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[owlbeak]

Obama pledged to get man to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s. He shortened the window to get our astronauts launched from US soil to the ISS by a few years over what GWB set up.

Reality, as always, is complicated.

I prefer what Neil deGrasse Tyson said about getting astronauts to Mars by the 2030s.

"We're going to Mars in 25 years." No, I'm sorry, that's not ambition...that's pandering to the people who want to hear it, knowing at the end of the day you don't actually have to do it. Now, double NASA's budget and tomorrow we'll talk about where NASA's going in the next 10 years, not the next 30 or 50.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSYEdougccY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9thhaG74ax8

 

[Tom_Cody]

A tea party asshole at work was running around weeks ago blaming Obama for killing the space shuttle.

GWB killed the space shuttle (not a bad thing, but it's funny to hear people thinking that Obama did it).

Obama pledged to get man to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s. He shortened the window to get our astronauts launched from US soil to the ISS by a few years over what GWB set up.

Reality, as always, is complicated.

The legitimate complaint against Obama is that he sacked the Constellation program. In doing so he effectively kneecapped all future manned space exploration for the foreseeable future (aside from Space X's work on a low earth orbit launch system).

 

[C.Dark.DN]

I prefer what Neil deGrasse Tyson said about getting astronauts to Mars by the 2030s. Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSYEdougccY

Yeah, a President that's going to be out of office after voting this year or in 2017 can't promise shit after his term. Especially on the poor budget.

 

[duderon]

Now, realistically, what is the chance of this happening after Curiosity successful mission?

There's zero chance because the electorate doesn't care about space. Only nerds on the Internet know that NASA's takes 0.5% of the federal budget. Most people think it's already 10% or some obscenely large fraction.

 

[Rentahamster]

GWB killed the space shuttle (not a bad thing, but it's funny to hear people thinking that Obama did it).

Bush planned for the shuttle to retire in 2010 because he also planned for the Constellation Program spacecraft to replace it. Obama cancelled the Constellation Program and instead is using private companies to pick up the slack in manned missions.

 

[Tom_Cody]

To add insult to injury, the Ares 1 had already had a successful test launch before he canceled the program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elHvuuG6ecE&hd=1

 

[AstroNut325]

There's zero chance because the electorate doesn't care about space. Only nerds on the Internet know that NASA's takes 0.5% of the federal budget. Most people think it's already 10% or some obscenely large fraction.

That and science is a BAD thing to the American people. At least a whole lot of them certainly think that way!

That is THE most significant problem. That is what holds NASA's funding to 0.5%. And that is what is pushing it to less than 0.5% in the next few years.

 

[Tom_Cody]

Bush planned for the shuttle to retire in 2010 because he also planned for the Constellation Program spacecraft to replace it. Obama cancelled the Constellation Program and instead is using private companies to pick up the slack in manned missions.

Sort of. The Constellation program was designed to take man back to the moon and the system could potentially have been used for eventual mars missions as well. The private initiative involves funding a Space X program to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station in low earth orbit. Obama killed our manned space exploration program.

 

[derFeef]

Nice, Google.

 

[duderon]

Sort of. The Constellation program was designed to take man back to the moon and the system could potentially have been used for eventual mars missions as well. The private initiative involves funding a Space X program to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station in low earth orbit. Obama killed our manned space exploration program.

It was also way over budget and there was no way it was going to be funded with NASA's budget woes.

 

[DrForester]

A tea party asshole at work was running around weeks ago blaming Obama for killing the space shuttle.

GWB killed the space shuttle (not a bad thing, but it's funny to hear people thinking that Obama did it).

Obama pledged to get man to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s. He shortened the window to get our astronauts launched from US soil to the ISS by a few years over what GWB set up.

Reality, as always, is complicated.

GWB had a plan for future manned exploration. GWB killed the shuttle, but he had a replacement, 6 years in development and Obama scrapped all that research and development. Private firms for ISS is fine, but that's not space exploration. That's doing something that NASA has done since the 60's. Obama put out this vague plan with no real focus about people on Mars and asteroids. A mission to Mars will require almost year stay on the planet, that is never going to happen without testing of equipment, and that equipment will be tested on the Moon. Obama used the stupid excuse that "we've already been there".

Obama didn't kill the shuttle, but he did kill NASA's manned space program for at least the next decade.

 

[WillyFive]

Google knows what's up.

 

[CFMOORE!]

Google knows what's up.

I want a Google/NASA joint venture.

 

[Rentahamster]

Sort of. The Constellation program was designed to take man back to the moon and the system could potentially have been used for eventual mars missions as well. The private initiative involves funding a Space X program to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station in low earth orbit. Obama killed our manned space exploration program.

