Hey Obama - - a little more Wernher von Braun and a little less Zefram Cochrane, mmkay?

Dear Central Florida

Diaf

Signed
Obama

DarthBrooks: Hey Obama - - a little more Wernher von Braun and a little less Zefram Cochrane, mmkay?


Was that honest? Because von Braun didn't care for manned space exploration. And, at this point in time and technology, neither do I. We should have robot rovers on Europa at this point - we could have dozens of them crawling and drilling on every planet for the price of the ISS and the Shuttle.

We don't have the technology for efficient manned space flights.

Maybe in 25 years we can reconsider.

when has anyone ever gotten useful information from unmanned space exploration or robots ?

kmmontandon: Because von Braun didn't care for manned space exploration.

Of course he did. He was a major influence on our Moon rockets, and he created initial conceptualizations for the Space Shuttle.

sariq: Maybe in 25 years we can reconsider.

There are many new spacefaring countries now. China is actively sending people there, and India is probably not far behind.

It will become more efficient the more we try.

kmmontandon: Because von Braun didn't care for manned space exploration.

Uh, what?



As far back as 1952, von Braun was hyping MANNED spaceflight as paramount to space exploration.

Robots are going to get all the space babes.

I've been playing a lot of Hedgehog Launch lately and I can get us into orbit using only a slingshot and some stylish goggles. It'll only take me about 4 or 5 days, too.

http://armorgames.com/play/1760/hedgehog-launch

I vote for fewer manned space missions and more hedgehogged space missions.

That's really disappointing to hear.

/ :c

I strongly disagree with Obama on this. Manned space flight is and always will be risky, but we as a society have to be willing to accept that risk if we are to advance as a species. Space exploration isn't just about learning new things, it's about preparing for the time when we leave this planet.

Cake Hunter: I've been playing a lot of Hedgehog Launch lately and I can get us into orbit using only a slingshot and some stylish goggles. It'll only take me about 4 or 5 days, too.

http://armorgames.com/play/1760/hedgehog-launch

I vote for fewer manned space missions and more hedgehogged space missions. I just spit out my beer, after reading this. You owe me sip of Snowcap ale and I owe you a slap on the back. Yes, send the hedgehogs with stylish goggles. Capt. Kirk has farked all the best space babes anyway.

I think scientific exploration is the most important human perogative, but I will trade the ultra-costly current space exploration paradigm for a temporary focus on more terrestrial science that I think is more pressing, and might yield more important immediate results.

I think Obama is just throwing ideas out and seeing which ones would work.

von Braun basically modified our nuclear weapons for manned space flight in the 60s, they took us to the moon. its interesting that Obama would even remember that... might be cheaper just as good.

Hang on, this is the Wall Street Journal, after all. Are we going to get another round of this story from every other news outlet contradicting this article like we did with the net neutrality one?

/WSJ sucks. Just as fair and balanced as Faux News these days.

Mordant: when has anyone ever gotten useful information from unmanned space exploration or robots ?

Didn't we just discover evidence of water on Mars?

/Apologies if that was sarcasm

Two words: Rupert Murdoch.

FTA: The Obama transition team assigned to NASA so far hasn't decided on specific recommendations, according to people familiar with the process, and new NASA leaders still must be named. Members of the transition team have declined to comment.

I'm think I'm going to wait until they actually make a decision on this one. Right now this sounds like more of the same media-driven speculation.

"If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life."

- Gus Grissom

Is this the thread where a bunch of Fark Libertarians swoon for the government boondoggle that is manned space exploration?

Whatsleft: I think scientific exploration is the most important human perogative, but I will trade the ultra-costly current space exploration paradigm for a temporary focus on more terrestrial science that I think is more pressing, and might yield more important immediate results.

Agreed. It's no fun, I'd love to shoot big rockets too, but It's just not needed right now. We need to figure out how to get people LIVING in space, not just surviving a harrowing ordeal. And we can do that without sending live bodies right now.

Yeah because you know exploration is always safe.

Raw_fishFood: "If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life."

- Gus Grissom

An Astronaut named Gus?

We will never leave our solar system if we don't have a few one way missions.

/Just starting to drink our own piss in space. Boy, technology sure has advanced in the Bush years....
//One way to Mars and camp out till food runs out. Water And hopefully air comes from under the ship via conduit..

The shuttle is too costly and dangerous. That doesn't make manned space flight too costly and dangerous. The Russians have been using expendable boosters derived from military technology to launch people into space for 50 years. They have a mature product as a result.

Imagine if NASA had cancelled the shuttle and kept Skylab.

space people?

citizen905: Is this the thread where a bunch of Fark Libertarians swoon for the government boondoggle that is manned space exploration?

Boondoggle? Compared to what? Federal Government funded education programs? The robots we send to Mars are more intelligent than your average middle schooler.

citizen905: Is this the thread where a bunch of Fark Libertarians swoon for the government boondoggle that is manned space exploration?

Ordinarily yes but there are so many govt boondoggles these days that manned space seems kind of quaint and innocent.

/not a libertarian
//not that you care but I seem to

Why the hell is space exploration the third rail now?

/I seriously don't get it.

"broached the idea"

Jeez, Fark is on full-retard knee-jerk-reaction lately.

If it's feasible, they'll consider it; if it's not, they won't. It's prudent to explore options rather than proceed with blinders on.

Proceed about your lives.

