Newt Skywalker And His Moonbase?

[Coito ergo sum]

Cost benefit man. I'm not convinced that it's time to put a base on the moon. Let the Chinese make their own mission to the moon first.

Of what use is a new born babe?

Tasty appetizers?

[Coito ergo sum]

O.k. - how about we liberate the Moon from the giant fiendish creatures? Just like we did with Libya!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

imgfit, please.

[Animavore]

Cost benefit man. I'm not convinced that it's time to put a base on the moon. Let the Chinese make their own mission to the moon first.

Chinese, Shminese - so many people keep saying how awesome the Chinese at space missions. They've had like, one, successful test, and most of their shit blows up on the launch pad.

It's also a national security issue to not let the Chinese dominate the space.

The costs are relatively small, compared to the shit hardly anyone complains about - we spent 10 times NASA's annual budge in 2009 building useless shit in some sort of "Stimulus" program. $500,000,000 was paid to Solyndra, which the shareholders of that boondoggle stole and then filed bankruptcy - and the government says "oopsy! Guess not all investments work out..."

Not only that but more and more NASA are working with the ESA. They have many probes, rovers and aerobots planned together for Mars over the coming decades so America won't be shouldering the burden alone.
And about cost, in the Colbert/DeGraisse interview just posted on another thread, which andrew scoffed at, DeGraisse explains the cost of NASA is something like one half cent of the tax-dollar.

[Drewish]

I"m listening to that interview now. About 10 minutes in. Way to go for the personal attack bro.

[Animavore]

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I"m listening to that interview now. About 10 minutes in. Way to go for the personal attack bro.

You sneered at something before you even heard. Way to go fundy, bro.

[Coito ergo sum]

For some reason, people immediately go for the "it's a waste of money" line when it comes to NASA -- NASA produces results, achieves great things, advances science and technology, etc.

And, yet, have our politicians ask fro $858 billion to "stimulate" the economy by pumping it into loads of dumbass projects, and everyone is like "yeah! great! good use of funds!"

Why not stimulate the economy by expanding NASA? Like...build another space center -- build more rockets -- start new programs - and that way you'd help heavy and light industries, natural resource and energy companies, materials and manufacturing, research and development, engineering, fuel technology sectors, scientists, and an endless list of support industries and businesses.

At least we'd fucking get SOMETHING for our stimulus dollars...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Tyson points out in the Colbert interview that so many things we take for granted today were once "blue sky" projects.

[Animavore]

"Why send people to space when we have people starving here on Earth?"

Fuckin' hate short-sightedness. If you're not glued to your screen watching man take those first tentative steps on Mars (something I hope happens in my life) you're dead to me.

[Atheist-Lite]

The economy is beancounting. It is will power that feeds the hungry child and puts men on the moon(and women). When everyone chips in then resources are available. When the dream is doubted it requires new visionaries.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAnI7IYw ... re=related[/youtube]

[Coito ergo sum]

"Why send people to space when we have people starving here on Earth?"

Fuckin' hate short-sightedness. If you're not glued to your screen watching man take those first tentative steps on Mars (something I hope happens in my life) you're dead to me.

Why go to the movies, when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why fund college loans, when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why pay unemployment insurance, when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why give grants to artists when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why fund NPR and PBS, when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why build a Presidential library, when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why fund the development of the Chevy Volt, and give $500,000,000 to Solyndra, while there are people starving here on Earth?

Why spend billions on a war in Libya when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why finance a national park and put money into almost any government program, when there are people starving here on Earth?

Why camp out in Zucotti Park, when there are people starving here on Earth?

[Atheist-Lite]

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Why send people to space when we have people starving here on Earth?"

Fuckin' hate short-sightedness. If you're not glued to your screen watching man take those first tentative steps on Mars (something I hope happens in my life) you're dead to me.

~1:16 in the interview, Tyson rocks this question.

[Ian]

One thing space advocates rarely mention (or possibly even think about) is the potential military applications of this R&D. I don't want to breach the subject by talking about how dangerous or immoral that could be; that could come later as people would probably want to bring it up. I just want to say that, as with the development of aircraft over a century ago, I believe the development of space-based military power is totally inevitable (and in many ways, has already begun). It wouldn't be a good thing for any great power to ignore the potential of it, or use wishful thinking to talk itself out of the certainty of it.