In the short term, yeah, but the CEO has declared his ambition to send humans to mars. I'm not sure if that's a policy they are working in tandem with NASA with, but it's an internal corporate goal regardless.

http://live.wsj.com/video/elon-musk...BA.html#!CCF1FC62-BB0D-4561-938C-DF0DEFAD15BA

 

[AstroNut325]

Nice, Google.

That's.... friggin' awesome!

 

[mdphilli]

Nice, Google.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Google is awesome for showing their support.

 

[FACE]

GWB had a plan for future manned exploration. GWB killed the shuttle, but he had a replacement, 6 years in development and Obama scrapped all that research and development. Private firms for ISS is fine, but that's not space exploration. That's doing something that NASA has done since the 60's. Obama put out this vague plan with no real focus about people on Mars and asteroids. A mission to Mars will require almost year stay on the planet, that is never going to happen without testing of equipment, and that equipment will be tested on the Moon. Obama used the stupid excuse that "we've already been there".

Obama didn't kill the shuttle, but he did kill NASA's manned space program for at least the next decade.

 

[duderon]

GWB had a plan for future manned exploration. GWB killed the shuttle, but he had a replacement, 6 years in development and Obama scrapped all that research and development. Private firms for ISS is fine, but that's not space exploration. That's doing something that NASA has done since the 60's. Obama put out this vague plan with no real focus about people on Mars and asteroids. A mission to Mars will require almost year stay on the planet, that is never going to happen without testing of equipment, and that equipment will be tested on the Moon. Obama used the stupid excuse that "we've already been there".

Obama didn't kill the shuttle, but he did kill NASA's manned space program for at least the next decade.

There wasn't going to be a manned program for at least a decade with Constellation. Bush established to program, but didn't fund NASA properly to bring it to fruition.

 

[Tom_Cody]

It was also way over budget and there was no way it was going to be funded with NASA's budget woes.

Ugh. That is the excuse given when the project was canceled. The transparent reason for its cancellation is that it was a George W. Bush legacy project. In NASA's history, every project has gone over budget. That is what happens when you are developing new science at every step. Again, the first rocket had already had a successful test launch and the crew capsule (Orion) was well on its way when the program was canceled.

Former NASA administrator Michael Griffin has discussed the budget topic extensively. There is an old engineering axiom that applies perfectly to this. Fast, good, or cheap. Pick two. For NASA's entire history, the effect of projects going over budget has simply been that the projects have been delayed.

 

[owlbeak]

Nice, Google.

Hahaha! Man, I didn't even notice Curiosity. I was upset they didn't have a logo for it today.

 

[Onemic]

Will there be any video footage available?

 

[AnathemicOne]

Nice, Google.

Damn nice, I love Google for things like this

 

[duderon]

Ugh. That is the excuse given when the project was canceled. The transparent reason for its cancellation is that it was a George W. Bush legacy project. In NASA's history, every project has gone over budget. That is what happens when you are developing new science at every step. Again, the first rocket had already had a successful test launch and the crew capsule (Orion) was well on its way when the program was canceled.

Former NASA administrator Michael Griffin has discussed the budget topic extensively. There is an old engineering axiom that applies perfectly to this. Fast, good, or cheap. Pick two. For NASA's entire history, the effect of projects going over budget has simply been that the projects have been delayed.

Yes, but given the magnitude of the program, Constellation going over budget would have brought NASA to its knees. There's no way they could have done any other science while trying to finish such an ambitious project with their tiny bank account.

 

[Paches]

Will there be any video footage available?

At some point, yes.

 

[Byakuya769]

People like tangible and understandable results. And rocks named after cartoon characters just doesn't ignite a sense of wonder in most people. That's why it's easy to make the NASA budget an easy target. That won't change until someone discovers something that normal people will marvel over.

 

[Forsete]

USA needs a new JFK.

And a new Wernher von Braun.

A few months later, on occasion of the first moon-landing, he publicly expressed his optimism that the Saturn V carrier system would continue to be developed, advocating manned missions to Mars in the 1980s.[63]

Or PRC will take the lead away from America. :/

 

[TheContact]

Say what you will about bush Jr, but NASA was one of the few good things about his administration. Despite having a very unpopular NASA head, a lot got done. Curiosity is an example of that, as they've been working in it since 2004.

This is true. One of the very few policies of Dubya I can agree with. He loved space exploration, it shocked me.

 

[Tom_Cody]

Yes, but given the magnitude of the program, Constellation going over budget would have brought NASA to its knees. There's no way they could have done any other science while trying to finish such an ambitious project with their tiny bank account.

