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A few more thoughts on this - comforting, as outer space is probably
warmer than where I am now.

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 09:46:53 -0600 "Shelly Goglick"
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
> One thing that Bush didn't say in his speech that he should have was
> that for every $1 NASA receives, $7 gets returned to the American
> public.

I'm never sure exactly what stats like this mean, in terms of "getting
returned to the public". (Where's my $7?!?) But your point is well taken
space exploration leads to all kinds of new technology advances, new
useful products and such. I know NASA only uses up a tiny fraction of our
tax dollars, and it's cash I'm willing to spend (don't get me started on
the stuff it's way better than!) I just wonder where the scientific
impetus behind this new "vision thing" is.

And for that matter, there are many benefits to space travel that have no
easy $benefit$, but should in no way be ignored: the accumulation of
knowledge. The wonder and inspiration that this exploration inspires. As
Tom Hanks once said, getting to the moon took the work of a lot of
people, dedicating to this goal, working together to overcome a lot of
serious problems --- imagine if we could get so many people that
committed to cooperation on solving some of our more earth bound
problems.

The part I'm questioning is: aren't those same benefits available with
non-manned exploration, too? Not that it has to be a total either/or, not
that we should give up on sending people into space entirely... but the
robotic option seems a lot more efficient.

One of the things that I find amazing about astronauts is that humans are
in no way evolved to survive in space, yet there they go. In a way,
they're flipping the bird to human limitations. Now THAT'S inspiring! But
I still recognize that there's only so far you can push your limits
before Nature simply doesn't budge. And I'm not sure the moon/Mars colony
idea isn't trying to go beyond that un-budge point.

> As for the Moons resources and launching from the moon, the
> potential is unlimited.  We know there are many ore resources
> available on the lunar surface that can be used to make fuel or
> materials.

No offense, but this still seems a little science fiction-like to me. How
much of that ore is economically recoverable? Even if there's lots of
iron and titanium on the lunar surface, where's the infrastructure to
mine it? And refine it into useable material? And craft said material
into equipment? And....

> Because the gravity on the lunar surface is 1/6 of the
> earths, it will be a lot cheaper to launch rockets to the further
> reaches of space.

OK, please do correct me if my physics/engineering knowledge of this is
way off base, but... I know the moon has less gravity (heck, no air means
less drag on a launched rocket, too). But I was under the impression that
getting a rocket to reach escape velocity and get into space isn't the
difficulty with getting to Mars. We can get stuff to leave earth just
fine, and after a few hundred miles, the earth having greater gravity
than the moon makes no difference.

The problem is that the trip takes what, 3 or 4 years? Each way! I can't
see how having a slightly easier launch on half of the trip makes all
that much difference.

As for the NPR kids who think we should move to Mars once earth is too
poluted to live on: well, that may reflect a lot of cynicism or crass
consumerism by the kids. Or it may reflect their fears about the state of
things. I wonder if in the 60's, kids thought we should go to the moon
because they were afraid we'd need a new place to live once the earth was
destroyed by nuclear war.

It's true, I bet folks poo-poohed JFK when he said we should to the moon
(as surely people scoffed at the Wright Brothers and a lot of others).
And maybe in 20 years when New Earth colony is thriving on the Sea of
Tranquility, someone will dig my doubting listserve post out of some
digital archive and place me in the pantheon with that 19th century
patent office guy who said there was nothing left to be invented. (Oh, I
can only hope!) But on the other hand, that argument could be used to
justify darn near anything. "What, you think I can't invent a free energy
machine? People like you said we'd never get to the moon!")

Thank you for thoughtful input, as always, listeservers.

Jonah Cohen
Outreach & Public Programs Manager
Science Center of Connecticut

BUSH: We go into space for the same reason that humans have always
explored uncharted lands and crossed great oceans.
STEWART: That reason? Rapacious greed.
                -The Daily Show with Jon Stewart


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