Space Shuttle about to land

[Trae 1]

Best wishes with the shuttle crew.
There's a lot at stake this time ....there's an Aussie on board.

May the god of safe landings watch over them.

[rasmack 0]

Don't forget to watch NASA TV (but don't steal my bandwidth

HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227
“I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.”
- Not quite Oscar Wilde...

[Trae 1]

Perfect landing,

You yanks are a bit amazing.





...Jesus is only the son not da daddy

[base428 1]

I'm glad they arrived safely. But NASA's 16.2 billion dollar budget this year is WAY too much for an agency that doesn't provide much for the average taxpayer.

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[billvon 2,394]

>But NASA's 16.2 billion dollar budget this year is WAY too much for
>an agency that doesn't provide much for the average taxpayer.

A funny thing for someone on a skydiving board to say! Skydiving would be very different if the research NASA did into airfoils, turbine engines, propeller design, human physiology at altitude, Rogallo wings, and composite materials. And that's just one small part of their contributions (the aviation side.)

And in terms of the space program not providing anything to the average taxpayer - I suspect you were not alive during the Apollo program; back then it was pretty clear what it provided to the general public.

[sfzombie13 307]

what did the apollo program really contribute to the people, besides pride in finally beating the russians in something. after all, that was the only thing we came in first in since the space race started. it took us almost 20 years after them to put a woman in space, for example.

_________________________________________
Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes

[billvon 2,394]

>what did the apollo program really contribute to the people, besides
>pride . . . .

For me it wasn't pride in just beating the russians; it was pride, period.

Do you get a feeling of accomplishment when you win at something? We took on the hardest technological challenge there was, and we did it. As a result, we now know a shitload more about the solar system, how men can travel in space, and how to build satellites. For much of the 60's and 70's, the space program funded a huge chunk of the R+D that got us the Internet, satellites, kevlar, and thousands of other things we now take for granted. Perhaps more importantly, we have a picture of a man standing on the surface of another world with a tiny planet rising over the horizon (Earth.)

[aj4218 0]

Two things - firstly, let's do a bit of research and compare the cost of the entire Apollo programme with the cost of running the war in Vietnam for the year of 1969. Apollo was as cheap as chips.

Secondly, if you were watching live TV on Christmas day 1968 and heard Frank Borman read from Genesis, you'd have felt every last cent was worth it. I'm not religious at all, but man, what a moment.

[Trae 1]

The $$ V's public payback issue is a bit complicated..

Human life on this planet without NASA or the Russo's space program would enter another dark age.
16.2 billion.......pocket change... for what it does for human consciousness. Ice-cream costs us more than 16.2 billion --factoring in obesity and health issues there's no competition.
Does skydiving do anything for the average taxpayer? Yeah right.

If NASA can work out how to power the rockets with unpolluting fuels (H2 +O2 +heat=H20+ ? ) produced from solar power and water this planet could really get to take -off....cleanly.


Pick me for that load past the sky.

[billvon 2,394]

>If NASA can work out how to power the rockets with unpolluting fuels . . .

SSME's (space shuttle main engines) run on liquid hydrogen and oxygen, and produce only steam. The SRB's are dirty right now. A program called the LRB (liquid fueled booster) would both be cleaner and would allow the STS to lift a lot more weight into orbit. It got cancelled, of course.

[base428 1]

Yeah, those handful of trips to the moon proved fruitful. It's great that the USA was first to the moon, but if you weren't involved in the Apollo program, then how can you say "we did it"? That's like a Brit saying "we" were the first to scale Everest.

NASA Contributing to the Internet - Now that's one I haven't heard, but I'm sure you have a link or other data to support it?

Kevlar - Dupont researcher Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar (website)

NASA has done some cool stuff over the years, but life would go on without them.

I'm mainly concerned with TODAY'S 16.2 billion dollar budget. Sounds to me like taxpayers are simply footing the bill for thousands of NASA jobs. What is NASA doing for me TODAY? If it doesn't benefit the average taxpayer (or even the country for that matter), then it should not be funded.

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we have a picture of a man standing on the surface of another world

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[diablopilot 2]

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If it doesn't benefit the average taxpayer (or even the country for that matter), then it should not be funded.

Ummm, yeah. If we followed those rules you'd not have an event to do each year.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[billvon 2,394]

>NASA Contributing to the Internet - Now that's one I haven't heard,
>but I'm sure you have a link or other data to support it?

NASA built the first supercomputer (what we would consider a real computer) that connected to ARPANET, the Internet of the time. It was intended to be the first computer usable over long distances.

>I'm mainly concerned with TODAY'S 16.2 billion dollar budget.
> Sounds to me like taxpayers are simply footing the bill for
> thousands of NASA jobs. What is NASA doing for me TODAY?

Short term? Doing the stuff it usually does, which leads to windshear warning systems for airports, tiny digital cameras, and better parachutes. You may be alive today because of the research NASA did on wind shear in the 80's and 90's.

Long term? Ensuring humanity doesn't die off if we destroy the earth. Opening up space for commercial usage, bringing prosperity that would make us look like beggars. Allowing us the ability to grow and explore beyond this planet, something no other entity can do.

> If it doesn't benefit the average taxpayer (or even the country for
> that matter), then it should not be funded.

The CDC is not currently benefitting the average taxpayer as far as they know. The NTSB is not benefitting the average taxpayer right this instant. Both are pretty valuable, though, because their work is important in terms of keeping people safe, even if most people don't know what the CDC does.

[tso-d_chris 0]

Quote

f NASA can work out how to power the rockets with unpolluting fuels (H2 +O2 +heat=H20+ ? ) produced from solar power and water this planet could really get to take -off....cleanly.

I remember reading in Science News a year or two ago about advances that would soon allow parafin to be used reliably as a rocket fuel.

[rehmwa 2]

Quote

Quote

f NASA can work out how to power the rockets with unpolluting fuels (H2 +O2 +heat=H20+ ? ) produced from solar power and water this planet could really get to take -off....cleanly.

I remember reading in Science News a year or two ago about advances that would soon allow parafin to be used reliably as a rocket fuel.

As an added benefit, after the first launch, Cape Kennedy would then be nicely waterproofed for a while.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[tso-d_chris 0]

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As an added benefit, after the first launch, Cape Kennedy would then be nicely waterproofed for a while.

Well, it does rain a LOT here in Florida!

[NickDG 23]

I'm a bit bleary eyed from two nights of staying awake to watch the landing on NASA-TV, (sitting in front of a TV at three in the morning, doesn't keep you awake like standing on the edge of building does) but the sonic boom as the Shuttle passed over the California coast was incredible . . .

NickD BASE 194

[Trae 1]

I was lucky enough to see a Russian space vehichle re-entry a few years back. I momentarily thought it was a planet killing meteorite that punched through the edge of the atmosphere and back out into space.
It was the most awesome thing yet. It lit the sky and surrounds like a light coming down a tunnel and then went burnin' past like a blow torch in reverse. The thought that there were two little Ivans inside still amazes me.
Life without space exploration.......BORING.

[wmw999 2,120]

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I was lucky enough to see a Russian space vehichle re-entry a few years back

Yes, if you ever have the chance to see that, take it. It's an incredible sight.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)