Unfortunately at this point we are getting into level of policy depth that can't be resolved on GAF. I simply disagree.

Again, I personally think the successful Ares-1 test launch speaks for itself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elHvuuG6ecE&hd=1

Obama canceled the program 6 months after the successful launch.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

USA needs a new JFK.

And a new Wernher von Braun.



Or PRC will take the lead away from America. :/

Newt Gingrich is your man.

 

[Paches]

USA needs a new JFK.

And a new Wernher von Braun.



Or PRC will take the lead away from America. :/

Or another Cold War.

 

[owlbeak]

A new space race would help. With China planning to go to the Moon, that might kickstart something. Then again, maybe not.

 

[Tom_Cody]

USA needs a new JFK.

And a new Wernher von Braun.

Or PRC will take the lead away from America. :/

Truth

Taken in 1955 when manned space flight was considered Science Fiction.

And here he is 14 years later with the Apollo 11 Saturn V before launch (I have this picture framed in my apartment).

 

[AstroNut325]

A new space race would help. With China planning to go to the Moon, that might kickstart something. Then again, maybe not.

As Neil DeGrasse Tyson said... "just leak a memo about China establishing a military base on Mars. It doesn't even have to be real! And in nine months the US would have a military base on Mars. They'll have NASA spend 1 month to design, engineer and build it and 8 months to get to Mars."

 

[Forsete]

Newt Gingrich is your man.

I am Swedish, I have no say in US elections.. UNLESS.. Kickstart my project, Project Buy Votes.

Or another Cold War.

Or that.
Once China starts sending people to the Moon one can hope a new space race will begin.

Hurry up China!

 

[Tom_Cody]

Here's another one just for fun. Braun in front of the Saturn V's engines.

 

[maquiladora]

So in less than an hour we'll have our first color picture(s) from MARDI of the descent?

 

[AstroNut325]

Here's another one just for fun. Braun in front of the Saturn V's engines.

No words! And yes... we really need a modern day version of him!

 

[besada]

As Neil DeGrasse Tyson said... "just leak a memo about China establishing a military base on Mars. It doesn't even have to be real! And in nine months the US would have a military base on Mars. They'll have NASA spend 1 month to design, engineer and build it and 8 months to get to Mars."

Nah, we'd just blow up the moon.

Edit: Dat Saturn V!

 

[Forsete]

von Braun and Sergei Korolev are my heroes.

 

[Fenderputty]

Here's another one just for fun. Braun in front of the Saturn V's engines.

That's a really impressive shot. Great scale there.

 

[Rentahamster]

Newt Gingrich is your man.

Out of sheer morbid curiosity I wish I had a Farnsworth What-If Machine just so I could see if a President Gingrich would truly advance the frontier of space as much as he professes to do.

 

[maquiladora]

Out of sheer morbid curiosity I wish I had a Farnsworth What-If Machine just so I could see if a President Gingrich would truly advance the frontier of space as much as he professes to do.

 

[Forsete]

This was the Soviet answer to the Saturn V.

IIRC because they couldn't build massive engines like the Saturn V they "solved" it by adding more smaller engines.

At least they tried. :/

 

[owlbeak]

While we're throwing out scale shots of the Saturn V, here's me in front of the Saturn V's engines at Kennedy Space Center:

They have the whole rocket laid out in a giant hanger. It's mind-bogglingly big.

 

[Nilaul]

Well do we get any nice HD 3d photos of Mars?

 

[duderon]

Unfortunately at this point we are getting into level of policy depth that can't be resolved on GAF. I simply disagree.

Again, I personally think the successful Ares-1 test launch speaks for itself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elHvuuG6ecE&hd=1

Obama canceled the program 6 months after the successful launch.

During the Apollo era 1962 to 1969 NASA's average slice of the federal budget was 3.01%. After Bush announced the Constellation program from 2004-2008 the average was 0.61%. It's absurd to think such an ambitious program could have been funded on mere pocket change.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_of_NASA

 

[maquiladora]

Well do we get any nice HD 3d photos of Mars?

 

[speculawyer]

To be quite honest, killing the space shuttle was the best decision that anyone could've made for NASA. The shuttles were old and outdated.

And they couldn't go anywhere except low Earth orbit. Kinda disappointing.

 

[Mobius 1]

That's a really impressive shot. Great scale there.

I've seen the Saturn V in person. One can't comprehend the scale of that marvel until visiting it.

Spectacular.

 

[Rentahamster]

I would love to see a sci-fi movie about the first settlers to Mars who have survived long enough that returning to Earth becomes a feasible option, and how they grapple with that decision and what happens to those who do decide they want to come back.