NF 250 000 000 mile one way trip to Mars

[OhioFisherman]

I wasn't in any way shape or form mocking your country. I would expect the same from you.

 

I usually find patriotism to be a counterproductive activity but I do have quite a bit of fondness and pride for my country. If you look back in history you will find that Canada's military was always at the forefront of the wars that needed to be fought and and skipped the ones that didn't.

 

The only reason that I brought up what Neil DeGrasse Tyson said about military funding versus NASA funding was the same reason he did. To put it into perspective and defend it to people who view it as a waste.

 

If you want to take pot shots at Canada's military spending go do it on an Ohio forum of some sort. Maybe write a letter to our Prime Minister suggesting that if he doesn't spend more on our military that you will refuse to spend your tourist dollars here. I am sure that will get his attention.

 

I was not knocking or taking pot shots, just merely stating reported facts. Canada is a great country and in some ways preferable to my own. Our government has a tendency to over spend on everything, and then wonder why they are so deeply in debt.

[Christopheraaron]

Are you sure you're not a transplant from Alabama...

Funny how those people from the deep south don't believe we ever landed on the moon....but VERY MUCH believe in Big Foot....

 

(To us, you're down south too!)

[Grimace]

I was not knocking or taking pot shots, just merely stating reported facts. Canada is a great country and in some ways preferable to my own. Our government has a tendency to over spend on everything, and then wonder why they are so deeply in debt.

 

Yeah, I guess I was a bit defensive. Like I said, I believe patriotism is usually counterproductive as I just proved by going off.

[OhioFisherman]

(To us, you're down south too!)

 

LMAO! The last great Republican president (Eisenhower) recognized the problem long ago when he started construction of the interstate highway system. He numbered the east - west parts on it with the expected IQ levels of the portions on the country they were passing through.

 

So with I - 90 passing through Ohio, PA, New York? We are the smart ones! LOL

[smally21]

awesome acheivement. im a science geek and wowed by their acheivements. i think the science of space travel takes a long time to end up in our day to day lives. some times you want to see the 'how does this help me' result in more than a stephen hawking book. within your lifetime.

 

but science and society needs to keep pushing. imagine all those MIT graduates finding a substitute/or additive for ethanol.

[woodenboater]

It's a shame science and research isn't getting the love it should but I'll avoid getting into the politics of it. The problem science like this has is that people expect immediate benefits and can't understand/grasp the intangibles. If they can't see a direct affect on their day to day, then it's a waste of money. All they see is $2.5 billion to send a nuclear powered rover the size of a car, to Mars that'll analyze rocks and soil. It's this attitude that saddens me. They can't see the extremely long term, big picture.

 

At some point, imo, science is going to be the difference between life continuing on earth. Or not.

 

here's the link to the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) / Curiosity's NASA's page.

 

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

Edited August 7, 2012 by woodenboater

[smally21]

great comment WB, the answers are out there...

[Grimace]

The money is well spent. In an age where science in general is being denigrated by many, we need to have things which inspire the next generation to actually care about what science is and what it can do. It has served humans more and better than any other endeavour, and must be pursued if we are to face the challenges of our future.

 

 

 

awesome acheivement. im a science geek and wowed by their acheivements. i think the science of space travel takes a long time to end up in our day to day lives. some times you want to see the 'how does this help me' result in more than a stephen hawking book. within your lifetime.

 

but science and society needs to keep pushing. imagine all those MIT graduates finding a substitute/or additive for ethanol.

 

 

 

It's a shame science and research isn't getting the love it should but I'll avoid getting into the politics of it. The problem science like this has is that people expect immediate benefits and can't understand/grasp the intangibles. If they can't see a direct affect on their day to day, then it's a waste of money. All they see is $2.5 billion to send a nuclear powered rover the size of a car, to Mars that'll analyze rocks and soil. It's this attitude that saddens me. They can't see the extremely long term, big picture.

 

At some point, imo, science is going to be the difference between life continuing on earth. Or not.

 

here's the link to the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) / Curiosity's NASA's page.

 

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

 

 

Thumbs up lads!

