NASA Tests a new rocket for 440 Million Dollars

[Inkstain82]

The justifications for this remind me a lot of reading the justifications for people in deep debt trouble who post that they don't want to cut down on their lifestyle.

Doesn't matter how important it is: we can't afford it.

[disneysteve]

The justifications for this remind me a lot of reading the justifications for people in deep debt trouble who post that they don't want to cut down on their lifestyle.

Doesn't matter how important it is: we can't afford it.

I see your point, but I'll restate what I said above. There are many things the government blows money on that I would want to see cut before the space program.

[Broken Arrow]

I agree to cut the fat, but just make sure you don't cut the meat or the bone. The space program isn't a complete waste of taxpayer money.

[lovcom]

The justifications for this remind me a lot of reading the justifications for people in deep debt trouble who post that they don't want to cut down on their lifestyle.

Doesn't matter how important it is: we can't afford it.

Nope.

We CAN afford the Space Program.

What we CAN'T afford are the too many entitlements that the bleeding heart liberals/democrats are forcing us right wing responsible people to pay.

I'd rather see the space program budget triple then to keep all the entitlements enforced.

The Space Program is about progress.

The Entitlements are about enabling lazy behavior.

[Inkstain82]

Nope.

We CAN afford the Space Program.

What we CAN'T afford are the too many entitlements that the bleeding heart liberals/democrats are forcing us right wing responsible people to pay.

I'd rather see the space program budget triple then to keep all the entitlements enforced.

The Space Program is about progress.

The Entitlements are about enabling lazy behavior.

Logical fallacy of the false choice.

[lovcom]

Logical fallacy of the false choice.

Your argument reminds me of people that try to justify their not wanting to go to college because there are not enough government handouts; yet these same people have cable, internet, cell phone, nice car....they want to be spoon fed, they want a nanny, and they often still live with mommy and daddy too...JFK would not approve of today's Democratic party...remember JFK? He was the president that challanged a nation to go to the moon in 10 years.

And we went to the moon, and what an historical event that was.

All three times!

[Inkstain82]

Your argument reminds me of people that try to justify their not wanting to go to college because there are not enough government handouts; yet these same people have cable, internet, cell phone, nice car....they want to be spoon fed, they want a nanny, and they often still live with mommy and daddy too...JFK would not approve of today's Democratic party...remember JFK? He was the president that challanged a nation to go to the moon in 10 years.

And we went to the moon, and what an historical event that was.

All three times!

Wow, you are just flailing around wildly there. You can't seem to focus on the subject at hand, you've generalized wildly about me with no idea of who I am. In short, you have embarrassed yourself.

For the record, I have no cell phone, no cable TV, my car is a nearly paid-off simple sedan, and I accept no government handouts.

I wasn't arguing for or against government handouts. You were arguing against them for no reason, because they weren't part of the discussion.

[lovcom]

Wow, you are just flailing around wildly there. You can't seem to focus on the subject at hand, you've generalized wildly about me with no idea of who I am. In short, you have embarrassed yourself.

For the record, I have no cell phone, no cable TV, my car is a nearly paid-off simple sedan, and I accept no government handouts.

I wasn't arguing for or against government handouts. You were arguing against them for no reason, because they weren't part of the discussion.

I was not referring to you! Where did I mention you specifically?

Now, you're embarrassed

[Inkstain82]

I was not referring to you! Where did I mention you specifically?

Now, you're embarrassed

Look at your post.

It contains a quote from my argument with my name on it, and then begins "Your argument..."

To whom should a reasonable reader assume it is referring to?

[lovcom]

Look at your post.

It contains a quote from my argument with my name on it, and then begins "Your argument..."

To whom should a reasonable reader assume it is referring to?

My response was referring to YOUR response, and NOT to you personally.

This really is not that hard to understand.

[Fizgig]

Folks, please. Let it go.

NASA's 2009 budget was 17.2 billion dollars, or about 0.5% of the total federal budget. It costs the average taxpayer $50 per year.

Space flight is HARD. It forces us to confront difficult problems and devise new materials and devices that often have uses outside of space travel. Here are a few of the practical benefits we have received from that minimal investment:

CAT scans and MRIs
The coating on scratch resistant eyeglass lenses
Cordless tools
Thermal protection fabric and breathing systems used by firefighters
Satellite technology, now used for communications, entertainment, and GPS
Strong, lightweight composite materials now used in cars, planes, even prosthetic limbs
The material used for invisible braces
Air and water filtration systems

The list goes on and on.

Right now NASA is at a crossroads and is in serious peril. With the current direction and budget, there will be a nine year gap between when the space shuttle retires (October 2010, just next year), and when the new Constellation program has its first manned flight planned. A major study was just concluded by the Augustine Commission, and they determined that with an additional 3 billion per year (Or $9 per year per taxpayer), that gap could be shortened to 4-5 years.

It breaks my heart that we can spend that much in a month on cash for clunkers, but that the US Space Program could be left wanting.

[Broken Arrow]

Well said, Fizgig.

[disneysteve]

Well said, Fizgig.

I agree. The space program is not just a bunch of big kids playing with rockets. It is serious science and major research that produces benefits to all of society. I've got no problem with some of my tax dollars going to fund that.

[Fizgig]

Thanks, guys. I admit that I'm hugely biased, because I work in manned space flight. My whole life I've seen it as one of the few grand, noble enterprises mankind has undertaken.