Do you support continued space exploration?

[LongTomH]

I started a thread in General Discussion: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002223096

The title is "I remember when a Democratic President committed us to go to the moon." It started as a response to Newt Gingrich's call for an American lunar base; actually, I'm thinking of it as a defense of continued space exploration.

Please take a look and add your comments there -- right now, I'm headed for bed.

[Odin2005]

1. Yes. Absolutely.

The colonization of space is our future.

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. I grew up thinking I could be a space cadet

Watching the TV and radio shows




International cooperation is the only way to go.
None of this USA.. USA... stuff. Newt wanted.

[newfie11]

3. YES!!! n/t

[eridani]

4. IMO it would be a wonderful alternative to spending money on imperial bullying

How about cooperation in going for the next frontier instead?

[Scuba]

5. Yes, as soon as Social Security is shored up and we have Medicare for All...

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[tridim]

6. Yes, but not necessarily with human cargo

There is massive amounts of prep work to be done before colonization will be at all feasible. All of it can and should be done remotely with robots.

Using robots is not something to be ashamed of, they are tools that humans created to do things that are incredibly dangerous. They are a natural part of our evolution.

There is no need to risk human lives just to claim bragging rights. We have already proved it is possible. If we are serious about planning advancement in human space exploration we should not be stupid about it in our relative infancy.

[FiveGoodMen]

7. Agreed!

[Lionel Mandrake]

10. before colonization will be at all feasible?

We don't know whether colonization (of another planet or of a moon or asteroid by humans) will ever be feasible. I support research to answer this question, provided that it doesn't take money away from robotic space missions that have nothing to do with the manned space program (the kind of thing that JPL does best).

Robotic missions have provided most of what we know about other bodies in the solar system and much of what we know about the universe beyond the solar system. The contribution of astronauts to astronomy and space science has been slight by comparison. The contribution of the manned space program to science is arguably negative: it serves mainly to divert funds from more worthwhile robotic space science.

[tridim]

11. We'll leave the Earth some day..

I still think moon/mars colonies are at least 100 years away at minimum. There are thousands of major problems to solve first.

Newt doesn't have a clue what he's talking about. He's a non-thinking idiot.

[tinrobot]

8. Yes, but I wouldn't trust Gingrich to lead it.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

9. not lead any of it, but we could use him in off planet organic testing

"here eat this"

Newt: "What is it?"

"Normal food, but we cooked it with cosmic rays..."

Newt: "Ok, that sounds safe."

Newt eats some and his stomach expands rapidly.

Newt (with a serious grimace as the helper robots strap him down): "I think I have bad gas..."

"Perfect, we may have found a new way to propel you space pod! Robots...get the hose and nipple fittings!"

Newt: "Can't I just use the space toilet?"

"No, we need to record this and cameras aren't allowed in the toilet..." (The researcher states as he sets up the web cams) "I'm going to make a fortune..."

Newt: "What?"

"Nothing, just talking to myself..."