[Pikeslayer8]

“Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

[limeyangler]

Yep. Lots of missed high-fives and moments of awkward physical celebrations

 

 

LOL...sounds like an episode of Fish TV

[Billy Bob]

It's a shame science and research isn't getting the love it should but I'll avoid getting into the politics of it. The problem science like this has is that people expect immediate benefits and can't understand/grasp the intangibles. If they can't see a direct affect on their day to day, then it's a waste of money. All they see is $2.5 billion to send a nuclear powered rover the size of a car, to Mars that'll analyze rocks and soil. It's this attitude that saddens me. They can't see the extremely long term, big picture.

 

At some point, imo, science is going to be the difference between life continuing on earth. Or not.

 

here's the link to the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) / Curiosity's NASA's page.

 

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

 

But there's always more then one way at looking at it.......we were the only country to set foot on the moon....and after all these years, all we got were some ROCKS.......

 

During the space race the U.S.A. spent over 1 million dollars developing a pen that could right upside down and in space..................the Russians used a pencil......

[dannyboy]

Yes I stayed up and watched the landing - amazing technology, I am glad the USA believes in doing things like this.

 

Dan

[woodenboater]

Hey BB,

 

Have you ever watched a Soyuz launch ? Similar thing re:pencil, let's just say a very low tech solution to a problem. They also hang an Angry Bird as a zero G indicator

[manitoubass2]

I am a big fan of Hawking, and Sagan, and Greene...If anyone wants to have a geek out thread about higher dimensions, time travel, multiverses....

 

This

 

 

 

[Dave Bailey]

During the space race the U.S.A. spent over 1 million dollars developing a pen that could right upside down and in space..................the Russians used a pencil......

 

Urban legend actually, it cost NASA $0.00, all explained here. There were very good reasons for NOT using a pencil on American spacecraft as opposed to Russian ones.

[DanD]

Yes the technology that got the thing there is amazing; but what is/was the true reasoning behind the US for wanting to go?

Almost every new discovery has been funded by greed; almost.

Christopher Columbus got his money from the Spaniards; them thinking they were going to get a shorter trade route to India; they didn’t give a rat’s A that he found a whole “new” continent.

Now I’m just talking about the people holding the money purse; but any real benefit to the human race will be a spin off, not the true reason for getting there; whatever that may be.

Yea I know I’m a cynic. LOL

 

Dan.

[jedimaster]

Well, my take is I would rather they spend a couple trillion on space explorartion than on building nukes, tanks or aircraft carriers. Think of what the world would be like if everyone took there collective military funding and used it as a means of generating peace and breaking down walls... like the berlin wall that noone thought would ever come down.

[Billy Bob]

And you then might be speaking Japanese or German...or WORSE....

[jedimaster]

I speak both...'cmon bob you don;t actually think a country in this day and age would try and overtake another one do you? A good balance of peacefull relations and military defense is the way to go imo. Much of the american military funding is offensive first strike. I am all for the various militaries. What about a ReVamped United nations wher the UN is the only militaryNo candian army, no american army, no Birtish army. Its all one and the same. People serve all around the world in a true joint military, each nation putting in sum of money for funding.... How are we possibly going to explore new worlds and galaxies if we are still unable to have a peaceful planet. One nation under the banner of Earth. Everyone united, various countries are now symbollic in nature. Every person free to travel, live and work anywhere in the world without persecution. Why can't the world be one giant nation? Because of greed and nationalism. Entire heards of nationalistic sheep believing the false promise of freedom and peace while waving a flag that is in fact the very reason there is no peace. No I am not saying one country or another is to blame. Its all of the countries. Who would there be for "terrorist X" or "Communist Country Z" to hate if the countries were all one and the same? Divide not by pollitics or borders but only by a plane ticket or train ride with an "Earth Passport"

 

umm... what were we talking about? Oh yah, mars... Let all go to mars.

