Re: Bush Policies Detrimental To Space Program

From: Bill Bonde ( ``Soli Deo Gloria'' ) (stderr2_at_backpacker.com)
Date: 07/27/04 

Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 10:49:21 -0700

AbelMalcolm@webtv.net wrote:
>
> NASA has decided to euthanize a highly successful Tropical Rainfall
> Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, just because they supposedly want to
> save $28 million to $36 million.
>
> This is a good example of how Republicans change the subject when
> presented with humane opportunities.
>
It was put on orbit in 1997 to operate for at least three years. It is
now 2004.

> This satellite provides very useful weather forecasting and research
> information, especially on tropical storm systems such as hurricanes.
>
> According to the article (linked below):
>
> "Earth observation budget is shrinking as the agency begins to focus on
> President Bush's plan for human exploration of the moon and Mars."
>
> Can you see thru their shenanigans? I certainly can. Rather than
> saving the lives of human beings everywhere (thru the improvement of
> weather analysis and forecasting) Bush instead says he's going to send
> all our money to Mars. We should save our money and send Bush to Mars!
>
Maybe Earth observation can be done by someone else. Why not have the
Japanese or the Russians or the rich Europeans start stepping up to the
plate to do these things more? As long as the US will pay for it and
give it away free, they have no incentive.

> He will waste billions of our tax dollars on a somewhat secretive
> project that will supposedly result in a Mars missions is about as
> useful to the average American as building better missiles to send to
> Baghdad.
>
Bush wants a new large man rated ELV. That is useful for all sorts of
activities and because it is ELV and will have so many uses, it will
have an assembly line that remains open.

> Granted, spending money in space has economic benefits here on
> Earth, but what Bush is doing is just throwing our money all away on
> boondoggle projects (that will in all likelihood end up into the pockets
> of corrupt corporations that fund Republican campaigns, such as
> Halliburton).
>
Why do you oppose the exploration of Space? Why do you want to go roundy
round in LEO forever?

> The money wasted on a non-existent/imaginary Mars mission SOMETIME IN
> THE FUTURE is money that would be much better spent NOW to learn more
> about our home planet.
>
By learning more about the other planets, scientists do learn more about
Earth. The ELV Bush wants will be used first to go back to the Moon.
That is well within the capabilities and cost constraints on NASA giving
a migration away from ISS and STS. 

-- 
He and Evie soon fell into a conversation of the "No, I didn't; yes, you
did" type--conversation which, though fascinating to those who are
engaged in it, neither desires nor deserves the attention of others.
-+E.M. Forster, "Howards End"