Do you support the Space Program?

Even though our shuttle program is gone for now thanks to Obama, NASA still survives and could some day be revived. Do you think it's necessary to be taking tax dollars and massive resources to make space missions, or do you think it's a waste of money and time?

Personally I hope to see the shuttle program revived after this great recession and then maybe we can start creating something on the moon and explore other planets.

Edit - my bad I forgot to click the poll part of the thread, maybe a moderater can fix this into a poll of yes or no

Justice For All said:

Even though our shuttle program is gone for now thanks to Obama, NASA still survives and could some day be revived. Do you think it's necessary to be taking tax dollars and massive resources to make space missions, or do you think it's a waste of money and time?

Personally I hope to see the shuttle program revived after this great recession and then maybe we can start creating something on the moon and explore other planets.

Edit - my bad I forgot to click the poll part of the thread, maybe a moderater can fix this into a poll of yes or no

Click to expand...

I agree (for the most part that is)

I think that right now, our priority should be the economy, making jobs, fixing the constitution, making it so that change can occur more quickly, switching to renewable/affordable energy, taking the political power away from the wealthy and giving it to the people, establishing appropriate safety nets that both save people and motivate them to move up, to establishing true equal opportunity (not equal outcome of course), and so on ...

I think that if these things could be fixed, we could begin to focus on space exploration again

Waste of money and time. Well, that is, only if you think that the economic calculation problem is a real problem.

Justice For All said:

Even though our shuttle program is gone for now thanks to Obama, NASA still survives and could some day be revived. Do you think it's necessary to be taking tax dollars and massive resources to make space missions, or do you think it's a waste of money and time?

Personally I hope to see the shuttle program revived after this great recession and then maybe we can start creating something on the moon and explore other planets.

Edit - my bad I forgot to click the poll part of the thread, maybe a moderater can fix this into a poll of yes or no

Click to expand...

Obama didn't terminate the space shuttle program. The shuttle program was retired under his watch. Big difference. I'm just sayin' :shrug:

Also, the "Great Recession" is technically over and has been for more than two years. I'm just sayin'.

If you ever read into the history of the space shuttle program, it was kind of like NASA's red-headed stepchild to begin with - it was never meant to be as successful as it was. Should it be revived? Not this space shuttle program, but perhaps under a newer iteration with new missions.

Still Ballin75, if you think we aren't still feeling the effects of this last recession your clearly naive and we haven't recovered. So technically we are still in it and that's also not to mention we are on the edge every month of a double dip recession. Also retiring basically means ending it and if you read on in my post you know that I don't consider it terminated.

Anyways back on subject, I agree with everyone who has said we must focus on our economy, debt, and infastructure first. But I do hope to see the program revived in the future if we can solve these problems.

Justice For All said:

Even though our shuttle program is gone for now thanks to Obama, NASA still survives and could some day be revived. Do you think it's necessary to be taking tax dollars and massive resources to make space missions, or do you think it's a waste of money and time?

Personally I hope to see the shuttle program revived after this great recession and then maybe we can start creating something on the moon and explore other planets.

Edit - my bad I forgot to click the poll part of the thread, maybe a moderater can fix this into a poll of yes or no

Click to expand...

Seeing how this country is in debt a space program is a luxury we as tax payers do not need to be spending money on.

Yes I do. I consider it much like the exploration of our oceans; one of man kinds greatest endeavors.

Of course I grew up watching the first human walk on the moon.

Space truly is the final frontier, and we need to get out there.

It truly amazes me the lack of vision around here, lol.

Justice For All said:

Even though our shuttle program is gone for now thanks to Obama, NASA still survives and could some day be revived. Do you think it's necessary to be taking tax dollars and massive resources to make space missions, or do you think it's a waste of money and time?

Personally I hope to see the shuttle program revived after this great recession and then maybe we can start creating something on the moon and explore other planets.

Edit - my bad I forgot to click the poll part of the thread, maybe a moderater can fix this into a poll of yes or no

Click to expand...

Thanks to Obama? LMAO wow thats REALLY short cutting it.

Anyway, YES I believe in the space program

I cant remember how big the list was but I believe I saw a list of 100s of things we use today that are around because of the space program. The innovation that it inspired is endless.

So when we are ready it will and should come back.

Justice For All said:

Still Ballin75, if you think we aren't still feeling the effects of this last recession your clearly naive and we haven't recovered. So technically we are still in it and that's also not to mention we are on the edge every month of a double dip recession. Also retiring basically means ending it and if you read on in my post you know that I don't consider it terminated.

Anyways back on subject, I agree with everyone who has said we must focus on our economy, debt, and infastructure first. But I do hope to see the program revived in the future if we can solve these problems.

Click to expand...

We're still feeling the effects of it, but TECHNICALLY according to the ECONOMETRIC DATA we are no longer in recession. The recession ended in the summer of 2009, and to say that we are on the edge of double-dip is simply inaccurate.

And to say Obama is responsible for ending the space shuttle program is simply idiotic - those spacecraft have a limited shelf life and the program was bound to be retired at some point. It just so happens that it happened during obama's presidency.

But seeing as this discussion is de-railing the thread i'm just going to leave it at that.

StillBallin75 said:

Obama didn't terminate the space shuttle program. The shuttle program was retired under his watch. Big difference. I'm just sayin' :shrug:

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No, he didn't. But he did cancel its replacement, which was already in the launch-test phase.

One of the (only) things I like about Newt is his plan to mine the moon.

We should triple our efforts for the space program. 100% domestic jobs. Amazing new technology. Hope that when this planet expires, we can get out.

