TEA Party In Space Endorses Newt Gingrich for President of the United States

Tea Party in Space ^ | January 30, 2012 | Andrew Gasser

[2ndDivisionVet]

(Titusville FL) — Tea Party in Space (TPIS) is excited to endorse Newt Gingrich for President of the United States. Mr. Gingrich is the only candidate who consistently articulates a bright vision for future American space exploration and settlement. Mr. Gingrich’s unique approach of utilizing the government and private sector is exactly what NASA needs.

“Newt Gingrich is the only credible candidate in this primary race in Florida who has any credibility when it comes to America’s future in space,” said Andrew Gasser, President and National Coordinator for TPIS. “Newt will not have to take a poll or rely on ‘advisors’ who have a history of delays and significant budget overruns. Instead, he wants to return NASA to the beaming example of American exceptionalism that it once was.”

The TPIS team reached out to all of the candidates looking for their personal positions on space policy, as well as reviewed debate answers, and speeches made on the subject. The candidates were then graded on the tea party core values of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets. Mr. Gingrich was graded “superior” in every category.

“Mr. Gingrich’s bold announcement of a moon base by 2020 is not unrealistic like some would have Americans believe,” Gasser continued. “Newt brings the kind of leadership lacking at NASA while the other candidates want to continue the status quo. This isn’t the 1960s and 70s where ‘only NASA’ could build rockets and space stations. Today the private sector has more than proven that if you remove the shackles of government bureaucracy, American ingenuity will flourish.”

“On space policy Newt Gingrich has the vision to get NASA back on track and transition the US from have a space program to a Space industry,” said Isaac Mooers, Director of Operations at TPIS. “His space policy views are in line with the TPIS platform and our core values. We want to encourage all voters who want America's space program to be exceptional to vote Newt Gingrich in the Florida Primary tomorrow and the following primaries.”

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TEA Party in Space (TPIS), is a non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the American people and their elected representatives in applying the core principles of fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets to the rapid and permanent expansion of American civilization into the space frontier, focusing on strategies for privatization, deregulation, and appropriate technology development partnerships between government institutions and the private sector. TEA Party in Space is proud to be part of a coalition of individual tea party groups with Tea Party Patriots. For more information, visit www.teapartyinspace.org

[Graewoulf]

Ode to the Grand Olde Party, and their BFF, the Obamanator.

When Newt or Paul rocks the GOP Establishment Boat,
The GOP oarsmen pull knives from their boots.
The hacking and slashing puts extreme fighting to shame,
Never, no NEVER rock the GOP Establishment Boat!
The GOP cannot win elections, by choice of their suits,
A RINO Nominee is a Democrat, - - - - one and the same.

Two Party as One Party is what they adore.
“Never give voters a choice,” ( or politicians
Are out of life-time jobs, - - forever more).

As we pay our bills holding our noses as we vote,
The Obamanator holds his cold, steel knife
To America’s throat - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - .

[from occupied ga]

Tea party in space is an oxymoron.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

The sensible plan to create a Moon base.

Contract for a nuclear powered mining robot to dig a large, horizontal shaft in a Lunar crater. Almost entirely known technologies. A tunnel of this sort provides radically reduced needs for protection from vacuum, cosmic and enhanced radiation on the surface, extremes of heat and cold, and the extremely abrasive Lunar dust.

It also means that entire surface habitats do not have to be brought with each mission, because of the harsh and destructive conditions, so far more supplies and equipment can be brought.

So from this point forward, Lunar missions would be *cumulative*, building on each other, instead of “one shots”.

The robot itself would not have to be fast, just methodical. Mining just an inch or two of rock face a day, then at intervals drilling ceiling holes for reinforcing rod, as is normally done in hard rock horizontal shaft mining. Rubble falling in front of the robot would be transported on a long, conveyor belt “tail”, out the tunnel entrance to a waste pile.

Then, while exiting the completed tunnel, the robot would spray the interior with sealant, against micro-fissures.

The lander used by the robot would be designed to be cannibalized for self sealing double pressure doors for the tunnel entry, and later, pre-wired modular walls, floor and ceiling. The tunnel then could be tested for pressure and heat retention.

The robot would then mine any secondary tunnels and even a cistern for Lunar ice, until astronauts arrived, then its nuclear reactor would provide extended power for the Moon base.

The entire process would take a year or two, but after that the cost of Lunar missions would drop considerably, and as more and more tunnels were mined, with each mission it would be improved until it could be used for extended stay research purposes, much like the Antarctic base.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

You’ve obviously never imagined British astronauts with freeze dried cucumber sandwiches.

[from occupied ga]

You’ve obviously never imagined British astronauts with freeze dried cucumber sandwiches.

I must confess that is true.

[from occupied ga]

Where to begin?

Contract for a nuclear powered mining robot to dig a large, horizontal shaft in a Lunar crater

Nuclear powered, like a nuclear powered submarine (reactor) or a nuclear powered space probe? (nuclear thermionic generation)

transported on a long, conveyor belt “tail”, out the tunnel entrance to a waste pile

So now we have a nuclear powered robot, and a long industrial conveyor belt. how much to you think this would weigh (or more accurately mass)?

even a cistern for Lunar ice,

How much lunar ice (if any) do you think there is?

you then say

The entire process would take a year or two,

but you previously stated

at an inch or two a day

This leads to a tunnel from 365 inches (30 feet long) to a max of 120 feet in two years. DO you seriously think that this is adequate?

