Question #243 M. A. R. S.
How do you feel about spending resources on a manned trip to Mars?
Bonus: Was your opinion affected by Bush's support of the plan?
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
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How do you feel about spending resources on a manned trip to Mars?
Bonus: Was your opinion affected by Bush's support of the plan?
16 comments:
I'm against it. It is a waste of money and effort to send a human to mars just to take a picture and then bring him back. Send robots there.
Bush's backing of it is sort of proof that it is a dumb idea but I would think so anyways. I like space exploration but manned expeditions are really not a good way to spend money.
I agree with Phil. As in most situations, robots do it better. Send machines there instead of men if it saves money. But on that note, we should be spending a retarded amount of federal funds on other, more general technological and scientific research and development. We're pathetically lagging behind Europe and Asia, and it's kind of the key to economic strength and super-power status.
Gregg Easterbrook sums up the case against manned space explorations very well here.
I disagree with Phil. He clearly does not love America... Manned missions to Mars are no more pointless than, for example, helping the poor in Africa. What have they ever done for us?... Exactly!!
Fo'real hates America or he would have more confidence in America's robots to properly survey Mars.
You're being ridiculous. How can robots teach MARS the proper American Way of Life? That's like saying a robot should have replaced John Wayne, cause the shooting would have been more accurate, you communist!
And don't think you took it up a notch by writing I hate America... there is nothing less than "not loving" America cause if you're not with us, you're against us by default, Phil... or should I say Phil Benedict Arnold Green?
I think sending humans to mars is a like a last priority and all... in one of my physics classes came in and talked about what a waste of money that idea is... Truth is, fucking robots are better at collecting data than humans anyways... so until we develop inter-galactic cruise ships and stuff, why bother?
Red Rocks! ye-yeah!
It is hard for me to understand people who don't think a moon base and going to mars is awesome.
First of all it is true that sending robots to collect samples is more cost effective than sending humans along with the robots. What it doesn't help us do is learn how to send people to mars or how to have bases on other planets. Plus what are we talking about? This much per year: 11,000,000,000. This is how much US Gov debt has increased in two years: 1,075,000,000,000. Do you see what a drop in the proverbial bucket this is? I mean think about what you get.
Secondly hard engineering tasks drive innovation. The moon program (the 60s one not the rad new one) is probably responsible for modern computers (also astronaut ice cream and tacky commercials.)
Lastly, what science projects are more meaningful than personed exploration of space? I can think of a couple: Cold fusion, space elevator, eugenics. Here are some that definitely aren't: cancer research (or any other investigations into how we can prolong our lifespans), what-if scenarios for terrorist attacks, missile defense plans.
As for Bush, he probably does have some horrible reason for wanting moon bases and mars exploration* but then again he probably likes tits and peanut butter too and everyone knows that those things are great.
-Joe "We'll never get there if we don't try" Martin
* Somewhere deep down I suspect it is his solution to the environmental problem on earth. You know, an exit strategy.
I forgot to mention the main reason I was thinking about this: I hate the way we are so polemic, like if the Reps start saying "up" we(the dems) are like "fuck, now we have to figure out why down is correct."
Of course the vice-verse is true too.
since zeissler has found ways to help me swindle the government out of my tax dollars, this means none of this mars money will actually be mine. therefore, i don't give a fuck.
If the chinese go to the moon soon coon, what does that mean for us Americans? Did we offically claim the moon? Or we have to split it 50/50? Are we gonna have to kick some Chinese ass? Is there a different law system and different laws? And are they gonna open up the casinos or will that remain native Moonians turf?
Joe is right. Phil is worng.
Perhaps I'm still too wrapped up in mid-terms to be more than indifferent, but I suppose I should give a shout-out to American robots because my friend Jarret builds the for NASA, and they are really awesome.
Joe is right! Yay! Space! I want them to hurry up and get on with it so we have a place to live when this planet is all used up.
Of course, that is with the understanding that some of us will survive the apocalypse.
All kidding aside, I am very much in support of manned and robotic missions to space.
Here's another argument for manned missions:
How do we know that the robots, once they arrive, would just claim Mars for themselves? Can we really trust them?
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