New Mars Forums

I would appreciate if you could stay on topic please. Anywho... I'd like to add my concerns about the number of space enthusiasts who are settling for NASA's current plan, when they themselves can see huge glaring faults in it. Yes, NASA has been in a slump since Apollo, but we cannot afford to simply settle for any old goal so long as its beyond LEO.
Because NASA has not presented any alternative goals (which is really freaking stupid on their behalf, IMO), many space supporters have been forced to either support Bush's plan or remain in LEO forever. Infact, they really have no choice at all. This is f***ing crap! I for one am a huge supporter for space exploration, and would gladly cut off my right arm for the cause. I'm afraid NASA may get away with their plan, having presented no alternatives, and quietly spend our $229 billion on whatever useless-crap-they-have-in-mind covertly, much as they have done with the shuttle. Bush's plan is s**t, and I will not stand for it! Give us alternatives, NASA, or you will continue to struggle for support from the scientific community.  :angry:

I am getting so damned frustrated with NASA's crap! Just look at this article from Florida Today: http://www.floridatoday.com/news/space/ … ]Moon-Mars cost estimate is too high

Quote:

"Mistaken as gospel and spread around the country by countless news outlets outside of Brevard County, an oft-quoted but flawed trillion-dollar cost estimate is coloring public opinion on President Bush's plan to send astronauts back to the moon by 2020, and it's swaying election-year political debates. A more realistic estimate: $229 billion over the next 16 years."

$229 Billion dollars???

Okay, so let me get this straight...

NASA plans to spend over $229,000,000,000 ($229 thousand million, or nearly a quarter of a Trillion dollars) developing the capability to send astronauts to the moon in tiny little capsules on merry reminiscing sight-seeing voyages to the moon and back.

And, err, why are we doing this again? Have we not already sent men to the moon? Did it not take only 8 years to get there the first time? And with 1960's technology? Starting from scratch? And I'm sure as hell it didn't cost us near $229 billion, even in todays dollars.

This is unimaginably ludicrous! I am gob-smacked! Why the hell should I have the smallest glimmer of hope NASA may send humans to Mars before I am dead, or this once-great country is dead, or both?

What is there to be gained on the moon? And don't give me this 'It will help us prepare for Mars' crap! Apollo helped us prepare for Mars! Don't kid yourselves: there are no resources on the moon, nothing to help us on our journey to Mars. We won't be returning to the moon for science; Apollo was cancelled because, after the initial triumph of Apollo 11, the science return was damned near useless. Sure, it was fun watching those astronauts skipping around in slow-motion, the Earth as there backdrop, but by apollo 14, there wasn't really all that much left to do. Even hard-core NASA scientists of the era would admit to that.

The truth is, there isn't any real reason why we can't be bagging blueberries into our pockets by 2014 instead. Contrary to popular belief, there are no great technological or social (or even political, IMHO) hurdles to overcome. Everything has been solved; It's been that way for 14 years, in-fact. And maybe that's why we like to think about why it's so hard to get there and back (to Mars, that is): All we've been hearing in that time are excuses from NASA, and a generally confused scientific community wondering why nothing has been set in motion. It must be too difficult to even consider the prospect, they conclude. Screw NASA! Fire the incompetent characterless, uninspired, hopefull O'keefe! I cannot stand his superficial optimism any longer! NASA needs a leader who is not afraid of the truth; or someone atleast acquainted with common-sense.

$229 Billion is ridiculous. And yes, that figure includes other programs, like returning shuttle to flight (Kill it!), completing the ISS by 2010 (Burn it!) and developing nuclear rockets (Don't need em, actually we really don't need any of these things). My only hope left in NASA is for a shuttle derived heavy-lift. If NASA ignores the need for an SDV, I am left with no choice but to abandon every last hope I have in the administration and denounce them forever.

In its current state, I will not give Bush's plan a cent!