[Billy Bob]

I speak both...'cmon bob you don;t actually think a country in this day and age would try and overtake another one do you? A good balance of peacefull relations and military defense is the way to go imo. Much of the american military funding is offensive first strike. I am all for the various militaries. What about a ReVamped United nations wher the UN is the only militaryNo candian army, no american army, no Birtish army. Its all one and the same. People serve all around the world in a true joint military, each nation putting in sum of money for funding.... How are we possibly going to explore new worlds and galaxies if we are still unable to have a peaceful planet. One nation under the banner of Earth. Everyone united, various countries are now symbollic in nature. Every person free to travel, live and work anywhere in the world without persecution. Why can't the world be one giant nation? Because of greed and nationalism. Entire heards of nationalistic sheep believing the false promise of freedom and peace while waving a flag that is in fact the very reason there is no peace. No I am not saying one country or another is to blame. Its all of the countries. Who would there be for "terrorist X" or "Communist Country Z" to hate if the countries were all one and the same? Divide not by pollitics or borders but only by a plane ticket or train ride with an "Earth Passport"

 

umm... what were we talking about? Oh yah, mars... Let all go to mars.

 

I want nothing to do with this idea.......period...

 

I guess you never heard of the middle east......they are always trying to kill each other.....someday IRAN might make a strike and you and I will be glad the USA is so strong military wise....and that's not even mentioning North Korea...

 

BTW terrorist are mostly about religion NOT country vs country.

Edited August 8, 2012 by Billy Bob

[jedimaster]

I want nothing to do with this idea.......period...

 

I guess you never heard of the middle east......they are always trying to kill each other.....someday IRAN might make a strike and you and I will be glad the USA is so strong military wise....and that's not even mentioning North Korea...

 

BTW terrorist are mostly about religion NOT country vs country.

 

 

Then the terrorists have beaten you already. They are not out to conquer a country, but out to strike fear into you. Do you fear Louisiana? Do you fear new mexico? Why fear iran if iran is part of your country? There will always be religous radicals. There are lots in the United States. That doesn't make me fear the United States though. Take away to reason for fearing a country by melding them into one. Focus on the individuals out to insite hate and fear. Think back to before the American Civil War. Noone thought that the states would become united and see eye to eye. Same goes now. Borders are already breaking down between nations. There is always some pain. There are always nationalist and religous nut jobs that want to insite fear and hate to further there cause or keep the walls up. Eventually it will happen that the earth will be united. Likely not until an alien invasion nearly wipes us out.

[woodenboater]

While I believe we need big sticks, we also need to be *extremely* judicious in how we wield them internationally. I think we would also do well to mind what's happening in our own backyards. Canada has had some serious issues (Mayerthorpe is but one) but also look at the Wisconsin rampage and who was behind that.

 

I also do believe there will be a day when every country will need to learn play well with each in the only sandbox we have otherwise we're going to hell in a hand basket. Kinda pessimistic but often times mankind has shown a tendency for taking the wrong fork in the road.

 

and speaking of Mars again, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance orbiter was there to capture Curiosity as it parachuted down to the surface.

 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120806b.html

Edited August 8, 2012 by woodenboater

[jedimaster]

Its unlikely any sort of world peace will ever happen, too much money and pride at risk. I can hope for something bigger and better for the world though.

[woodenboater]

jedi, I think hope is the one thing that can elevate us to do more and better, for us and others.

[jedimaster]

One nation under god? No thanks... not for me... More like one Planet under the sun. I think its time to evolve and grow beyond our borders. I look forward to a time where borders are meaningless, people are free to travel and thrive anywhere they see fit, allowed to believe and practise any religion, Gay Black white asian european muslim jew croat serb are no longer labels or something that needs to be tolerated. They are just accepted the same way you are accepted because your hair is this color or you feet are a size 9. Where Military Power has become a means of policing and protecting people and there rights and freedoms versus out to defend and attack other humans and countries. Where Science and Exploration of our planet and other planets are front and center. Bigger issues like medical and environmental sciences are daily talking points. Engineers and scientist are viewed as hero's. Could it happen? I doubt it. I can hope for something bigger than, "Lets get some big guns to protect ourselves and wall us in." I am all for military spending and unfortunately in this day and age it's a necessary evil. I just try to not miss thefact that it is an evil.

Edited August 8, 2012 by jedimaster