Re: Shuttle Costs Surge - Extensive Fixes to Fleet Will Run $1.1B

From: drdoody (drdoody_at_dieslowly.sbcglobal.net)
Date: 07/19/04 

Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 02:34:47 GMT

"Jorge R. Frank" <jrfrank@ibm-pc.borg> wrote in message
news:Xns952A6C1CE6968jrfrank@204.52.135.40...
> hallerb@aol.com (bob haller) wrote in
> news:20040718112205.04913.00000074@mb-m05.aol.com:
>
> > At some point congress may decide its time for nasa to cut their
> > losses.
> >
> > the sad thing is that plans for real safety improvements, like launcch
> > boost escape never werre implemented
>
> For good reason. If you think Congress may balk now, just wait for their
> reaction when the bill rises to $2.3-5.2 billion to add an escape system.
> Especially watch their reaction when you tell them you now have to
redesign
> all the ISS modules sitting on the ground at KSC due to the weight
increase
> from the escape system, and that ISS will now require more shuttle flights
> to complete.

I think we should accept a certain degree of risk in space exploration.
Well, I guess "space exploration" isn't really accurate, is it? More like
"orbital sightseeing". At any rate, I have yet to find one thing that manned
spaceflight has given me as a taxpayer in exchange for my contribution.
What, Tang? And maybe velcro. And let's not forget freeze-dried ice cream...
real important one there. I hate to say it, but NASA's manned space flight
program has got to be the least productive investment the American taxpayers
have yet to make. We put men into orbit... and found out they could
*usually* survive the trip. We put men on the moon... and got some rocks.
Oh, and some really neat pictures. We built space shuttles that were
supposed to be "space trucks" for building a permanent manned presence in
orbit... but wound up being "space winnebagos" instead. We had Hubble, which
gave us some great pictures and a deeper insight into the origins of the
universe... only to ditch the program when it was at its most useful.

Honestly, I don't care if another shuttle lifts off... ever. In fact, I hope
it never happens. Because all I've gotten out of the manned space flight
program is a couple of multi billion-dollar fireworks shows and barbecues.
Hell, I can do that in my back yard for $50. NASA should concentrate on
programs that will yield benefits to human kind, not provide funding so a
bunch of eggheads can study the effects of space travel on flatworms and
elderly senators. Hell, I can't see any situation where having either of
those aboard a spacecraft would be A Good Thing, anyway. There are much more
pressing subjects. Improved atmospheric flight technology for one. Figure
out a way to get me and my family from Texas to California and back for less
than $200. We've been flying for 100 years and it's still cheaper to drive.
We've had how many guys figuring out how to make rocket fuel from lunar dust
for how long? How about figuring out a way to make cheap, renewable fuel for
automobiles here on Earth? I remember growing up reading about all the new
alloys and medicines that would be developed in orbit. Name one. Name one
material in use at this very moment that was made in orbit and makes a
positive impact on our lives.

There are so many things that are more important than sending people into
orbit to do basically nothing productive. The ISS will wind up doing what?
Being an orbital hotel for multi millionaires? What will the space shuttle
do? Aside from blowing up every few years, that is. Who here honestly thinks
that NASA has what it takes to build a permanent manned outpost on the moon?
Now, what good will it do us? So we'll get to find out what happens to
people in low gravity. This will come in useful if the Earth's gravity
suddenly reduces for some reason. Even if we go to Mars... then what?
There's nothing there! It's basically an airless dustball. Oh, it has the
solar system's largest volcano. Very nice. Going to Mars to explore the
solar system's largest volcano is like taking a Concorde flight from
Australia to Nebraska to see the world's largest ball of twine. An enormous
expenditure of time and money that yields nothing. Which is what we've been
doing with manned space flight since the beginning.

Doc 

-- 
"I'm completely in favor of the separation
 of Church and State. My idea is that
 these two institutions screw us up
 enough on their own, so both of them
 together is certain death."
George Carlin

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