Posted on 07/20/2011 5:58:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
When the space shuttle Atlantis lands Thursday, the U.S. will be without a way to get into space for the first time since Dwight Eisenhower was president. And Americans are unhappy about that, according to a new IBD/TIPP Poll.
The poll, which asked several questions about America's role in space exploration, found that 56% oppose ending the space shuttle program. That sentiment was shared almost equally among Democrats, Republicans and Independents.
As a result of the shuttle shutdown, the U.S. will have to buy space at about $65 million per seat on Russian Soyuz capsules to reach the International Space Station until a new vehicle is designed and built.
The poll also found that 78% feel it's either very or somewhat important for the U.S. to maintain its leadership in space exploration. That finding comes as China, still far behind the U.S., has embarked on an ambitious space program. This year, the Chinese will launch the first piece of a planned space station, and the country says it aims to land a man on the moon in roughly 10 years.
In April 2010, President Obama announced that he was scrapping NASA's planned return to the moon, after the agency had spent $10 billion on the project. That came as part of Obama's overhaul of the agency, which included a goal of reaching Mars in 20 years and relying on private companies to build and operate transportation to and from the ISS.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
“To Boldly Go Where No Muslim Outreach Has Gone Before”
“majority” only counts when it’s the left’s “majority” — a media majority: a foaming-at-the-mouth mob.
We lacked that ability for the 5 years between the last Apollo mission in 1975 through the first Shuttle mission in 1981.
I've always been a big fan of the various manned space programs, but frankly I think we will be much better off if we can take it away from the government bureaucracy and give it to private enterprise.
“...the U.S. will be without a way to get into space...”
Really, there are no other launch systems available?
Sorry, that made me do a double-take.
OK, so no way for use to get up and hook up to the ISS.
Between muzzie outreach and goreball lying, NASA is way too busy for space travel.
I oppose the loss of our space faring status too, but that statement is a bit off. We had no manned capability from August, 1975 to April, 1981. The big difference was that we had the next system (the shuttle) in the works. Today, thanks to Obama cancelling Constellation we have nothing.
But it seems unacceptable that we have no way to get into space in an emergency.
This is Obama’s America now.
We no longer need a past, we don’t even need a future.
We don’t need to be the leadership in space exploration, we need to be brought down so that the world can have a level playing field.
We no longer need to reach for the stars, we no longer need to even dream.
If in the end, Obama gets his way, we will no longer need to breath.....
“The poll . . . found that 56% oppose ending the space shuttle program. That sentiment was shared almost equally among Democrats, Republicans and Independents.”
Great. Let these 56% send NASA their personal checks in a sufficient amount to fund the problem.
Problem solved.
Obama will push measures to rename the country United Spectators of America.
Just in case?
Once the American public understands that NASA’s true mission is Muslim outreach; diversity in employment with the provision of jobs and pensions, opinion will turn favorable.
There’s some major irony in the Maned Space Flight Program being shut down. Lyndon Johnson stole that program from Florida and gave it to his home supporters in Texas. Now, half a century later, Obama is shutting down the Houston operation. You’d think the Texas dimocrats would be pissed but, apparently, they’re too dumb to figure it out.
Obama is hurting Texas big time, in several different ways. Where’s the outcry from the Texas dims.
We need to watch Contact again if we truly believe we don’t have a way into space.
Just in case?
They're have been rumors that the military has maintained a super secret "space plane" program since the Challenger accident in the 80's when they decided the space shuttle wasn't reliable enough to carry out military missions. Do a search for "Blackstar" and "Aurora" programs.
I take great pride in what the space program has done over the years but I honestly don’t mind that Obama is shutting down much of NASA. If we’re broke, we’re broke and the space program is one thing we can do without for awhile until we get our financial house in order.
Were I president and had the power, I would look at everything in the federal budget and ask myself “can the government exist without this for the next four years?” and if the answer is ‘yes’, I’d cut as much of it as I could. That, unfortunately, includes programs I enjoy and would like to continue.
If everyone got to keep the programs THEY favored, nothing would ultimately get cut so you have to sacrifice some good to get rid of a lot of bad.
I know some folks will disagree and that’s okay, but we need to pare government to the bone if we’re ever going to get a handle on our debt.
Don’t you people understand. The 0 couldn’t care less about what the people want or need. We are less than two years away from a pronouncement from 0 that the situation in this country is in such a condition that he MUST declare martial law and suspend the Constitution. The situation being the restless and constantly complaining/threatening conservatives.
I am betting on it. Especially if he loses the election.
This really ticks me off. The left keeps saying that Bush cancelled it, but OMakeMuslimsFeelGoodAboutSpace could have delayed the end of the program until we have something else.
Curses on his prayer rug and him.
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