The sensible plan to create a Moon base.

At what cost? How much do you think this will cost? A "sensible" plan to create a moon base is the very definition of an oxymoron.

And for what? NASA Has shown that the composition of the moon is nothing remarkable - rocks and dirt. If you want cold rocks and dirt with some ice nearby, then there is Antartica. Two enormous advantages over the moon. It has air, and the cost to get a kilogram of equipment there is conservatively about 5 orders of magnitude LESS than to get to the moon

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Too Little, Too Late.

[oh8eleven]

TEA Party In Space
Hmmm, affiliates of ...?

[moviefan8]

LOL.

[from occupied ga]

Too Little, Too Late.

Never never never surrender.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

To answer your questions.

1) nuclear thermionic generation, with the added advantage that shielding can be significantly reduced.

2) The total mass of each Manned Lunar landers was about 32,400 lbs, or 16.2 short tons. I truly doubt that weight would be a huge issue.

3) The conveyor belt would only have to transport rubble that weighed 1/6th of its weight on Earth.

4) In March 2010 NASA reported Mini-SAR radar aboard the Chandrayaan-1 detected what appear to be ice deposits at the lunar north pole, at least 600 million tonnes in sheets of relatively pure ice at least 2 meters thick.

5) 120 feet is one third the length of a football field. This is quite roomy compared to the Spacelab sized area in a prefab habitation. Ever run a 40 yard dash? That is a big tunnel.

6) The dust on the surface of the Moon has a large amount of Helium-3 (sometimes called tralphium), which is exceedingly rare on Earth, and has powerful potential for use in fusion reactors and other purposes. If you take Lunar dust and heat it somewhat, the Helium-3 vaporizes and can be collected. Estimated value, $40,000 per ounce.

7) Another important idea is that much of the technology created by developing a Lunar base can later be applied to a Mars base.

I should add that the economic consideration of “opportunity cost” applies, that if the money is not spent on exploration and discovery, it will be spent as largess to individuals who have voted themselves the treasury.

[from occupied ga]

nuclear thermionic generation

rtg requires Pu239 as a fuel. This is a manmade isotope a byproduct of nuclear weapons production. None is being manufactured any more anywhere in the world. There are only a few kg left. Not even enough for all of ASA's planned missions No fuel

Manned Lunar landers was about 32,400 lbs, or 16.2 short tons. I truly doubt that weight would...

Lander mass irrelevant. What counts is the lander PAYLOAD mass. The Apollo program cost $24,000,000,000 in 1970 dollars. Brought back 841 lb of rocks and dirt. This works out to $1,783,000 per OUNCE to bring material back,

The conveyor belt ...

I was referring to the mass of the belt AND whatever machinery was necessary to set it up robotically, or were you intending people to go and set it up?

relatively pure ice at least 2 meters thick

Ithought That this result was a POSSIBLE interpretation of the data, but I'll let that go for now

120 ft -

What diameter?. I was envisioning about a meter and a half

He3

There are no fusion power stations. There are no fusion power stations being built. There are no fusion power stations being planned. There are no practical designs for fusion power stations. This one is pure science fiction, and ... in 2020 dollars I suspect the cost to bring an ounce af material back from the moon will be in the order of $5,000,000 an ounce. There isn't ANY material worth that. plus you would have to transport the processing machinery to the moon at great expense adding still further to the cost.

Mars. I don't have any data on the cost of returning anything from Msrs because it hasn't been done. But considering the average flight distance to Mars is about 80 million miles and the cost of returning something from the moon is "astronomical" A Mars base makes about 1/320 the economic sense of a moon base. Also Mars consists of very cold rocks and dirt. Antartica is a better source for these

Opportunity cost.

this subject I'd like to address later. It's complex, and you've made a huge assumption, but if you haven't read Bastiat's What is seen and what is not seen

I suggest you do so. .

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I think the problem we have here is that what Gingrich had proposed are private projects with NASA help. So, in the final analysis, you are vigorously protesting people using mostly their own money, to however they do so making a profit, doing something you disdain.

Which requires a lot of research on your part.

[from occupied ga]

I think the problem we have here is that what Gingrich had proposed are private projects with NASA help.

Nice liberal approach. Pretend I said something I didn't, and then argue against the lie that you attribute to me. Sorry Jack that just won't fly. What I object to is TAXPAYER money being thrown up a wild hog's ass. Since you have absolutely NO facts on your side, naturally you attack the messenger.

Let me say that the idea of a profitable moon base is a total science FICTION. There is no way in hell that it can be justified economically. Your poorly thought out ideas can be shown to be absurd with even the most superficial analysis - something that you obviously didn't bother to do. I understand that you don't want to admit that. Your ego gets in the way of your admitting the truth, so naturally you make up a lie and attribute it to me. Sorry liar, I'm NOT objecting to people spending their money. I'm objecting to the government spending peoples' money particularly on an utterly foolish idiocy like a moon base.

Oh and btw I notice that you were unable to respond to a single one of my points, but not to worry I knew that you wouldn't be able to. Stick to reading science fiction, because you're no good at scientific reality.