29 Mar
2011
29 Mar
'11
9:37 a.m.
> NASA does intend to maintain a human presence in space. Thanks all! My feeling is that we need to maintain a human presence in > space. Besides the advances that come with rising to a great challenge, it > sets a threshold of adventure and science, and therefore stimulates > education in many important fields. I'm not wed to the ISS but I think a > moon base would be well worth our while, with amazing conditions for radio > telescopes on the far side (blocked from Earth's radio noise) and visual > telescopes just about anywhere on the moon. Humanity should have at least > a second home -- Mars to begin with -- as a backup in case our wonderful > planet becomes uninhabitable. What other good could come from exploring > space and landing on asteroids? Who knows? How could Columbus have known > what his efforts would bring? -- Joe > > --- On Mon, 3/28/11, Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> wrote: > >> From: Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> >> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Astronaut talk >> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> >> Date: Monday, March 28, 2011, 9:56 PM >> I hope some can correct me here, but >> it is my understanding that the James >> Webb Telescope is currently eating up a ton of NASA's >> funding and will >> continue to do until it is launched in 2015 or 2016. >> See >> http://www.space.com/9510-nasa-webb-space-telescope-mired-budget-woes-start.htmland >> http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101027/full/4671028a.html >> >> Though well worth the cost, and baring a major failure >> during launch and >> deployment, the scientific gains will be huge from the >> Webb. Yet Webb >> suffers from a lack of proper accounting and realistic >> costs and I think >> that hurts NASA and it will hurt the manned flight >> program. Currently >> Webb's cost is causing other telescopes and projects to be >> put behind. I do >> think one of the things NASA faces is a public that is >> demanding more >> control of government spending. I don't think that Webb's >> improper estimates >> and rising costs help the public to see a need to invest >> more into man >> flight at this time. I'm probably wrong, but the image has >> to be >> counter-productive and I don't think that the public truly >> sees a need for >> expensive missions to put man back into space right now. I >> think the public >> is content with the output by current telescopes and probes >> and they are >> delivering lots of gain for their dollars. NASA is seen as >> a luxury, not a >> necessity in today's world in my opinion. Thus why pursue >> man flight? I >> think that is something that NASA and the companies that >> stand to benefit >> financially from man flight have to make and sell to the >> American Public. >> Unfortunately many in the industry are great engineers, but >> not so great at >> selling. I'm not sure what is going to change the >> perception of the >> American public or when that will happen and I firmly >> believe and hope that >> we as a country return to exploring space with man flight. >> The next ten >> years will be very interesting to see the direction(s) that >> NASA takes. >> >> On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 8:43 PM, Dave Gary <davegary@me.com> >> wrote: >> >> > Good riddance. The ISS has been of little or no >> scientific benefit. What >> > have we learned? Mold grows in man-made âsort ofâ >> space environments and ISS >> > crew members suffer bone loss on extended free falls. >> For the time being, >> > manned missions are a waste of valuable resources. One >> Voyager flyby (pick a >> > flyby) has given us immensely more scientific data >> than all the ISS free >> > falls put together. And thatâs just one Voyager. >> Going to Mars with the >> > propulsion systems we have, currently, is a pipe >> dream. Anywhere further >> > (just within this solar system) is pure delusion. Hey, >> Iâm all for >> > exploration if sound judgement is involved. ISS was an >> experiment in how not >> > to allocate resources. We should learn from our >> mistakes and go on. As my >> > Grandfather always told me. âYou donât learn >> anything the second time youâre >> > kicked by a mule.â >> > >> > Dave >> > >> > >> > On [Mar 28], at [Mar 28] 7:45 PM, Steve Fisher >> wrote: >> > >> > >> >> I don't know about "vilified" you are entitled to >> your opinion. You are >> >> wrong but you are entitled to that opinion. ;) >> >> God forgive me for even thinking this but if a >> Soyuz fails to make it to >> >> orbit or to return our astronauts to earth what do >> you think will happen >> >> then? We can just sign over the title to the ISS >> because we won't be going >> >> back. >> >> Steve >> >> >> >>> From: kimharch@cut.net >> >>> To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >>> Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:38:06 -0600 >> >>> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Astronaut talk >> >>> >> >>> I expect to be vilified, but what the heck... >> I disagree that nationalism >> >>> is >> >>> an acceptable argument. If the ISS is supposed >> to promote cooperation, >> >>> then >> >>> why not cooperate to a limited extent (ride >> Russian vehicles) and use the >> >>> opportunity to pursue our own goals? >> >>> >> >>> Kim >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> -----Original Message----- >> >>> From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com >> >>> [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] >> On Behalf Of Steve >> >>> Fisher >> >>> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 7:32 PM >> >>> To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >>> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Astronaut talk >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> Downside? >> >>> >> >>> Loss of pride? Degradation of American >> exceptionalism? Should I go on? >> >>> While I agree with you that the ISS has >> probably not been a huge >> >>> bennefit, >> >>> it has at least been an oppirtunity for the >> United States to Lead, not >> >>> follow. Lets stand back and do nothing for a >> while longer and maybe we >> >>> can >> >>> pay the French for a ride. >> >>> Just my two cents worth. Your opinion may >> vary. >> >>> Steve >> >>> >> >>>> From: kimharch@cut.net >> >>>> To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >>>> Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:58:02 -0600 >> >>>> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Astronaut >> talk >> >>>> >> >>>> Interesting read, Joe. Thanks. Rather than >> post my comments at the >> >>>> DesNews >> >>>> site, I thought I'd share with this list. >> >>>> >> >>>> What's the downside of using a >> tried-and-true Russian vehicle for >> >>>> further >> >>>> ISS missions? Doesn't this allow us to go >> on to develop the next phase >> >>>> without having to develop and build (or >> re-use existing technology) a >> >>>> payload system just to service the ISS? >> >>>> >> >>>> A bit unrelated to your blog: I personally >> think the ISS is a waste of >> >>>> our >> >>>> time. In my opinion, US/NASA goals should >> have been (1) return to Moon, >> >>>> >> >>> and >> >>> >> >>>> (2) go to Mars, without the stopover at >> the ISS. I've not read any >> >>>> convincing justification for it (the ISS). >> Other thoughts? >> >>>> >> >>>> Kim >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> -----Original Message----- >> >>>> From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com >> >>>> [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] >> On Behalf Of Joe >> >>>> >> >>> Bauman >> >>> >> >>>> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 6:14 PM >> >>>> To: Utah Astronomy >> >>>> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Astronaut talk >> >>>> >> >>>> Astronaut Kent Rominger spoke Saturday at >> Clark Planetarium; here's my >> >>>> >> >>> blog >> >>> >> >>>> about it (with Cory's interesting photo): >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>> http://www.deseretnews.com/blog/47/10011698/Nightly-news-astronomy-The-Need- >> >>> >> >>>> to-Explore.html >> >>>> >> >>>> Thanks, Joe >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> _______________________________________________ >> >>>> Utah-Astronomy mailing list >> >>>> Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >>>> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> >>>> Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> ----- >> >>>> No virus found in this message. >> >>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> >>>> Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: >> 1498/3536 - Release Date: 03/28/11 >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> _______________________________________________ >> >>>> Utah-Astronomy mailing list >> >>>> Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >>>> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> >>>> Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >> >>>> >> >>> >> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> >>> Utah-Astronomy mailing list >> >>> Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >>> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> >>> Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> ----- >> >>> No virus found in this message. >> >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> >>> Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1498/3536 >> - Release Date: 03/28/11 >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> >>> Utah-Astronomy mailing list >> >>> Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >>> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> >>> Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >> >>> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Utah-Astronomy mailing list >> >> Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> >> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> >> Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >> >> >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Utah-Astronomy mailing list >> > Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >> > >> >> >> >> -- >> Jay Eads >> _______________________________________________ >> Utah-Astronomy mailing list >> Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com >> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php