Obama - Hey, let’s land astronauts on an asteroid

[Solus]

Where to than boss?  And how do we get there?  And why?  The space program, I believe, offers many benefits, but you'll never see more than a few travelers about the vacuum.  And how does that improve our lives?

The Boss suggests undersea development and space.  Space would include permanent space stations, Lagrange Point colonies and colonies on moon.

Aside from the technological advancements that would be forthcoming, there is, as Tom pointed out, the much greater, but let tangible, benefit of giving us a goal to achieve and dreams to attain.  

It may take centuries, but it won't start till that first steps are taken.

Interstellar propulsion is feasible.  The 'Solar Wind' augmented by LASER cannon in space can provide the energy needed to reach close star system.  Yes, it would take generations for the trip...but I bet there would be no shortage of volunteers.

One of the big problems would be to overcome the current 'demand' for everything to be totally safe.

I have an image of the expression on an OSHA Inspector's face as he stands on the dock with Christopher Columbus looking at the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

[tombogan03884]

All these things are great, but can all these pie in the sky asteroid missions be afforded in this current economic climate? Its the same as if it were a business with maxed out credit and that is on the verge of bankruptsy...... Should they be pourings gobs of cash into R&D for products/technology that wont really reach their full potential for decades?

Rome is burning, Nero.

Can we afford not to ? The last "Great Depression was ended by WWII. The nature of modern warfare means that it would be over before new workers could be hired, let alone trained. that leaves only opening new markets or some new technology.
As for it making money, turn it over to private industry and let them hold contests like the Bendix Trophy race to spur development.
Competition will supply the technologies needed to make it practical such as a Near or faster than light propulsion system.

Your argument is like the tree huggers saying No drilling for Oil because we will not benefit for 10 years.
If we had started 10 or 20 years ago we would already be getting that oil, the reason we are not is the nay sayers.

[Timothy]

Why 4 Feet, 8.5 Inches?

The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and the US railroads were built by English expatriates.

Why did the English people build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.

Okay! Why did the wagons use that odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing the wagons would break on some of the old, long distance roads, because that's the spacing of the old wheel ruts.

So who built these old rutted roads? The first long distance roads in Europe were built by Imperial Rome for the benefit of their legions. The roads have been used ever since. And the ruts? The initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagons, were first made by Roman war chariots. Since the chariots were made for or by Imperial Rome they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing.

Thus, we have the answer to the original questions. The United State standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches derives from the original specification (Military Spec) for an Imperial Roman army war chariot. MilSpecs and Bureaucracies live forever.

So, the next time you are handed a specification and wonder what horse's ass came up with it, you may be exactly right. Because the Imperial Roman chariots were made to be just wide enough to accommodate the back-ends of two war horses.


I'm sure we'll manage with or without NASA.....but I've thought that for the last twenty years.

[Solus]

I'm sure we'll manage with or without NASA.....but I've thought that for the last twenty years.

I'm sure you are correct.

Some are satisfied with 'managing'. 

I was hoping we would excel.

[Timothy]

Bureaucratic involvement in this industry will drive NASA to the will of the bureaucrats; It always has!

Most marvelous inventions and discovery are the product of mistakes.  There are plenty of ways to progress scientifically if we let private industry prosper instead of trying to bury it in a mountain of BS...

Personally, I'm running out of money to loan the f..k ing government.  Sorry if I sound a bit testy..... it's been one of those days...

[Sponsor]

[tt11758]

Of course we can land men on an asteroid.  We were able to land a hemmorhoid in the Oval Office.

[mudman]

Worker Bees / Voters same same only differnt.

[twyacht]

While were planning to land on asteroids, can we set up a crew for black hole exploration?

I nominate Nancy Pelosi, Chucky Schumer, Mayor Bloomberg, and El Presidente himself.....

We have to have some involvement in space exploration, I'd start with completing what Reagan never finished, and get Star Wars Defense system done.

Joint project with Private Contractors and NASA contributing.

Either that, or I still like the black hole thing,...

[JC5123]

Instead of landing astronauts on an asteroid, how about we just land an asteroid on the white house?   

[ericire12]

Instead of landing astronauts on an asteroid, how about we just land an asteroid on the white house?   

On the Capitol during a state of the union address..... That should take care of things