Re: Kerry criticizes Bush's space vision

From: TKalbfus (tkalbfus_at_aol.com)
Date: 06/17/04 

Date: 17 Jun 2004 03:42:59 GMT

>True, but note that Bush has been trying to reduce NASA to just one or
>two goals... the moon and (later) points beyond.
>
>Brian

You got to focus your goals. $15 billion can be spent to get us to the Moon and
Mars by developing new technology to get there, or
it can use existing technology and just send out alot of probes to many
different, planets, moons, asteroids and comets.
Under the second option we'll find out alot in general about the Solar System,
but it won't get us any closer to getting there. Also existing technology has
its limits and we can only do so much with it. Its hard for example to send a
probe to Mars and drill several miles into its crust to get a core sample.
Under the first option we can do that, because we'll be developing big vehicles
anyway to get humans to Mars, under the second option, it'll never happen. No
existing launch system can deliver a drilling rig to Mars when NASA's budget is
spent so many ways exploring many places in the Solar System.

Tom

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