Author Topic: Were going to Mars! (Read 1018 times)

Saurdaukar · « **on:** January 08, 2004, 10:14:49 PM »

Quote

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — President Bush (search) will announce plans next week to send Americans to Mars and establish a permanent human presence on the moon (search), senior administration officials said Thursday night.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,107807,00.html

Chairboy · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2004, 10:19:41 PM »

Announce plans != provide funding.

I follow space pretty dang closely, and I haven't heard any rumbles about anyone finding funding or doing any type of indepth speccing out of costs.

It would be pretty amazing if something like Kennedy's challenge happened again, as long as it isn't just a flag & footprints mission.

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2004, 10:31:57 PM »

This would be good news if it had world participation both scientifically and monetarily.

Otherwise, its just another pipe dream.

May as well tack a bill on there that proposes to build a portable nuclear power generator the size of a stopwatch in two years.
-SW

B17Skull12 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2004, 10:37:58 PM »

to much. AKSWufle i agree

Saurdaukar · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2004, 11:23:56 PM »

A global mission would be fantastic.

Im just glad to see someone resurect these ideas again - I think our country needs something other than government finances to discuss and (gasp) take pride in.

majic · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:01:38 AM »

Pride hell, we gotta do it. Humanity's next big leap should be into space. Otherwise we'll just stagnate here.

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:08:01 AM »

A global mission is really the only way we'll get to Mars, or even a station on the moon. No way can America alone foot the bill for the costs of that undertaking.

Just getting a shuttle launch is a whole ****load of money.

Truthfully, it is within our power to make it a global mission - but that same pride we are supposed to feel in our government (I could of sworn it should of been in our country) is what prevents this president from creating the plans to get the world involved in this project... because he wants a re-election.

Space exploration requires the participation and cooperation of humankind, one country can not go it alone.
-SW

Yeager · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:10:55 AM »

"Space, the final frontier.

These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise, its five year mission, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."

Octavius · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:20:47 AM »

WOOT. Atleast we're going to START it. May be a long ways off, but hell, why not begin now?

Quote

Originally posted by GScholz
I say let's stop killing each other and start killing Martians instead, must be a lot more productive ... I think.

LOL - Animal commented in another thread along those lines. Something like "The only kind of common goal of which humanity will unite is to KILL SOMETHING"

Sure, throw some martians our way.

----

A professor of Physics at my university specialized in Cosmic Radiation. He worked at Langley research labs for 20 years developing protection for astronauts undergoing intense radiation treatment in space. He threw some numbers at us regarding the amount of radiation humans are subjected to per year... I can't remember the units though. Millirems? Milli might be too strong.

Americans on average: 4
Astronauts: 150

Highest "limit" one should be exposed to yearly is around 500.

A trip to Mars would expose astronauts to about 1000.

(Even if the units are off, the values should get my point across)

Just one of the many many hurdles needed to overcome.

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:29:11 AM »

Oct, the only thing being started is paper work and plans.

His father did the same thing, and they were too expensive to be placed on the forefront of "Things to do".

Unless an actual budget is allocated for this project, and NASA is actually given a memorandum to do this - nothing is being started at all.
-SW

majic · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:30:10 AM »

"Americans on average: 4
Astronauts: 150

Highest "limit" one should be exposed to yearly is around 500.

A trip to Mars would expose astronauts to about 1000.

(Even if the units are off, the values should get my point across)

Just one of the many many hurdles needed to overcome."

That's easy. (My solution also makes it a multinational endevour, too.) Send Canadians and don't tell them about the radiation stuff.

Octavius · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:33:45 AM »

lol majic. I say send Californians from the valley. They outta be immune to all that crap by now

Octavius · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:36:08 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by AKS\/\/ulfe
Oct, the only thing being started is paper work and plans.

His father did the same thing, and they were too expensive to be placed on the forefront of "Things to do".

Unless an actual budget is allocated for this project, and NASA is actually given a memorandum to do this - nothing is being started at all.
-SW

I would hope paperwork and plans have already started. I mean, anyone even discussing the idea (NASA scientists included) is a start to me. That said, we've started a long time ago

I dont remember Bush Sr even talking about it. He give some short little crap speech and that was it?

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:39:47 AM »

People have been talking about it for decades now. Scientists have been thinking about it too.

Really, unless money is allocated and NASA is given a project to build a Moon station or bring humans to Mars - then its just a re-election ploy.

For Bush Sr, this is from that article:
On the 20th anniversary of the first manned moon landing in 1989, his father, then-President Bush, called for lunar colonies and a Mars expedition: "I'm not proposing a 10-year plan like Apollo; I'm proposing a long-range, continuing commitment. ... For the new century: Back to the moon; back to the future. And this time, back to stay. And then a journey into tomorrow, a journey to another planet: a manned mission to Mars."

The prohibitively expensive plan went nowhere.
-SW

Chairboy · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2004, 12:58:14 AM »

The blame for why it went nowhere can be traced directly to NASA. The 1st Bush administration said, "Let's do something. First things first, how much will this cost? Let's start writing some checks."

The NASA administration clustered in a tight circle and whispered furiously back and forth, then finished and stood up. They said "All we need, Mr. President, is four hundred and fifty billion dollars."

I imagine there was a slight pause, during which Bush Sr. and his aides looked at each other for a moment before coughing slightly. "Hmm, looks like my pen is dry. Why don't I get back to you?"

That was the end of that.

Serious, no joke, they seriously said $450 billion after the president publically said he wanted to make this happen.

Their response here will demonstrate whether they learned their lesson or not.