Posted on 01/07/2012 2:08:14 PM PST by SeekAndFind
People have speculated for well over a century about setting foot on Mars, but is it likely to happen? We know that in prehistoric times, numerous groups of hominids ventured out of Africa into unknown lands at least once. All eventually died out, except for one: our ancestors, homo sapiens. Countless lives would later be lost by descendants of these ancient migrants as they trekked through uncharted wilderness or set sail on vast oceans in flimsy wooden craft.
Today, people die every year while driving racecars or climbing mountains.
We seem to be hardwired for activities that involve risks beyond those of everyday necessity. Add this to our innate curiosity, and it's no longer a question of whether we will go to Mars, but of who will be the first to try.
Unfortunately, human beings are perhaps the worst space explorers imaginable: delicate and high-maintenance. Think of how much oxygen, water, and food just one person needs to survive for any length of time. And even if only a brief stay on Mars is planned, these essentials and the spacecraft's life support systems must sustain the crew over the entire expedition, which, realistically, would last at least three to four years. (Two of those years would necessarily be spent loitering around Mars until the Earth was in the right position to rendezvous with the returning spacecraft when it reached Earth's orbit.)
Building such a spacecraft will no doubt be an expensive proposition -- and many Americans begrudge even today's modest spending on space exploration, insisting that these monies should go to earthly causes they consider more worthy.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
On December 29, China released a white paper outlining its near-future goals in space. Writing for Investor's Business Daily, Andrew Malcolm notes that these plans include China's own space station (already partially assembled in Earth orbit) and manned lunar landings by the end of the decade. Meanwhile, President Obama has scuttled his predecessor's project to establish a manned scientific outpost on the Moon; as America's space program withers, China's thrives.
You couldn’t pay me to fly on a Chinese space craft.
Weren’t they supposed to land on the moon a couple of years ago? And unless I was in a coma and missed it I don’t think they did that. But now they say they’re going to Mars. Color me highly skeptical. Goals are nice, but let’s not say they’re thriving until they actually achieve one.
***— and many Americans begrudge even today’s modest spending on space exploration,...***
I would argue the opposite.
In my opinion, before a man can walk on mars and return to earth alive, there must be a permanent or semi permanent manned outpost on the moon. Maybe some kind of station orbiting mars too.
China is going into space.
America is dismembering our space program.
China is building things.
America is de-industrializing.
China is becoming richer.
America is going into debt.
China has lots of jobs.
America has unemployment.
China is rapidly expanding its military.
America is cutting our military.
HOW IS THAT “FREE TRADE” THING WORKING OUT AMERICA?.......
That’s what always made sense to me as well. A long time long shot trip straight from Earth to Mars is not the best way to go. Getting to Mars should be like mountain climbing: one builds base camps along the way to have a fallback position. Then one goes for the summit.
They have to go into space first instead of the local pool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVbBFwdmldA
Unfortunately the nation of America lost sight of the simple fact we’re a nation.
Not a world.
AMERICA FIRST.
why is our nation so willing to give our knowledge and power up?
“You couldn’t pay me to fly on a Chinese space craft.”
I wouldn’t rely on their stuff being inferior for very long. When I was a boy, “made in Japan” was code for total crap. Now - not so much (!).
I’ve seen some Chinese-built (AND DESIGNED) products in the last few years that were very, very good.
They are getting better all of the time.
Are we?
Many (even right here on this forum) are hypnotized to believe globalism is somehow good for America.
It’s a variation of the Emperor’s New Clothes.
He’s naked and looks terrible, but everyone repeats mindlessly how good his new suit appears.
Except for the pesky kid...
Who can see that’s just not true.
America is hypnotized right now. Anyone with ideas how we can wake our nation up from this coma, chime in please.
Or we’re going down.
Manned space programs are a good idea.
I bought an American made mitre-saw stand over a year ago. Worst welds I ever saw, and pieces were crooked and not lined up. I ended up cutting pieces off, setting them straight and rewelding them myself. Because I could, and I added features. I've gotten Craftsman stuff lately, that turned out to be junk.
On the other hand, I've bought several tools that are Chinese-made, and the steel and welds were perfect. One was a pneumatic-controlled hydraulic engine hoist hooked up to my compressor. Cost about a third of the equivalent American made equivalent, and it hasn't let me down. So I'd say the Chinese are actually better now at many things.
You are so wrong on this. One only has to look at history to see that a relative shift in power does not mean a decline in a nation.
Look at the UK. They were once the most industrialized country on earth back prior to the American Civil War. Since then, seven countries surpassed Britain in GDP. Starting with the US, followed by Germany, then the former USSR, then France, then Japan, and then China and now Brazil.
In all the cases above, those countries have a bigger populations. But there are many other countries also with larger populations that is not close to surpassing Britain. Mexico, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, India, Iran, and many more that I can't think of off the top of my head. But all these countries, and many more have a larger population than Britain, but still a smaller GDP.
When I look at the global picture, I do agree with economists who say that China will become the largest economy after 2020. But after that, who else will become larger than the US? India is the only other potential, but I doubt economist estimates that she will be larger than the US by 2050. Though I do believe the US economy will be larger than the existing 27 nation of the European Union long before 2050.
So, once again, just as the rise of the US and all the other countries did not bring about the demise of the UK, neither is the rise of China going to bring about the demise of the US. It simply isn't going to happen. I'm convinced, after 2020, when China becomes the world's largest economy, the US will remain at No. 2 for the remainder of the century. Beyond that, it is too far for me to predict.
By 2050, the US economy will provide a higher standard of living for 450 million people than it does today for 310 million.
Economic calamity have a way of working its way out. Weather that be the Asian financial crisis in the 1990's, the collapse of the Argentine economy a decade ago, run away inflation in Brazil in the 1980's, or the collapse of the Soviet Union. In ALL those cases, those countries emerged economically stronger with their populations enjoying a better standard of living. What did change, was the shuffle of relative position in the world financial order. Brazil and Asia emerged stronger relative to other economies. Russia and Argentina did not.
Many Russians fret of a loss of super power status in the world. But really, Russians are better off today than they were back in the old Soviet times. So too, will America be better off than today in the next few decades.
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