[thechat] Is NASA lost in space

[isaac]

> >http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/5094080.htm
> >
> >This dude says NASA is wasting money. Discuss.


It's funny (for anyone who knows me now), but a lot of people assumed I
would choose to become an astronaut as a career path (getting picked for
space school may have done that). I said to a co-worker yesterday that
laziness may have just saved my life...

Rather than space exploration vs no space exploration, why shouldn't the
question be manned vs unmanned? Why isn't the author talking about the $1
trillion Bush is requesting for the military. For a year! NASA is spending
$15b/yr. The military is about to get an increase that is double that, and
not for research or exploration, but only to control and destroy.

What I've always liked about the idea of getting out into space is the
thought of getting away from the nutcases (mostly the US (as a country, not
specific people on this list!)) here and starting afresh. Goodbye religious
differences (err, religion at all!) and boundary squabbles.

I think that some space research, at the very least, is likely to be useful.
Far into the future, the Earth will be swallowed by our Sun, and far before
that we'll need to get off it. Yes, it's so far away, but let's at least
think about progress.


What about the US military? More spending than the next 20 countries
combined. If I lived in the US, I'd be aghast at the amount of money from my
taxes that was being spent on dominating other countries. Protecting the US?
Pfft.

There are innumerable gorgeous natural wonders on our Earth, but I'd still
consider just giving it all up. Here, US, if you want to dominate, have the
world.

i