Can't Get to the Space Station?

Dr. Cheese · #1 08-29-2011, 12:08 PM

Russian Rocket Fails En Route To Space Station : NPR

As a kid seeing America go to the Moon, I never thought I'd see the day when we couldn't even reach low Earth orbit!

emor · #2 08-29-2011, 12:15 PM

"...pieces of the supply vehicle reportedly came crashing back to Earth."

Did it fall in your back yard?

MakiSupaStar · #3 08-29-2011, 06:11 PM

This reminds me of my post in the space murder thread.

frianbisher · #4 08-29-2011, 06:42 PM

I may be in the minority here, but I think the space program is a huge waste of money. In short, I think it began just for bragging rights. I just always tend to think of all the people on earth we would help with the billions of dollars we spent blasting things into space. How much food can you buy with a billion?

I mainly consider manned exploration to be wasteful. I understand the importance of satellites, but I think we should just use robots for exploring.

R. Laevinus · #5 08-29-2011, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frianbisher

I may be in the minority here, but I think the space program is a huge waste of money. In short, I think it began just for bragging rights. I just always tend to think of all the people on earth we would help with the billions of dollars we spent blasting things into space. How much food can you buy with a billion?

I mainly consider manned exploration to be wasteful. I understand the importance of satellites, but I think we should just use robots for exploring.

Respectfully, I disagree.

While I fully agree with the fact that there is a lot of good we could be doing here on Earth with that money, I believe it is absolutely vital that we as a species move into the cosmos, and the lessons we learn through manned spaceflight will be absolutely necessary for such an exodus, when it comes time.

I figger that the planet is a living system, independent of us; and it's only a part in a larger living system, the solar system, which is a part of the galaxy, which is a part of the universe, and so on and so forth. What I'm getting at is, living systems grow and change of their own accord; planets have volcanic ages and ice ages, stars live and die and go nova, solar systems and entire galaxies have lifespans and violent deaths.

Over eons, yes, admittedly; but I think it is imperative that we as a species get the ball rolling in getting off this rock as quick as we can, before something unpleasant happens that we have no control over.

That is all, carry on.

Selta · #6 08-29-2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frianbisher

I may be in the minority here, but I think the space program is a huge waste of money. In short, I think it began just for bragging rights. I just always tend to think of all the people on earth we would help with the billions of dollars we spent blasting things into space. How much food can you buy with a billion?

I mainly consider manned exploration to be wasteful. I understand the importance of satellites, but I think we should just use robots for exploring.

You obviously have *NO* clue what things that you take for granted on a daily basis are brought to you by NASA/The Space Program. You should do yourself a favor and go find out. Not to mention the on going research that happens in space, that literally can't happen here on Earth. Here's a start:
http://techtran.msfc.nasa.gov/at_home.html

basstotheface · #7 08-29-2011, 06:58 PM

Seriously man! Gosh idiot!

You think Tempurpedic mattresses just grow on trees???

Selta · #8 08-29-2011, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basstotheface

Seriously man! Gosh idiot!

You think Tempurpedic mattresses just grow on trees???

frianbisher · #9 08-29-2011, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

You obviously have *NO* clue what things that you take for granted on a daily basis are brought to you by NASA/The Space Program. You should do yourself a favor and go find out. Not to mention the on going research that happens in space, that literally can't happen here on Earth. Here's a start:
NASAsolutions: Benefits of the Space Program

Things such as personalized makeover software, aerodynamic golf balls, football helmet padding, and robotic pigs still seem like a waste of money.

Honestly that list of accomplishments is rather lackluster given the amount of time and money spent to achieve them.

Also it seems many of these accomplishments took place on the ground rather than in space.

Selta · #10 08-29-2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frianbisher

Things such as personalized makeover software, aerodynamic golf balls, football helmet padding, and robotic pigs still seem like a waste of money.

Honestly that list of accomplishments is rather lackluster given the amount of time and money spent to achieve them.

Ah, I see someone cherry picked some of the things out instead of mentioning ones such as... CATScans and MRIs, water purification and solar power. Wonderful. I also said here's a start, not a be all, end all list. But, you're apparently too lazy to do that, and would rather sit there and complain about the less than 1% of the budget that NASA gets.
Stay classy.

frianbisher · #11 08-29-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Ah, I see someone cherry picked some of the things out instead of mentioning ones such as... CATScans and MRIs, water purification and solar power. Wonderful. I also said here's a start, not a be all, end all list. But, you're apparently too lazy to do that, and would rather sit there and complain about the less than 1% of the budget that NASA gets.
Stay classy.

To be fair, the coolness factor of rockets is off the charts and I really dig some of the things the Hubble has shown us. I reiterate that I don't think we need people in said rockets to learn anything.

Selta · #12 08-29-2011, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frianbisher

To be fair, the coolness factor of rockets is off the charts and I really dig some of the things the Hubble has shown us. I reiterate that I don't think we need people in said rockets to learn anything.

Ok then. Build a robot that can conduct experiments and R&D. You'd be a billionaire in no time and can then freely give away whatever you want.

Edit: I'd also say that you should also look into the economic impact that NASA has with their money. For example, the $25Billion spent in 1958 had a total return of $181Billion at 1987. Let's not even get into the job creation that is thanks to NASA and its partners and things like that. But I know, once again, you won't look into this at all. It's easier to "arm chair quarterback" this.

frianbisher · #13 08-29-2011, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Ok then. Build a robot that can conduct experiments and R&D. You'd be a billionaire in no time and can then freely give away whatever you want.

Have we not sent robotic rovers to Mars?

Selta · #14 08-29-2011, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frianbisher

Have we not sent robotic rovers to Mars?

Indeed we have. But you're taking this out of context now. A lot of the R&D that is done by NASA et. al. is done right here on Earth for use in space, not vice versa (though some R&D is done in space, as I've previously pointed out). Those technologies are just spun off and used in civilian areas later.

basstotheface · #15 08-29-2011, 07:21 PM

Seriously guys, tempurpedic is the bomb. Changed my life.

Ziltoid · #16 08-29-2011, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frianbisher

I may be in the minority here, but I think the space program is a huge waste of money.

He's one of them! The invasion as begun!

L-A · #17 08-29-2011, 07:25 PM

I think the OP's sentence is misleading. Both Russia and the United States have had some failures in reaching low orbit throughout the years, and it's not like we're done with successful missions.

frianbisher · #18 08-29-2011, 07:33 PM

This is fast becoming an agree to disagree situation.

Let private companies take over space exploration and I won't have any problem with it.

THand · #19 08-29-2011, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-A

I think the OP's sentence is misleading. Both Russia and the United States have had some failures in reaching low orbit throughout the years, and it's not like we're done with successful missions.

This^

The only way to never fail, is to never do anything at all. I think the drive to explore is in our DNA, and nothing except death of the entire species will stop us. This won't even make a footnote in the history books of our future generations.

mrpackerguy · #20 08-29-2011, 08:16 PM

I'll never forget being so amazed sitting in front of the Tv watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon while my dad was yeslling to my younger brothers who were carousing "Quiet! History is being made". Indeed it was pops, and I'm not the only kid who from that moment forward wanted to be an astronaut. I truly think space exploration and space science is a necessity if our species is to survive, even if many thousands of years into the future.