Is the transition team made up of scientists with backgrounds in this sort of thing or is it a bunch of politician-types touring NASA and saying to the guys there "I don't know if you're aware, but they're doing amazing things with Mentos and Diet Coke. You guys should seriously check out YouTube."

Because if I worked at NASA, this would annoy the shiat out of me.

Shrugging Atlas: Raw_fishFood: "If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life."

- Gus Grissom

An Astronaut named Gus?

"What does the I. stand for?"
"Ivan."
"Virgil I. 'Gus' Grissom!"

Mentat: I strongly disagree with Obama on this. Manned space flight is and always will be risky, but we as a society have to be willing to accept that risk if we are to advance as a species. Space exploration isn't just about learning new things, it's about preparing for the time when we leave this planet.

Why? What is the purpose of populating another planet.

/By the way, the closest habitable planet is likely thousands of light-years away

citizen905: Is this the thread where a bunch of Fark Libertarians swoon for the government boondoggle that is manned space exploration?

Yeah, more or less. You should see slashdot: biggest Libertarians on a non-political website, right up until NASA's no-bid cost-plus contracts are discussed. Then it's all wahhhhhh why doesn't the US spend much much more?

barc0001: WSJ sucks.

Only the WSJ editorial page sucks. The news division is actually very reputable and even-handed.

This is why NASA hates every Democrat to come down the pipe since Kennedy. They do not have the imagination or inclination to see the long-term advantages to maintaining a space program.

CheetahOlivetti: Shrugging Atlas: Raw_fishFood: "If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life."

- Gus Grissom

An Astronaut named Gus?

"What does the I. stand for?"
"Ivan."
"Virgil I. 'Gus' Grissom!"

"WHERE'S OUR TICKER TAPE PARADE?!?!?!"

Nemo's Brother: This is why NASA hates every Democrat to come down the pipe since Kennedy. They do not have the imagination or inclination to see the long-term advantages to maintaining a space program.

Enlighten me. In a cost-benefit way.

Wise_Guy: Is the transition team made up of scientists with backgrounds in this sort of thing or is it a bunch of politician-types

Yes. And I mean "yes" to both your questions. The transition team is apparently made up of people with space policy backgrounds.

This is one thing that I vehemently have disagreed with Obama with from the onset. While I can't read the entire article,the de-emphasis of space exploration, manned or unmanned is a bad thing. I'm not sure about the details of switching to modified military rockets...but that can't be conducive to innovation and expansion of the space program.

But back to space and "space pursuit give us nothing!" arguments...

While anthropology (be it linguistics, archaeology, physical or cultural) isn't exactly the highest on the list of Farkers favorite sciences...well it is a science. None of my fellow anthropologists told their parents at age 4 "I wanna be an anthololoist." No, we wanted to be astronauts, paleontologists, or what have you. So we found out we sucked at calculus and couldn't be astrophysicists, or bad eyes so couldn't be pilots and astronauts, but got interested in how radios work or soil sciences: all vital to daily life.

Science needs to inspire as well as provide profit, it needs to self replicate. If nothing else the space program does this, despite spending my days in a book or up to my waist in dirt and mud I still get inspired to continue what I do when I see the latest Hubble images or read what those rovers are up to on Mars. I'm sure someone will tell me that archaeology doesn't contribute anything either, but fark you.

We didn't "win" the cold war or emerge as a preeminent world power because we were more religious, had more tanks, or better leadership. Science (along with economic factors of course)led the way. We went to the moon, made personal computers and the internet, cured polio...scientists and engineers improve the life that we all lead. NASA encourages and fosters the growth, continuation and expansion of science. This is a good thing.

I tend to think we should fix our problems here before we make space exploration more than a hobby. Sure, there are certain benefits to space exploration, but there's plenty of time for it in the future. For now, we've got other fish to fry.

citizen905: Is this the thread where a bunch of Fark Libertarians swoon for the government boondoggle that is manned space exploration?

Nope, it's where the Fark Socialists saying that the free market should fund all of this, and the government has no business interfering in space research.

After all, why waste our money on stupid things like space exploration when we can throw Shaniqua and her 8 kids $500 a month in welfare?!

Also, where are you people getting the idea that Obama wants to abandon the manned space program? According to TFA, he's looking for ways to make manned flight safer and cheaper. That's not the same as wanting to eliminate it. In fact, it's a good way to accelerate exploration.

Well, we have to draw the line somewhere. To hell with purple people!

Green and gray ones too, for that matter.

Sabyen91: Nemo's Brother: This is why NASA hates every Democrat to come down the pipe since Kennedy. They do not have the imagination or inclination to see the long-term advantages to maintaining a space program.

Enlighten me. In a cost-benefit way.

Nope, its your argument and wish to change the status quo.

Enlighten all of us why NASA should be disbanded. Please cite sources on the amount of children that have gone uneducated, the insurance that has gone unpaid, and all the evils manned space travel has inflicted upon the US.

I'd rather see tax dollars going to helping education, health care and the economy than in NASA. Going to Mars is cool and all, but should we be concerned about that right now? I'm not saying shut down NASA entirely, but priorities are priorities.

Nemo's Brother: This is why NASA hates every Democrat to come down the pipe since Kennedy. They do not have the imagination or inclination to see the long-term advantages to maintaining a space program.

I see great value in a space program but no value at all in the manned part. Commercially we tend to just license the Russian stuff and ignore NASA

space exploration is the key to human survial IMO