Obama to defund space program...

[MGMorden]

As .45-70 alluded to - space WILL be the high ground within a few years.  He who controls space will control the planet.  All the rifles, planes, and ships in the world don't do a darned thing against an enemy that can take you out from orbit. The populace has gotten lazy lately.  We question pure research as being "not necessary".  The reality is that research and the technology coming from it is what keeps us in the lead.  China and India are not letting up on their space program.  Russia, bless em, isn't either despite their economy being in shambles (which BTW - referring to us taking up other countries' astronauts to the space station - when our shuttle fleet was grounded after the Columbia incident, it was the Russians doing ALL the heavy lifting).

The idiot in the white house just inked us into an even worse position than we were before.  America used to be at the forefront of the world when it came to research.  That's been changing for a while now (particularly with the anti-intellectual attitude that's become "cool" in schools over the last decade or two - kids care more about their cell phones and clothes than about their grades).  This act will sink us further down.  

I saw in interesting question flip.  JFK's original quote was:
"We choose to go to the moon, and do the other things.  Not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

Obama has more or less said:
We choose to not go to the moon or do the other things, because they're hard.

Naturally I haven't been impressed with him from the start, but this is by far the WORST thing Obama has bungled up since he took office.

[mirage1988]

Cut the space program and fund trains Now that makes sense

[Cabin4]

The shuttle is a representative of NASA as the Blue Angels are to the Navy and the T-Birds are to the Air Force. They are a demonstration of the best of the best that each agency (or arm) has to offer.
  A successful shuttle launch and landing has been a source of national pride for Americans, as we are the only country to have a vehicle that launches and lands, now 'o' wants to take that away too?

I don't know of a single person these days who feels that way about the shuttle. Most people don't even know when the thing is leaving or coming back from a mission. We are not talking about the Appolo program back in the 60's. No one cares about the shuttle program nor is it any source of national pride. It's more a source of natioanl debt than anything else. Cut the whole NASA program off. This country cannot afford it.

[45-70.gov]

The shuttle is a representative of NASA as the Blue Angels are to the Navy and the T-Birds are to the Air Force. They are a demonstration of the best of the best that each agency (or arm) has to offer.
  A successful shuttle launch and landing has been a source of national pride for Americans, as we are the only country to have a vehicle that launches and lands, now 'o' wants to take that away too?

I don't know of a single person these days who feels that way about the shuttle. Most people don't even know when the thing is leaving or coming back from a mission. We are not talking about the Appolo program back in the 60's. No one cares about the shuttle program nor is it any source of national pride. It's more a source of natioanl debt than anything else. Cut the whole NASA program off. This country cannot afford it.

YEA
let  some  one  else  be number one  for  awhile

what  about mirrors on satilites  to  illuminate  cities  or  battle feilds
wonder  if they tried that yet

[mirage1988]

When I was in elementary school an astronaut that had been up in the shuttle came to our school and gave a presentation. He showed us some gizmos that were on the shuttle that were invented by NASA. The one that I remember is a tile from the skin of the shuttle- he heated it with a torch until it was red hot, then touched it with his bare hand- it had cooled that quickly. I guess I am in the minority then because I care about NASA and the space program, but then again, I am in the minority too as I still take off my hat when the national anthem is sung too.

[gypsyman]

mirage, I'm on your side. I for one, would like to see the space program funded, and expanded. I always thought the idea was to set the bar higher, not lower. But, with who were dealing with, lets go back to learning how to sharpen sticks and eating monkey brains. gypsyman

[ironglow]

Mirage;
  You're not in the minority, but you will notice that no matter how much proof is offered of the benefits we have derived from the program, the nay-sayers will never admit that any value has come from it. They wouldn't even be exercising this internet, had it not been for the space program. Scootrd, myself and others have provided lists of such advancements, some of which may have saved or are continually saving the lives of people near and dear to the nay-sayers..but they are still not moved...it's like trying to talk to Al Gore..

