European Scientists Plan [Manned] Mars Mission

AP ^ | 2.3.04 | AP

[ambrose]

ping.

[singletrack]

In a related devolopment, my 12 yr old son and I have announced plans for a manned voyage to mars. Using Estes model rockets (D engine)we should be there years before the Euotards.

[af_vet_rr]

With the Chinese looking at the Moon around 2010, makes me wonder why the Euros and Chinese are so interested in the Moon and Mars.

[CaptRon]

Maybe they can stop by and get that Beagle thingy working.

[Dr._Joseph_Warren]

With the Chinese looking at the Moon around 2010, makes me wonder why the Euros and Chinese are so interested in the Moon and Mars.

My thoughts exactly. What have the European, Chinese and American scientists learned in the last few years that can suddenly motivate the political leadership of all three regions to dedicate resources for this effort?

Personally, I think Mars is a smokescreen for the real prize: permanent sites on the Moon. The ultimate military high ground!

[from occupied ga]

Personally, I think Mars is a smokescreen for the real prize: permanent sites on the Moon.

The real prize is political spending and vote buying for the political class in all three. This is a very real and bery worthy goal to the politicians and an equally worthy goal of the engineers and PhDs who will get big fat sinecures that they might otherwise have to work for. As for the rest of us, maybe not so worthy.

The ultimate military high ground!Calling this military high ground is like calling the Himalayas military high ground during the Viet Nam war.

[RightWhale]

The EU has every intention of becoming the dominant power on earth. They have ruled out military force for the time being, so a vigorous space program has been substituted in its place. Europe once led the world in science and technology, and they want the position again.

[heleny]

"We need to go back to the Moon before we go to Mars. We need to walk before we run," said Dr. Franco Ongaro

The Europeans need to land unmanned missions safely before they try sending real people to Mars.

[americanbychoice]

You will probably have to wait until Beagle 23?

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

...makes me wonder why the Euros and Chinese are so interested in the Moon and Mars.

It's the cheese!

[LibWhacker]

Lol . . . Like the arabs, they're humiliated by American greatness and feel they have to do something about it.

Sigh . . . I guess it's better than sending out suicide bombers. So bring it on, euroweenies! . . . we'll compete with you anytime, anyplace.

But, but . . . but . . . Shouldn't we worry that this will engender further ill will amongst euroweenies toward us and make them feel like they have to send out additional spacecraft to compete (there's that hated capitalist terminology again) even more with us?

[RightWhale]

this will engender further ill will amongst euroweenies

Which would bother them more, that they would be overwhelmed by Russia or by America? If it's Russia their expectations would be over and they wouldn't have a future to worry about. If it's America they would be colonized and their culture would disappear.

It seems the latter happened, but then the Americans withdrew. They are left with no culture and not even colonial status. Of course the Muslims moved into the vacuum. Like China after China's culture was destroyed, they are looking around for something to rebuild a culture, and it seems space development is it.

[Helms]

Any Arabs on board, oops.

[LibWhacker]

I think this is great, RW. I really do. All these countries competing to see who can go the furthest and do the most in space . . . It's what we've been waiting for! Of course, you realize, we're gonna have to win, lol. Can't have a bunch of foreigners dominating us from outer space!

[RightWhale]

It's going to be the battle of the robots. Might be time to dust off the old EE textbooks and find the old Radio Shack soldering gun. Load up on lead solder while the EPA still allows the sale of such toxic materials.

[LibWhacker]

Hey, go for it . . . There's still plenty of room for the little guy. A lot of people say the time of individuals not affiliated with big labs making important discoveries is over. I don't believe that for a moment.

[RightWhale]

One word--plastics

oops, that was another day

---

One word--Lego

Legos will build the moon base.

[Dr._Joseph_Warren]

The real prize is political spending and vote buying for the political class in all three.

That is certainly a possibility. Bush has not indicated that there will be a significant increase in NASA's budget. Instead, NASA has been instructed to redirect their efforts.

This is a very real and bery worthy goal to the politicians and an equally worthy goal of the engineers and PhDs who will get big fat sinecures that they might otherwise have to work for.

Politicians will get their pork one way or another.

You apparently know little or nothing about engineers and engineering. Engineering work is anything but easy. Placing a man on the moon is anything but trivial. The engineers will most definitely work hard for any 'sinecures' they may earn. You can question whether a moon colony is the best use of engineering talent, but never question the difficulty and dedication required by engineers to accomplish that goal.

If engineering were easy, everyone would be doing it! Perhaps even you!!

As for the rest of us, maybe not so worthy.

Wrong again. Just as the Apollo program provided the impetus for an explosion of inventions (microchips, computers, LCD displays, satellites, plastics, Tang! Just to name a few), so too will a vigorous program to colonize the moon result in an leap in technology.

>>(the moon) The ultimate military high ground!
>Calling this military high ground is like calling the Himalayas military high ground during the Viet Nam war.

Sorry, but you could not be more wrong. Imagine a spy satellite that cannot be shot down. Imagine a permanent nuclear launch site that cannot be taken out in 15 minutes. That is what the moon is. A missiles may be a stretch, but you better believe that the moon is highly desireable as an excellent listening post.

[Phil V.]

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