Strange to say goodbye to manned space flight as an American

[richwagmn]

Started in 1958 with Mercury and ended today with the shuttle in 2011. 53 years and now we're bumming rides off a 1960s Russian rocket. Hooray for us. Bravo Obama.

Hard to believe that cutting 1% of our budget was so important. Sadly, it doesn't seem as if NASA has any advocates in our completely dysfunctional congress. I suppose those idiots just don't like the smart kids.

I sometimes feel like the US is swirling around the bowl. Just a matter of time...

 

[Andrichuk]

Bravo Obama.

Hard to believe that cutting 1% of our budget was so important.

In case you didn't know, the US Is a very large country. Ive been told that it actually has the worlds largest economy. So you can assume that 1% of it's budget is pretty ****ing huge and guess what, the US also has a huge ****ing financial problem, and by huge I mean massive, like at least 93 times larger than this smiley face

And yes it's all Obamas fault.

If only the president was born in America...

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Manned spaceflight is a prestige project, but apart from that mostly a waste of money. Almost all innovation could have been done cheaper with unmanned spaceflight.

 

[fujisst]

So predictable how this whole episode (financial melt-down) is going to play-out - just blame everything on Obama.

Yeah, NASA is needed now like you need another hole in the head...

 

[richwagmn]

So predictable how this whole episode (financial melt-down) is going to play-out - just blame everything on Obama.

Yeah, NASA is needed now like you need another hole in the head...

I blamed congress too.

NASA isn't about need nor are the many, many other things we do.

NASA represents 1% of our total budget. I'm unsure what percentage of that was the space shuttle. So was it really about saving money compared to the billions wasted on bank bailouts, the Iraq war and the many other things we need to do? I have a hard time believing that.

But for the first time in 58 years, we have no manned space flight capability.

 

[Cobblestones]

I blamed congress too.

NASA isn't about need nor are the many, many other things we do.

NASA represents 1% of our total budget. I'm unsure what percentage of that was the space shuttle. So was it really about saving money compared to the billions wasted on bank bailouts, the Iraq war and the many other things we need to do? I have a hard time believing that.

But for the first time in 58 years, we have no manned space flight capability.

You should think of it as outsourced. Just like most of any manufacturing. See, sounds much better already.

 

[richwagmn]

Manned spaceflight is a prestige project, but apart from that mostly a waste of money. Almost all innovation could have been done cheaper with unmanned spaceflight.

Sure, it is a prestige project. And as the Mars rovers have shown, we can do some amazing exploration robotically.

The thing is though, putting a probe on the moon really doesn't capture the public's attention like putting people there. And without capturing their attention, you have a harder time selling the program to the public.

 

[TERMINATOR]

Started in 1958 with Mercury and ended today with the shuttle in 2011. 53 years and now we're bumming rides off a 1960s Russian rocket. Hooray for us. Bravo Obama.

Hard to believe that cutting 1% of our budget was so important. Sadly, it doesn't seem as if NASA has any advocates in our completely dysfunctional congress. I suppose those idiots just don't like the smart kids.

I sometimes feel like the US is swirling around the bowl. Just a matter of time...

Manned space flight is a complete waste of time, money (taxpayer's money), and effort. What is the purpose of going into space? The Space Shuttle program was one of the biggest wastes of time and money there was and it's a form of political corruption.

There are people who can't eat in this country, and we're spending tax dollars launching space vehicles for no useful purpose whatsoever?

 

[TERMINATOR]

I blamed congress too.

NASA isn't about need nor are the many, many other things we do.

NASA represents 1% of our total budget. I'm unsure what percentage of that was the space shuttle. So was it really about saving money compared to the billions wasted on bank bailouts, the Iraq war and the many other things we need to do? I have a hard time believing that.

But for the first time in 58 years, we have no manned space flight capability.

Bank bailouts are paid back. NASA doesn't pay back a dime from any of the billions we give them. So it's not the same thing.

 

[Cobblestones]

Sure, it is a prestige project. And as the Mars rovers have shown, we can do some amazing exploration robotically.

The thing is though, putting a probe on the moon really doesn't capture the public's attention like putting people there. And without capturing their attention, you have a harder time selling the program to the public.

It's going to be outsourced and privatized. I thought the right would love that? blablabla huge government agency blablabla wasteful spending blablabla cut spending blablabla talking points.