  We know from experience with the bank bailout money returned with interest, Obama will not use saved funds to pay of debt or return to taxpayers...so I guess it's better the NASA moneys go to the ACLU or the "global warming" gurus...

[Cabin4]

, lets go back to learning how to sharpen sticks and eating monkey brains. gypsyman

nuttin wrong with a sharp wood stick and some good ol monkey brains on toast
 

[Cabin4]

They wouldn't even be exercising this internet, had it not been for the space program.

Thats crazy IG.

[Matt]

They wouldn't even be exercising this internet, had it not been for the space program.

Not true, the INTERNET grew from the old government ARPANET which I am not even sure NASA used..

I think that we as a country would  be better off if the space program was managed in the private sector.

Matt

[Oldshooter]

Well alls I can say is somebody better start managing something soon cause I'm just about outta "Tang", and my Electric car is on its last legs!

[slim rem 7]

nope i can t agree with most this morning..
 not with china comeing on as a very tecknilogically rich country..
  our defence ace,, has been the subs cruising with the ability to strike from..
 anywhere..now suppose ,and we don t really know,,that we now have the capability of
beginning to knock those same deterents down from spaces via lazor hit..
 i got to believe china is not far behind if any..
 now suppose as some here believe that obama really does not have our republics  best interest at heart..
 not funding the space program  would be his smartest move.. i know i ve given a lot of supposes.. but we never used weapons of mass destruction.. do you think chinas leaders would have been as reserved about using that type military ability ,if they knew they could zap ours out of the air with computer guided lazer ..jmo slim

[ironglow]

They wouldn't even be exercising this internet, had it not been for the space program.

Not true, the INTERNET grew from the old government ARPANET which I am not even sure NASA used..

I think that we as a country would  be better off if the space program was managed in the private sector.

Matt

  Matt;
  I may be wrong, but are not many of the resources of the internet directed through the satellite system ?

[Squib]

I'm not saying you're wrong ironglow but before satellite radio repeater towers did the same things.  The point is there are more ways that what is used NOW to do things.  There are always options, and multiple paths to the same destination.  NASA has done some good but so can the private sector.  We don't have to have space funding WITH our tech R&D- I think that's the argument.  I don't think anyone here has an issue with scientific improvement but with people flying around in space.  As for control of the skies- our nation is gonna sell out to the UN/nwo anytime now so we're not gonna be safe from china or russia anyways and if we were safe from foreign threats, then our own communists would keep corrupting- we need to be worried about the continental US right now instead of space and star trek possibilities in the future.  whatever the US builds will be shared with "allies" in the UN.  nukes were a big secret too, look how well our nation did to keep those secrets from russia and china

[magooch]

If we quit moving forward on R&D, we will most certainly start moving backward and the time will come when science will be called on to help prevent a complete meltdown of all our technology and maybe civilization itself.  Probably the most daunting hazard for this planet is the specter of being hit by a significant meteor, or a very large solar flare, etc.  These incidents have occurred in the past and will again. 

It might be that NASA should be reviewed and maybe even redirected, but Osama would not be my choice for either task.  I'll never believe that he has America's best interests at heart and I'll always believe that he wants to see this country brought down.  He has a good start on that and eliminating NASA as we know it would be a huge step in the downward spiral he has initiated.

[45-70.gov]

They wouldn't even be exercising this internet, had it not been for the space program.

Not true, the INTERNET grew from the old government ARPANET which I am not even sure NASA used..

I think that we as a country would  be better off if the space program was managed in the private sector.

Matt

are  there laws  currently on the  books  preventing  the private sector from exploiting space

true  the private sector is  MUCH  more efficient
but  then  they own it

like  the  high  ways...they  are better  being  publicly owned

[MGMorden]

are  there laws  currently on the  books  preventing  the private sector from exploiting space

true  the private sector is  MUCH  more efficient
but  then  they own it

like  the  high  ways...they  are better  being  publicly owned

No major legal hurdles, and there are companies out there working on it, but the reality is that aside from simple tourist attractions and space joyrides (which are scientifically useless), there is currently no (nearby) profit motive to fuel the private companies.  Sure you have asteroids with metals and such that could be mined, but that activity is WAY out on the timescale and I'm not sure private companies with their quarterly reports and margins are willing to make investments anymore than may take decades - or centuries even - to pay off.

