11 PM | | I think space exploration is great so long as we are pushing new boundaries. If we're not learning anything it seems pretty wasteful. Going up just to fix a satellite or something seems like a waste of resources. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/4/2008 12:57:59 AM |
Going up just to fix a satellite or something seems like a waste of resources.
Ummm... going up to fix a satellite is by definition LESS of a waste of resources than just letting it fail and replacing it. That's WHY they repair it.
To paraphrase Bush the Younger: "Do you feel in your gut that it's a waste of resources?"  | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/4/2008 12:05:18 PM | The Space Shuttles have little or nothing to do with "exploration," it's more "exploitation." All the "real" exploration is now done with automated, unmanned robot probes. The last manned "exploration" missions were the Apollo moon landings. Skylab was mostly PR, the shuttles are basically delivery trucks, even the space station has commercial applications.
Of course space exploration is necessary, but we haven't done any manned exploration in 30 years, and we may not for another 20. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/4/2008 1:02:21 PM |
Of course space exploration is necessary, but we haven't done any manned exploration in 30 years, and we may not for another 20.
Much of this is because the Space Shuttle killed NASA's budget many years and NEVER lived up to any of its origin design goals. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/4/2008 2:04:47 PM | | Manned missions to the moon are not likely to turn many people's cranks in this day and age so Mars would be the big goal. That 5 million mile trip is a little more complicated than a milk run to the moon so even twenty years is a pretty liberal estimate for a time frame. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:07:17 PM | Mars, at its closest, on average is 48 million miles away (when Earth is farthest from the sun and Mars closest they're "only" 35 million miles apart, but that only happens every few thousand years).
There is a better economic argument for returning to the Moon first: it could serve as manufacturing and refueling base for further exploration. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/5/2008 9:39:48 AM | With enough political will, the "Mars Direct" approach could be done in under 5 years. Don't forget, a lot of the necessary R&D was done during Apollo: we know it can be done, Mars is just farther away (okay, it's a teensy bit more complex than that).
It takes no more of a boost to reach Mars than it does to reach the Moon; in fact, using the Moon to "slingshot" the craft(s) toward Mars is part of the plan. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/7/2008 7:20:35 AM | We don't need the moon to venture out. There is no advantage to refuel on the moon. It actually takes more fuel to go to the surface of the moon, then it does to go directly to the surface of mars. The lack of atmosphere and it's low gravity means ships have to spend fuel to slow down enough to be captured in lunar orbit. On Mars, ships can aerobrake in the atmosphere to slow down.
Nasa's plan is to begin moon operations by 2020 with NO DATE for the Mars endeavour.
But there's a plan...... And it's being taken seriously.
I just watched an amazing documentary "The Mars Underground" http://www.themarsunderground.com/ Check it out if you can.
(http://www.themarsunderground.com/trailer/trailer_lo.html) | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/7/2008 7:27:41 AM | Getting to Mars is relatively easy. Its getting back that is the problem. That was a major issue with the moon missions and the moon's gravity is far less than Mars although Mars gravity is less than Earth. Like the moon missions, some larger return craft will probably be put in the Mars orbit, perhaps as an unmanned staging mission. Once it is safely ready, then a manned mission would be sent to link up. Perhaps the ideal way to get to Mars would be a solar powered electromagnetic launcher on the moon. That way, there would be no need to accelerate launch rocket motors and launch fuel that then becomes space trash. The velocity to go to Mars would mostly come from kinetic energy imparted on the moon. The lunar launcher could be used to send Earth return craft to Earth as well as launch long range exploration probes. Earth return craft could be used to return tourists, workers, and He3 for energy on Earth.
The far side of the moon would be an ideal place for telescopes working in all the electromagnetic spectrum shielded from Earth electromagnetic pollution. Earth orbit telescopes don't get the advantage of such shielding. As the moon orbits Earth, it gets a view of most of the universe.
To emphasize the value of He3, it seems likely that He3, as a fusion fuel, will be easier to use than hydrogen, deuterium, or tritium. All the total energy mankind uses could be supplied by approximately 2200 pounds of He3 assuming current steam power plant technology. He3 is created in solar flares as a kind of incomplete fusion process and gets trapped in the surface dust and rocks of the moon. It does not penetrate the Earth's atmosphere enough to create sufficient concentrations anywhere on Earth. I doubt Mars would have a usable concentration of He3 as it has an atmosphere.
Establishing a lunar presence would address exploration, tourism, and exploitation. What esle will we find in space exploration and what spin-off technologies will result? | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/7/2008 8:24:51 AM |
We don't need the moon to venture out. There is no advantage to refuel on the moon. Refueling would take place in Lunar orbit. The advantage is that the fuel doesn't have to be lifted from the surface of the Earth, but from the moon, which requires much less energy; what energy is needed for launching from the surface of the Moon would come from solar energy, using a MagLev launching system.