Harshaw said:

No, he didn't. But he did cancel its replacement, which was already in the launch-test phase.

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Which given the current political and economic environment in the country was understandable.

I'm all for space exploration, but I don't exactly have a problem with putting NASA on the back burner while we try to fix more pressing issues.

I support the space program. Besides the obvious benefit of expanding our knowledge, our space program has contributed to numerous inventions that we benefit from every day ( I sure do like my "space foam" bed). I also think it is important because of national defense. We already incorporate stuff like gps and imagery into military operations but it is only a matter of time until it is used for more advanced operations and I wouldn't want to get behind and lose the technological advantage.

StillBallin75 said:

Which given the current political and economic environment in the country was understandable.

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Not really. Everyone was pretty much for it; hardly was against. And the money wasn't saved; it was just repurposed -- NASA's budget was increased, but its focus shifted to "climate change research."

No savings.

And besides, NASA is a mere shaved whisker of the budget. Less than half a percent of it.

Harshaw said:

Not really. Everyone was pretty much for it; hardly was against. And the money wasn't saved; it was just repurposed -- NASA's budget was increased, but its focus shifted to "climate change research."

No savings.

And besides, NASA is a mere shaved whisker of the budget. Less than half a percent of it.

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Really? That sounds more like NOAA's department...

meh we have too many problems down here to be worrying about Space anyway

I think it's definitely worth the money.

Harshaw said:

Not really. Everyone was pretty much for it; hardly was against. And the money wasn't saved; it was just repurposed -- NASA's budget was increased, but its focus shifted to "climate change research."

No savings.

And besides, NASA is a mere shaved whisker of the budget. Less than half a percent of it.

Click to expand...

StillBallin75 said:

Really? That sounds more like NOAA's department...

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He's right SB. And NOAA is supposed to be the monitor of climate so you are as well. I do firmly support the space program and if the private sector can adopt it that would be great, even if it were to stay around as a government agency this is one of the few that I feel is a net benefit to society and our economy as we have private companies/jobs that provide consumer/space products that are economic contributors straight from it.

For instance: Tang is a nutritional product developed as many ready to eat foods and packaging developed to solve the zero gravity problem, consumers get the benefit of having a convenient and sometimes as a survival product many of these products that are great in an emergency. The companies themselves benefit from the consumer need. The shuttle parts themselves are made under contract from private companies. Also, I have a "Fisher space pen" made by the Fisher pen company, this came about because pencils were the only option in the early space days and they posed a secondary problem if the tips broke, so the pen was developed using a solid state ink with a carbon dioxide delivery mechanism(under normal use a cartridge is estimated at 20ys. of ink), then there are the as well mentioned products for bedding which solve a lot of back issues that many suffer.

All this means consumer money going to American companies and their workers, I would estimate that it's probably about a 1:3 dollar to dollar ratio in expenditures versus tax dollars paid. That said very few if any other government programs have a net positive, so while I tend to favor a smaller government this is one exception I am willing to make if the private sector cannot do it. I should finalize this by saying the Air Force at one time was in charge of NASA and this may still be the case, this does support my constitutionalist stand(this is a transparancy qualification).

specklebang said:

One of the (only) things I like about Newt is his plan to mine the moon.

We should triple our efforts for the space program. 100% domestic jobs. Amazing new technology. Hope that when this planet expires, we can get out.

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Yeah I feel the exact same way, this really is a great idea though I don't particularily agree with Newt on many issues.

Manned space flight is a monumental waste of money. We could send computers and robots into space at a fraction of the cost and find out just as much, maybe even more.

sawyerloggingon said:

Manned space flight is a monumental waste of money. We could send computers and robots into space at a fraction of the cost and find out just as much, maybe even more.

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It's not about "finding out." It's about boldly going.

I do support the space program. I'm afraid that all the lost lives made D.C. nervous, as well as eroded public support. Space really is the final frontier. If we snooze, we really will lose in the end. At one time I thought that by the end of this century, humans would be exploring the entire solar system... in person. Clearly that's not going to happen any time soon.

It won't happen at all until we start active research again, and reach for those planets... and stars.

Nasa does not need to be doing what private business can do and make a profit at.

Getting to space is something that can be done by private business, and they can make money doing so. Nasa should focus on the next type of space engine which would allow it to travel to other worlds rather then just get to orbit. Boeing, Lockheed can build rockets to get satelites into Space, but wont put money up to develop an engine that will not have a commercial use for decades to come

Higgins86 said:

meh we have too many problems down here to be worrying about Space anyway

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Those Europeans sure did wait for everything to be perfect back home before they set forth to explore across the oceans.

There is always going to be problems "down here". Might as well spread the calamity of human existence as far and as wide as we can.

DiAnna said:

I do support the space program. I'm afraid that all the lost lives made D.C. nervous, as well as eroded public support. Space really is the final frontier. If we snooze, we really will lose in the end. At one time I thought that by the end of this century, humans would be exploring the entire solar system... in person. Clearly that's not going to happen any time soon.

It won't happen at all until we start active research again, and reach for those planets... and stars.

Click to expand...

I think the big problem is perception. NASA has made many Americans very wealthy due to investments and direct contributions to missions by doing business with the organization, but politicians have overall done a lousy public relations job of stressing the benefits we all enjoy from it such as computer speed, GPS, high level communications, and consumer products that are of superb quality.

Most people think the space program is an excuse to just throw money and fuel into space. However, you have a point about the failed missions creating some serious politican tension, I never even considered that.