Manned Moon Mission axed/delayed/done in

[Darth Rotor]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35182959/ns/technology_and_science-space/

While this isn't unexpected, some fans of manned space flight will be disenheartened to see the president slice a NASA program that needed another $3 billion per year to stay alive.

I concur with where the President's decision takes us: looking longer term to a Mars mission, and the robotics stepping stone necessary to amp up that particular mission suite.

Funds previously earmarked for the Constellation program, initially intended to return U.S. astronauts to the moon by 2020, instead would be used for research projects that include robotics and other technologies needed to prepare for an eventual human mission to Mars, Orszag added.

The Space Shuttle program looks to be dead, with possible manned shuttle capabilities being run in the private sector to service/support the ISS. As a pilot, this disappoints me, but as a taxpayer, I see the wisdom of this.

What I didn't care for in this article is the too-cute-by-half caption attending the picture of the moon. A full moon is seen from Ombaka Stadium in Benguela in this January 28, 2010 file photo. What manner of "coincidence" is it that they chose a view of the moon, generic enough, that they could link to a place with a name remarkably similar to the President who just whacked the most recent manned mission. Maybe that is what journalism has devolved to: the ever rising competition to be too cute by half, and thus get noticed.

Back to the topic at hand, for my money, it represents smarter use of the dollars assigned to NASA.

What do you think?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

My understanding may be off, but seems to me NASA dug itself in a major hole the past few years regarding the shuttle retirement and a replacement. If they need even more money for Orion to even get off the ground, this is probably for the best. Like ripping off a band-aid. Down the road it might have ended up hurting NASA more when they need yet even more funding or have to take it from research or other projects.

That and it seems this isn't a reduction in funds, just putting them to different purposes. If NASA would lose Orion funding and just end up getting less money I'd be entirely against it.

While I did like the idea of returning to the moon, and think we still should eventually, unmanned projects to Mars and elsewhere would satisfy me.

 

[Beerina]

The ESA and Russia both have shiny new lift vehicle/systems to ferry crap to orbit, and both have been tested and used. This takes a lot of heat off NASA to come up with a shuttle replacement quickly.

The ESA one, in fact, doesn't maneuver itself for the final docking, but is designed to be grabbed by the arm.

 

[uruk]

A thing that keeps getting put off or delayed year after year has a tendancy of not getting done.

 

[twinstead]

Although I don't disagree with this entirely, it does pretty much guarantee that the next flag on the moon won't be American.

 

[PhantomWolf]

When I heard the first rumours I wasn't overly impressed with what was being said, it looked like the US Manned programme was history, however... It appears now that Obama is scratching the moon programme in favour of a Mars one. If so, and they are looking at Mars by 2025-30 perhaps that'll be an acceptable alternative, though I still believe we should be returning to the moon. We landed in six places, it'd be like visiting the Grand Canyon, the Saraha, the Nile Delta, the Andes, Mount Erebus, and Washington DC, and then deciding that you'd seen everything you needed to know about Earth.

 

[Dorian Gray]

No it wouldn't. It would be like landing on 6 ordinary areas and deciding we've already done that, so let's go on and be the first to Mars.

 

[PhantomWolf]

No it wouldn't. It would be like landing on 6 ordinary areas and deciding we've already done that, so let's go on and be the first to Mars.

Well it would if they had just picked six ordinary areas to land, but they didn't, they picked six places that they believed were going to be interesting to study.

 

[332nd]

Sigh... Yeah it's disappointing but it makes sense. Also if they do refocus on Mars it may turn out far better than it looks now. (Even awesome if we get there before I die. )

 

[Doubt]

I think there is a pattern developing in the post Apollo era for space flight. New administrations cancel projects from the previous administration when the commitment of real cash is required. Then they start brand new projects where the serious cash commitments won't show up until the next administration.

Just the impression I have and I cannot prove it. At least not yet.

 

[Doubt]

Double post, never mind.

 

[uruk]

Actually I think it makes more sense to go to the moon and test the equipment and techniques we will need to developed for the trip to Mars.

It is going to take weeks to get there and the astronauts will have to stay on Mars for extended periods time. (depending on the path we choose to get there) Alot of logistics and technologies has to be developed and tested before the big trip.

The moon is only acouple of days away if anything goes wrong. Plus we will be establishing a permanent human presesnce on another planet (planetoid) to boot.

That's more bang for your buck if you ask me.

 

[Doubt]

I think there is a pattern developing in the post Apollo era for space flight. New administrations cancel projects from the previous administration when the commitment of real cash is required. Then they start brand new projects where the serious cash commitments won't show up until the next administration.

Just the impression I have and I cannot prove it. At least not yet.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Actually I think it makes more sense to go to the moon and test the equipment and techniques we will need to developed for the trip to Mars.

I wouldn't disagree with that idea, but Constellation wasn't doing that. From the budget report:

NASA’s Constellation program – based largely on existing technologies – was based on a vision of returning astronauts back to the Moon by 2020. However, the program was over budget, behind schedule, and lacking in innovation due to a failure to invest in critical new technologies.

Seems to me Constellation was only about getting back to the moon and wouldn't help much in getting to Mars.

 

[Darth Rotor]

I think there is a pattern developing in the post Apollo era for space flight. New administrations cancel projects from the previous administration when the commitment of real cash is required. Then they start brand new projects where the serious cash commitments won't show up until the next administration.

Just the impression I have and I cannot prove it. At least not yet.

Two votes for this.

 

[The Man]

From my understanding it was not necessarily canceling moon missions or mars, but trying to shed some of that load to the commercial lunch industry. I’m not sure what the current status is on commercial heavy lift vehicles, but certainly investing in that industry instead of just doing it all again on your own, doesn’t seem that bad of an idea to me.

 

[Thunder]

three words:

waste of money.

four words:

we've already been there.

 

[kuroyume0161]

three words:

waste of money.

four words:

we've already been there.

Not that I'm a big fan of manned space travel (which is, basically, not worthwhile) but we'll have to go to the Moon before Mars mainly because we have none of the systems and continuity that were in place in the late 1960s/early 1970s. The Saturn V rocket cannot even be rebuilt. We need a new heavy launch system.

This is a bit analogous to having walked but then being wheelchair-bound for a while and needing to get use to walking again before running. Going to Mars is going to require some comprehensive structure and preparation which doesn't exist.

That being said, the Moon should be a quick set of tests. Before the first Moon landings there was a very calculated set of tests which acclimated us for the actual event. Small steps. One big jump to sending humans to Mars will almost assuredly end catastrophically.

 

[MaGZ]

Too many White people work at NASA. Better to spend the 3 billion on the inner city poor.

 

[Checkmite]

Well, I'm glad the billions of dollars we spent finding out that there are significant quantities of water available on the Moon didn't go to waste.