As Shuttle Retires, What's NASA's New Mission?

[ej510]

Run time: 12:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SntJgYw-X9A   Posted on YouTube: July 12, 2011 By YouTube Member: PBSNewsHour Views on YouTube: 324   Posted on DU: July 12, 2011 By DU Member: ej510 Views on DU: 883

 

[humblebum]

1. There is no excuse for letting the manned space program lapse.

It has paid for itself many times over in technologies, jobs, and national defense. This is a very dangerous and compromising situation for the nation and could cost Obama the nomination and election for the loss of jobs and economic stalemate to follow. Very distressing. Much, much more productive than funding 3 wars. This is a shame.

[ej510]

2. Privatizing NASA has become a priority.

[MODem75]

3. Unless they find oil on the moon private companies won't bother.

[humblebum]

4. On the privatized level we are back to the1960's all over again.

And its especially bad when China, Russia, and others have strong national programs. Gee, who knows? We might even be able to orbit the earth someday and maybe even more than once. And then of course a private company can farm out the operations overseas to be staffed by cheap labor. Enough of this crap! The manned space program has serious implications for the future of the nation and needs to be conducted on the nation level.

If the President was serious about getting this nation rolling again and creating jobs for Americans instead of overseas, he would immediately set the goal of a manned space mission(s)to Mars within a decade. And nothing less. We have the technology and the experience. We only need the will. This would energize the economy and the public's enthusiasm like nothing in the last 40 years and the rewards would be well worth the effort.

And certainly it is a risk to human lives, but not nearly as risky as sending people to Iraq or Afghanistan. Let's get going. The future is definitely in our own hands.

[Name removed]

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[Cereal Kyller]

6. I'm too old to learn Chinese

But if we're gonna gut the space program, I think we ought to be teaching it, starting in junior high, now.