Lookup Virgin Galactic and Spaceship One for a good overview.  Interesting projects, but the reality is at the rate they're going the private sector will take 50 more years to catch up with where NASA was 40 years ago.  Now I have no doubt that once the private sector DOES catch up that they'll remain ahead, but they won't catch up until most of us here are dead.  Meanwhile India already has plans for a manned launch in 2016 and China had their first back in 2003 and is fully planning on landing on the moon by 2024 (a perfectly viable date).  China has already been testing out anti-satellite weaponry proving that they're looking at space as a major military operations area.  I'm willing to bet that when they make it to the moon they're not going to place flags and footprints.  Mark my words - the proper attack platform built in space or on the moon - WILL have supreme power against anyone else who isn't up there yet.  When China orders our surrender threatening attack from such a platform if we don't comply, I somehow don't see asking them to wait 10-12 years while we cook something up as being an option.

[45-70.gov]

thanx  MGM   you saved me a lot of typing

i didn't know  china  was so advanced  now
that is  scary

we  owe  them  so much  money
they  will  probly  be mad  if the ink is still wet when  we pay them  off

heck  they  might ever  shoot down  all  our satilites
our troops might get  lost

we  might  not have  any  TV  or communication
we  won't see a big hurricane  coming

we  need to  invest in space reguardless the upfront cost

OBAMAS  PLAN  IS  SO PLAN  TO  SEE
HE  HATES AMERICA  AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR

[Cabin4]

The bottom line is that NASA and those that make a living or make money from the existence of the NASA space program will lay all kinds of claims of advancement at their door step. NASA and its mouth pieces will tell you that without the space program, life on earth will come to an end. Guy's, they are just trying to give credit where it ain't do. Just because some astronaut does an experiment with something in space, does not mean there was ANY advancement. Although NASA and their proponents what you to think that. I too can take a mouse and fill it with some experimental drug and later claim that without said experiment, the drug could have never been advanced. They are just trying to justify their existence and if you don't think there is more fluff than reality in their claims, your dreaming. The government lies to us all as a normal course of everyday business. Truth is the only exception. NASA and it’s money making mouth pieces are no different!

[45-70.gov]

your  usually  right..just not  this  time

your  agreeing  with  obama

we should put you on  ignore  for  this    lol

[MGMorden]

The bottom line is that NASA and those that make a living or make money from the existence of the NASA space program will lay all kinds of claims of advancement at their door step. NASA and its mouth pieces will tell you that without the space program, life on earth will come to an end. Guy's, they are just trying to give credit where it ain't do. Just because some astronaut does an experiment with something in space, does not mean there was ANY advancement. Although NASA and their proponents what you to think that. I too can take a mouse and fill it with some experimental drug and later claim that without said experiment, the drug could have never been advanced. They are just trying to justify their existence and if you don't think there is more fluff than reality in their claims, your dreaming. The government lies to us all as a normal course of everyday business. Truth is the only exception. NASA and it’s money making mouth pieces are no different!

When making it into space IS the advancement there's no way to do that on Earth.  The myriad of unmanned missions have also done a ton of stuff that can't be done on Earth as well, but that's not specifically the manned program so we'll not focus on that too much yet.  HOWEVER, you're being shortsighted if you think getting into space and maintaining a presence there is not a military priority.  Put it this way - if the ME-262 had come out at the BEGINNING of WWII rather than at the end, we'd quite possibly all be speaking German now.  Almost nothing could touch that plane and that was even when you had other aircraft up there able to attack them (and such aircraft were also vulnerable to attacks from the ground).  Space based platforms without a lot of research are untouchable.  If we don't fix this with the next administration, I'd recommend brushing up on your Chinese.

