Wolverine: Again, I have to put up the comparison with the Soviet Union. Comparatively with the USA, they spent much less money on the space program. Yet, their technology works and their space program is of great importance (partly even superior to the US). So more money doesn't necessarily mean more safety and more output.
Well Monsy, check your pm then... And if you feel the need to edit my posts, at least let topic-relevant issues in it.
Wait a second, are we talking about the former Soviet Union Space Program or the current Russian Space Program that has them so poor they will take money from just about any rich tourist, tell them they can go into space on the front of a massive rocket, and then cancel those same tourists' training program (see: Lance Bass) because if they don't the US will no longer subsidize them with financial aid packages, just so they can keep their part of the International Space Station module agreements? And it works? Didn't we just watch Mir do a swan dive over the Pacific Ocean a few years back? Or maybe I'm mistaken, sorry if we don't see eye to eye. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
This topic isn't go anywhere. Let me save you all the trouble of posting the next <i>n</i> arguments...
Eggmac: Space exploration is a waste of money. Everyone Else: No, its not. Look at what is has brought us! Nem: Monse, you're wrong. What was the argument? Repeat...
Lets let an uninteresting thread die please.
EDIT Oh yeah, Russia space program sucks. The only reason it operates is because we pay for it too.
Jammer, you're witty, but the generalizing... <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Everyone Else: <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> ...doesn't help. Take this for instance, I do agree with eggmac on his intentions, that concievably, you throw enough social welfare money at scientists, they better come up with something the rest of us can use. Its just too bad it doesn't work in practice. Also, singling out eggmac as the only voice against the space program. To use the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster as an example, in the press at the time, there were some people using that as a reason to let us all know that they think astronauts risking their lives is bad and the whole space program should be shut down because its dangerous. Of course I found such arguments as absurd, but it doesn't mean they aren't allowed to believe their own arguments, as its not like they can't pull up facts on how various space missions have resulted in death and disaster. I know I have heard opposing arguments out there, but that's just it, they are opposing, so don't shut them down before they say they're piece. Of course, its after they say their piece that Monse and Nem go at it... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Besides, I want to see what interesting things out there people know and think about the various space programs, and whether or not they really are that big of a moment in history or just a side trip before we all stop looking at the stars and beat the crap out of each other.
I remember reading a story once (it has relevance, I assure you) about a man that got shifted into another dimension. Basically, in this alternate timeline, there was no space program to speak of. The war in vietnam continued well into the 80's, the weather forecasts were lousy, no international sports, computers were a joke, science was backwards. This man lived by profiting off of the inventions in his space suit, VHF radio, scratchless lenses and a host of other things made him an extremely rich man. Eventually, he payed a few observatories large sums of money to sweep the skies for asteroids, low and behold, a nice large rock was found on a nice little collision course. The man tried to warn everyone as best he could, but they didnt take him seriously, calling him a wierdo and telling to get lost. The man, heartbroken, funded with the last vestiges of his cash a few bases that might survive the impact (the war in "Indochina" [Vietnam] still continuing). The man finally dons his old space suit, goes to where cape canaveral would have been, and watches the big whack take place and is promptly killed by a tsunami.
The moral of the story? Space travel gives us a definite one up on the dinosaurs. Without it, we are eventually consigned to their fate: Extinction.
I am not against the space program, I am in favor of it (as can also be seen from my various posts). I am just playing a bit 'devil's advotace', as MonsE has put it, trying to bring new impulses to the descussion. It can't be that easy with the Russian space program, but that's another topic...
Comments
Again, I have to put up the comparison with the Soviet Union. Comparatively with the USA, they spent much less money on the space program. Yet, their technology works and their space program is of great importance (partly even superior to the US). So more money doesn't necessarily mean more safety and more output.
Well Monsy, check your pm then...
And if you feel the need to edit my posts, at least let topic-relevant issues in it.
Eggmac: Space exploration is a waste of money.
Everyone Else: No, its not. Look at what is has brought us!
Nem: Monse, you're wrong. What was the argument?
Repeat...
Lets let an uninteresting thread die please.
EDIT
Oh yeah, Russia space program sucks. The only reason it operates is because we pay for it too.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
Everyone Else:
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
...doesn't help. Take this for instance, I do agree with eggmac on his intentions, that concievably, you throw enough social welfare money at scientists, they better come up with something the rest of us can use. Its just too bad it doesn't work in practice. Also, singling out eggmac as the only voice against the space program. To use the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster as an example, in the press at the time, there were some people using that as a reason to let us all know that they think astronauts risking their lives is bad and the whole space program should be shut down because its dangerous. Of course I found such arguments as absurd, but it doesn't mean they aren't allowed to believe their own arguments, as its not like they can't pull up facts on how various space missions have resulted in death and disaster. I know I have heard opposing arguments out there, but that's just it, they are opposing, so don't shut them down before they say they're piece. Of course, its after they say their piece that Monse and Nem go at it... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Besides, I want to see what interesting things out there people know and think about the various space programs, and whether or not they really are that big of a moment in history or just a side trip before we all stop looking at the stars and beat the crap out of each other.
The moral of the story? Space travel gives us a definite one up on the dinosaurs. Without it, we are eventually consigned to their fate: Extinction.
It can't be that easy with the Russian space program, but that's another topic...