Posted on 09/20/2005 2:35:00 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
"NASA - it's like, totally awesome!"
:-)
"Our parents and grandparents took us to the Moon the first time. Now it's time for us to go back to the Moon to stay, and then head straight for Mars."
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It was the greatest thrill of my life, as a young engineer, to work on build parts of the Apollo system. It was a tragedy to see that program stopped -- for stupid, political reasons...no there is hope to move that technology forward, to the next step!
GO NASA !!!! Back to the moon!!
There are many good reasons to go to the Moon.
We can read the history of our planet on the Moon. It will tell us about impact history and extinctions. We will be better prepared to plan for another extinction event. We may move off planet and populate the universe.
We can make rocket fuel on the Moon and cut the cost to move into the solar system by Billions of dollars.
We will make scientific breakthroughs, as we have always done when we conquer a major technology project. Look at the Internet and how we get the real news out to each other (just one small example of what space technology has inspired eager minds to invent).
We well be sure that capitalism is the first form of government that is establish on the Moon. Do not underestimate the power of that message.
There are opportunities to return energy to the Earth from the Moon. One form is solar power (you can melt the Lunar soil and make solar panels).
The discovery of ice at the poles makes the Moon our first off Earth filling station.
We can protect and repair our commercial and military satellites from the Moon, using craft fueled on the the Moon using the ice or the soil.
When there is money to be made in exploration (government setting up a Lunar base will make this possible) the advance from the technology and science will explode our economy.
We can do radio astronomy from the Moon. On the far-side there is no radio noise from Earth (the only place in the solar system where that is true). Imagine what we can see from that location.
Exciting space exploration excites our youth and that will make them eager to learn science and math. They all won't go into space studies but their education in those fields will strengthen our country.
U.S. technology is going to explode.
"U.S. technology is going to explode."
Is this a reference to a military presence in space?
[You KNOW I'm kidding around, right?] ;)
Just a little bit.
I concur. NASA can do its thing, but by all means allow the private sector into space.
If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!
Not to fret.
This is being led by exploration.
Exploration enables science.
Scientists are not running NASA now.
This isn't Carl Sagan's NASA anymore.
:)
I can't believe the moaning section hasn't shoen up yet, and I've got to bug out.
And until we conquer our own planet and harness its energy, we'll never conquer our nearby star and planetary system and harness its energy. Until then, we'll remain a measly Type-0 civilization capable of only a few rare slingshot type attempts at nearby orbs.
That's one reason the Moon is important - it will be the first off-Earth filling station.
The next generation is taking the high frontier. They are not jaded, they are not obsessed with a lifetime of partisan politics. NASA bashers... you better get out of their way. Because your going to eat rocket exhaust if you dont.
Audentes fortuna juvat.
(Fortune favors the bold)
I know!
Actually, I think we ought to let Scaled Composites do it (not NASA). Burt Rutan will get it done at a 10th the price.
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