If you think NASA is wasting time in orbit (which for a while they have been), then the solution is to boot out the people at the top and replace them with people with direction - NOT to gut the program entirely.

[Dixie Dude]

The space program uses less than 1% of the total federal budget.  However, for every dollar spent on the space program it yeilded $100 in new products alone.  Medical advances, lightweight materials, smaller electronics.  The list goes on and on.  Research and development advances our economy tremendously.  Last year, the Chinese spent more money on research and development than we did.  First time since Nazi Germany a country spent more than us on R&D spending.  If he is going to cut anything, it needs to be foreign aid, welfare for able bodied workers.  This would cut millions more than just the little bit the space program gets.  If the welfare money spent since the 60's had been spent on the space program, we would have colonies on the moon and mars, solar power beamed from space to power the earth, and we would have space cities over a mile in diameter spinning slowly to create artificial gravity housing over 10,000 people each with water, rivers and farmland.  Do some research on what they could do. 

[Cabin4]

The space program uses less than 1% of the total federal budget.  However, for every dollar spent on the space program it yeilded $100 in new products alone. 

1% we can't afford right now and I say phooey on the $100.

[Oldshooter]

I agree that the space program should not be cut, but we have to look at why obama wants to cut it. He wants to appeal to his voter base, his constituents if you will. A lot of people, as we have some here, dont see the advantages of it. I am concerned about the costs,as are many.
But obama can claim that he cut out the big cost cow, and put the money towards the economic public transportation and Climate change investigation(you know the mountains of scientific proof that it exists) He will "cut" the deficit, and "make" jobs. Never mind the thousands he will destroy! A perfect plan for positive growth of the economy!  Vote obama/biden in 2012!  

[Cabin4]

Thats playing politics with our money. There is only right and wrong. If there is a proposal to do something that is right, I don't care who's idea it is.

[Redtail1949]

i certainly see the need for nasa and the research they provide. the military needs of space research are a must for our continued existance. yet i might agree that right now we migh consider cutting back on manned flights but continue in the research as best we can. 100s of billions could be saved if we did. after the economy comes back the go forward with the projects that were put on hold. just postpone for now some of the things that would help us pay off our mounting debt.

[Oldshooter]

Thats playing politics with our money.

Oh Well ! We certainly cant have that happen! obama would never do that! Duhh!!!   

[scootrd]

The space program uses less than 1% of the total federal budget.  However, for every dollar spent on the space program it yielded $100 in new products alone.  Medical advances, lightweight materials, smaller electronics.  The list goes on and on.  Research and development advances our economy tremendously.  Last year, the Chinese spent more money on research and development than we did.  

And I believe the same articles pointed out India outspent us in R&D as well.

C4,
 I respect your thoughts and opinions , but I am on the other side of the coin on this one.

NASA has been the catalyst for many private sector spinoff companies that employ many thousands, who in turn propel the development of more companies that make use of the research to manufacture products , which in turn enter the supply chain for consumers or other companies that rely on those parts for product development to create even more products for other companies or consumers ... and the circle of commerce goes round and round.

Politics aside, NASA is necessary , relevant and vital for our economy. Fiscally funding NASA also makes good sense as Dixie Dude states 1% investment 99% return.

Just my opinion.

[Questor]

I can hardly believe it, but I'm getting convinced that the space program is a good thing today. Maybe I need to dig a little deeper on this subject. Thanks!

[Cabin4]

Thats playing politics with our money.

Oh Well ! We certainly cant have that happen! obama would never do that! Duhh!!!   

I don't care about obama and what political games he or any other politician wants to play. The only question any American needs to ask themselves, is defunding NASA the right or wrong thing to do at this time? For me the right answer is yes. If I have to weight the political impacts of doing what's right, then by default all your doing is playing politics as a citizen. Leave the politics to the politicans, thats why most people think their scum! Because our country takes a back seat to right & wrong.