Now that the space shuttle program is done with
07-22-2011, 11:36 AM
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Now that the space shuttle program is done with
Do you guys think NASA will ever get funding again to go back into space, or do you think the days of Americans going up in an American ship are totally done with? I think its a big mistake and we have learned so much already with space travel. I would hope that in my lifetime, I'll get to see a human being step foot on the surface of Mars. I'd also like to see a human living in space for long periods of time or see us create a space station that has synthetic gravity so people can walk around instead of floating. But then again...maybe thats all just a dream and we'll only ever get to see that stuff on the Sci-Fi station. 
07-22-2011, 11:49 AM
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We will still go into space...or at least that's the plan. Basically NASA has gotten out of the low Earth orbit taxi business to focus their talents at grander things. Of course, it will be a long time before any of that comes to fruition at current funding levels.
American ships will fly to LEO again, that timeline depends on when American companies get their rockets ready to provide that service. There are several that are well on their way, but there are still major hurdles before you will see them carrying people into space.
This is a sad time for American space exploration, but business as usual at NASA wasn't a good direction to go either. Depending on how things turn out it will be looked back upon as either the greatest space decision in our lifetimes, or the worst. There is little chance of a middle ground.
American ships will fly to LEO again, that timeline depends on when American companies get their rockets ready to provide that service. There are several that are well on their way, but there are still major hurdles before you will see them carrying people into space.
This is a sad time for American space exploration, but business as usual at NASA wasn't a good direction to go either. Depending on how things turn out it will be looked back upon as either the greatest space decision in our lifetimes, or the worst. There is little chance of a middle ground.
07-22-2011, 12:32 PM
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NASA is done for. They were stabbed in the back by Obama, especially when he said one of their main goals was to make peace with the Muslim community. Seriously, what in the world was he talking about???
Many of the major, important programs that NASA was working on (including the shuttlle replacement, and the replacement for a similar version of the Saturn V rocket) have pretty much been canned. NASA where I live (the #2 most important NASA place) is pretty much being shut down wholesale. Guys I know have fled NASA like rats from a sinking ship. One of my good friends is the last one of his team, and is trying to find another job as he has absolutely nothing to do day after day after day.
Will America get back in space? Not on our own, or not for a very long time, or unless something suddenly becomes very, very pressing (alien invasion, Chinese launching a space-based military, etc). Other than that, NASA is done for.
There is simply too much red tape, too much beaurocracy, too much sensitivty that nothing productive can happen any more. Just like our government.
Many of the major, important programs that NASA was working on (including the shuttlle replacement, and the replacement for a similar version of the Saturn V rocket) have pretty much been canned. NASA where I live (the #2 most important NASA place) is pretty much being shut down wholesale. Guys I know have fled NASA like rats from a sinking ship. One of my good friends is the last one of his team, and is trying to find another job as he has absolutely nothing to do day after day after day.
Will America get back in space? Not on our own, or not for a very long time, or unless something suddenly becomes very, very pressing (alien invasion, Chinese launching a space-based military, etc). Other than that, NASA is done for.
There is simply too much red tape, too much beaurocracy, too much sensitivty that nothing productive can happen any more. Just like our government.
07-22-2011, 01:59 PM
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Guys... seriously....
The Air Force has unmanned shuttles in space, equipped with spy cameras and weapons. There's not really a need for NASA anymore. It's a sad thing to think that kids will not grow up to be astronauts, but hey... What were we REALLY doing with the space program? The stuff was centered around expensive, out-of-date technology and was not profitable, nor did it increase our national defense. If we need to launch satellites, there's provisions for that. The antiquated space program is no longer needed.
We have the technology and the infrastructures that 40 men sitting in a control room will just be sitting there doing nothing. You do realize that with the 1M GPS resolution, cheap semiconductors, advanced robotics and communications infrastructures present in today's world, unmanned space flight and experimentation is possible.
If companies do the proper research and use the software available today, they can simulate the entire space flight before it even happens. There's no reason to pay billions of dollars to keep a staff of people on the ground doing a job which is done better by a computer program running on a microprocessor with sensors and controls. People on the ground simply cannot process the data as well or as quickly as an on-board computer.. The space program has been phased out because it was hindering technological advances.
The Air Force has unmanned shuttles in space, equipped with spy cameras and weapons. There's not really a need for NASA anymore. It's a sad thing to think that kids will not grow up to be astronauts, but hey... What were we REALLY doing with the space program? The stuff was centered around expensive, out-of-date technology and was not profitable, nor did it increase our national defense. If we need to launch satellites, there's provisions for that. The antiquated space program is no longer needed.
We have the technology and the infrastructures that 40 men sitting in a control room will just be sitting there doing nothing. You do realize that with the 1M GPS resolution, cheap semiconductors, advanced robotics and communications infrastructures present in today's world, unmanned space flight and experimentation is possible.
If companies do the proper research and use the software available today, they can simulate the entire space flight before it even happens. There's no reason to pay billions of dollars to keep a staff of people on the ground doing a job which is done better by a computer program running on a microprocessor with sensors and controls. People on the ground simply cannot process the data as well or as quickly as an on-board computer.. The space program has been phased out because it was hindering technological advances.
07-22-2011, 03:25 PM
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Yes we will be back. The whole purpose of the Shuttle program was to take astronauts back and forth from the ISS. To go back to the moon or other planets, you'd have to go separate direction from the Shuttle program and thats what there doing.
Personally I think its stupid to get rid of the Shuttle, now we have to rely on the Russians to get to the ISS.
Personally I think its stupid to get rid of the Shuttle, now we have to rely on the Russians to get to the ISS.
07-24-2011, 03:18 AM
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DTN, exploration of space should be just that, exploration. Some can be done with robotics, but mankind needs to go and do. It wouldn't have done any good to send automated ships across the Atlantic to visit the Americas. We need to GO. And as soon as practical, we need to STAY.
It is critical to the development and protection of our civilization.
I am all for robotic missions, they can make great discoveries. I think messing around in LEO is a bit of a waste of time at this point. The ISS is great and all, but permanent bases on asteroids, the Moon, and Mars should have been established decades ago. This would push development of many technologies forward at a rate that is certainly not going to be met by people hoping to develop something for a future application that may or may not be required.
It is critical to the development and protection of our civilization.
I am all for robotic missions, they can make great discoveries. I think messing around in LEO is a bit of a waste of time at this point. The ISS is great and all, but permanent bases on asteroids, the Moon, and Mars should have been established decades ago. This would push development of many technologies forward at a rate that is certainly not going to be met by people hoping to develop something for a future application that may or may not be required.