Piiiiiigs in sppppaaaaaaace

[elpolloloco]

So what does everyone think of NASA missions finally coming to an end? It's sad in a way and people are complaining that space travel is dead, but I think it's just the beginning. We'll forever be in debt to NASA's contributions, but I think we're at the point where we can hand off the baton to private space flight. NASA should still be around, but as a regulatory agency... with maybe some moolah kicked in from the government as an incentive/reward for competitions. That's how regular airplane flights made a huge leap in technology. The government didn't offer the prize, but that was motivation for the first NYC-Paris flight.

[Andrew_Pavlik]

While I think the future of space travel(at least on a local basis- the moon) is very dependent on the private/industrial sector, I believe that the scientific aspect that NASA can provide on our solar system is in valuable. And honestly the only planets we can physically visit are Mercury and Mars and 30+ moons lol and some of the resources on these rocks are essential and why the gov't would want to give up on this is beyond me.
What we need to develop is some way to leave our solar system. Thats the only real future of space travel.

[StarsMine]

Voyager is supposed to finally leave the solar system next year
Right now though as much as I would love to get the space program going again, we need to fix our debt first (fuck congress, just tax us and lower spending, its not one or the other its BOTH)

[Rosie]

While I think the future of space travel(at least on a local basis- the moon) is very dependent on the private/industrial sector, I believe that the scientific aspect that NASA can provide on our solar system is in valuable. And honestly the only planets we can physically visit are Mercury and Mars and 30+ moons lol and some of the resources on these rocks are essential and why the gov't would want to give up on this is beyond me.
What we need to develop is some way to leave our solar system. Thats the only real future of space travel.

I hate to agree but you are dead on. As far as the space program it will not be completely cut. New Horizons still has a couple of years before it makes it to Pluto and the on into the Kuiper belt. I believe that maybe they are taking the minds at NASA and putting them to better use. How to kill Justin Bieber!

[elpolloloco]

People are already spending money working on private space flight on their own dime. I think if NASA spend a fraction of their normal budget on prizes, it will make technology develop much more quickly. I bet a private company could get a human colony on mars before the government (not saying the government shouldn't be involved when we get there). Competition breeds efficiency and innovation. Then again, private sector companies, while starting off by a bunch of ex-video-game-ceo-hippies would have a scientific intent, they'd eventually get overrun by greedy fucks who just want to make a profit.

Give private companies incentive to get us to goals, then let the gov't run that shit when we get there I guess.

[Curdy]

urghh i still dont know why we have not mined the moon for he3

[SCRIBBLE]

urghh i still dont know why we have not mined the moon for he3

We can hardly keep any ocean based drilling operation safe and you want people to try doing it on the moon?



Good stuff, curdy. I enjoy your humor.

[Curdy]

its possible and in the long run will be far more profitable in the long run that any drilling has done for oil, and it is viable and possibly to do.

[elpolloloco]

So what happens if we destroy the moon by accident?

What does that do to our gravity on Earth?

[StarsMine]

Probably would cause another mass extinction as tide water would no longer exist.
Im sure we will find a way to survive though.