It actually takes more fuel to go to the surface of the moon, then it does to go directly to the surface of mars. The lack of atmosphere and it's low gravity means ships have to spend fuel to slow down enough to be captured in lunar orbit. Quite true, but the energy used in slowing a craft for Lunar orbit insertion can be reclaimed by using the Earth's gravity to "slingshot" the probe from the Moon to Mars. It's like putting a parcel on a shelf over your head, it takes energy to put it up there, but the energy is "reclaimed" when the parcel falls off the shelf. There is actually a net gain in energy from using the "slingshot" method, so overall the energy used would be less than launching directly from Earth to Mars (most deep-space probes use a variation of this already).
With an industrial manufacturing facility on the surface of the Moon, any future space exploration would require only transfer of personnel from an Earth-launched "taxi vehicle" to Lunar-manufactured craft in Lunar orbit. With automated manufacturing facilities on the Moon's surface, there might actually be no need to land people or equipment on the surface. In fact, robot probes, not needing to accept human crew, could be launched directly to anywhere in the Solar System and beyond with the solar powered launching system, needing fuel for steering rockets only. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/8/2008 9:33:13 AM |
Getting to Mars is relatively easy. Its getting back that is the problem And astronauts, with a 30% loss of muscle mass, weaker bones, deconditioned cardiovascular system etc. would be greeted with a Martian medical support staff, taken to a Martian hospital and brought back to health enough to be able to walk around within 2 weeks of their arrival, then sent to a health spa for another 6 months to recover from the devastating effects of the 9-month long trip in microgravity. Just like the (mainly) cosmonauts who spent 9-15 months in the Mir space station.
Yes, I'm for more exploration - in space and in general. But pleeeeeze - get real!
Spin-offs are no justification for spending billions of dollars on space adventures. Most aren't even space-related developments in the first place, if you look at them carefully.
A jaunt to anywhere, just for the hell of it is no reason to spend billions of taxpayer dollars either. If you wanna go to Mars, work for the funding and pay for the trip yourself. Don't ask me to help pay for it, even if you just want to visit vicariously.
Use some imagination, figure out projects which have real value and invest in those. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/8/2008 4:33:58 PM | | We SHOULD continue to explore space for one reason that a lot of people fail to point out: PROFIT! I believe that in the long-run people will pay ridiculous amounts of money once they learn that they can comfortably live on extraterrestrial soil. Also, the pure adventure of it all will be worth a large amount of money to many others. Look at how much space tourists are already paying just to go into low Earth orbit! | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 7/8/2008 8:45:49 PM |
And astronauts, with a 30% loss of muscle mass, weaker bones, deconditioned cardiovascular system etc. would be greeted with a Martian medical support staff, taken to a Martian hospital and brought back to health enough to be able to walk around within 2 weeks of their arrival, then sent to a health spa for another 6 months to recover from the devastating effects of the 9-month long trip in microgravity. Just like the (mainly) cosmonauts who spent 9-15 months in the Mir space station.
Yes, I'm for more exploration - in space and in general. But pleeeeeze - get real!
Spin-offs are no justification for spending billions of dollars on space adventures. Most aren't even space-related developments in the first place, if you look at them carefully.
A jaunt to anywhere, just for the hell of it is no reason to spend billions of taxpayer dollars either. If you wanna go to Mars, work for the funding and pay for the trip yourself. Don't ask me to help pay for it, even if you just want to visit vicariously.
Use some imagination, figure out projects which have real value and invest in those.
Well there is that problem isn't there? Instead of vehicles like the lunar rover, maybe they can each use little electric scooters or segways. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 11/30/2008 10:49:25 AM | I didn't read the thread.
I'm just going to say "yes", as a self-evident response.
The earth has a finite amount of resources and will survive for a finite amount of time. If humanity wishes its species to survive in the long-term, which seems to be the natural biological condition, then we need to continue advanced space travel. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 11/30/2008 12:38:44 PM | | I believe the space program is necessary. The future of our civilization will one day depend on it. As resources dwindle and the population explosion continues, we will one day soon be forced to build extraplanetary colonies. We will use our Moon as a stepping stone into space by first mining minerals such as Helium 3 to meet immediate energy needs . Eventually we will construct colonies on Mars. As advanced propulsion systems are developed, Interstellar travel will become common place and the human race will spread out into the Orion arm of the Milky Way. I would love some feedback on my comment. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 11/30/2008 1:16:49 PM | | hi... it is my opinion that the money should go to feeding the starving people and who really knows what damage is being done every time a rocket soars through the cosmos... when everyone is fed then they can go outside and play with their rockets... blessings for clarity and wisdom, warmly Mona | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 11/30/2008 1:49:53 PM |
Is it needed?
Depends... how much do you care about the human race? With every race on the planet we need to grow and expand or like water in a small glass it becomes stale and unhealthy to drink. This is starting to happen as there is no where left to go. We need move to new worlds or loose hope in human existence. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 11/30/2008 2:48:15 PM | | If you care about feeding the starving people then the space program is necessary. The advances the have come from the space program have helped in many areas of our lifes. The US and many other nations have given billions of dollars to combat starvation in third world countries. The problem is the lack of governmental supervision and the Warlords that rule these areas. These lowlifes steal the care packages to profit by selling them. How about the Trillions of dollars made by OPEC. What is OPEC doing to help the US combat starvation around the world? | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 11/30/2008 6:02:22 PM | this planet is going to die and will never last
the exploration of space is our only key to survival and considering what vicious and nasty beings we are we will stop at nothing to survive :)
its intriguing to note that since the dawn of man we have been obsessed with the stars and the heavens - its almost as if we are here to move on
you could look at it as a virus too - we infect an area use up all its resource and energy so we can spread to another area
aliens have often been fictionally made into the horror and fearful object but i bet many aliens fear the day we breach the confines of our solar system
as they know we will kill them all :)
why else you think we are training kids every day with playstations and x boxes to kill the enemy ;) | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 12/2/2008 5:20:23 AM | | Space exploration is a luxury. Luxuries are what you buy when you are doing well, and all necessities have been taken care of. Right now, the US (and much of the world) is doing very poorly indeed, economically. We need to focus on having enough food, housing, energy, etc. to go around. Only when we are doing well again can we afford space exploration. | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 12/2/2008 5:36:20 AM |
Space exploration is a luxury. Luxuries are what you buy when you are doing well, and all necessities have been taken care of. Right now, the US (and much of the world) is doing very poorly indeed, economically. We need to focus on having enough food, housing, energy, etc. to go around. Only when we are doing well again can we afford space exploration.
This is where we disagree.
The earth has a finite amount of resources. We're currently burning them up with record speed. The earth also has a finite life span. It will end someday, and our species, currently only on earth, is very vulnerable to extinction.
The luxury is not in space exploration. The luxury is to NOT invest in space travel and rely exclusively on what we had. Something we've been doing. Something we no longer can afford to do. | |
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Qamila
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Joined: 2/26/2008
Msg: 149 | |
| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 12/2/2008 6:10:44 AM | "Now, watching the shuttle launch is akin to watching a plane takeoff."
When I watch the space shuttle lift off, my whole body reacts and I feel chills running up and down...and I think of how much I would love to be in there! Definitely different from watching an airplane take off.
We need to continue exploring space to understand our world more. We've learned so much but still there is so much more to discover.
Do you know that space exploration helped invent computers, TVs, cell phones and GPS? Besides, NASA's budget is like, what, less than 1% of the federal budget...
I'm all for spending money on exploring the cosmos. Heck, I would even volunteer:) No need to pay me to go! 
"its intriguing to note that since the dawn of man we have been obsessed with the stars and the heavens - its almost as if we are here to move on"
Yes, I believe this also. I see so many parallels between humanity and space. We and stars are born and die. We are not as different as we think.
"aliens have often been fictionally made into the horror and fearful object but i bet many aliens fear the day we breach the confines of our solar system. "as they
know we will kill them all"
Yes, rarely do we see aliens depicted as good. Except for E.T. Humans are so afraid of even the possibility of their existence, that they would kill them. I would invite them over to my house to play scrabble, watch Rocky and make sundaes:)  | |
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| Is space exploration still necessary??
Posted: 12/2/2008 7:17:33 AM | The earth has a finite amount of resources. We're currently burning them up with record speed. The earth also has a finite life span. It will end someday, and our species, currently only on earth, is very vulnerable to extinction.
Perhaps if space offered something resembling a practical solution to these issues, you might have a point. As it stands, there is no practical way to obtain resources from space (and only metals are available, no fuel, water, food, etc.)
As for colonizing another planet, dream on! It may not prove possible even to get a small crew of astronauts to Mars (much less enough people to form a colony), and that is our NEAREST neighbor! In addition, the cost of shipping enough people, supplies, and other resources to Mars for a colony would bankrupt every nation on earth.
If, by some stretch of the imagination, we could colonize another planet, only an elite few would get to go. The rest of humanity would be vastly better served by using the same resources to improve living conditions here on earth. If we could develop the technology to terraform another planet, perhaps we could use it to rescue the environment here. | |
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