Any one still give a crap about space?

Aerozord · 01-02-2012, 04:41 PM

Now I know my own government has kind of abandoned the idea of doing anything major in the cosmos, but I hope some nations are still interested. Wasn't someone working on a space-elevator?

Flarecobra · 01-02-2012, 05:26 PM

NASA just put two probes into lunar orbit today. And recently launched a new Mars explorer rover, the biggest one since the Viking landers. New Horizons will be approching Pluto in a couple years.

Russia will be adding a new componont to the International Space Station.

China has launched it's own space lab.

And a private group is going to be testing out a new solar sail.

Doc ock rokc · 01-02-2012, 05:35 PM

There is always people thinking about Space. Its the forefront of all our Science fiction thus always in the public mind in some way. Once I think we tackle ~~our president out of office~~ or debt we can start doing manned missions again.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk · 01-02-2012, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flarecobra

Russia will be adding a new componont to the International Space Station.

They still haven't finished that yet? Jesus christ!

Wasn't there an mission to x-ray the moon being proposed somewhere, and a new ion propulsion engine to be tested too? Or did they get scrapped?

But yeah, there's probably people doing some shit somewhere. I know NASA built a new moon buggy a few years ago, it was on Top Gear. Who knows if it'll ever be used though.

Flarecobra · 01-02-2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawk

They still haven't finished that yet? Jesus christ!

It's actually replacing part of the station.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk · 01-02-2012, 06:56 PM

What so by the time they build it they need to start replacing it? Jesus christ!

Aerozord · 01-02-2012, 06:57 PM

Mostly I'm wondering about space colonization/travel. I mean I'm all for probes and rovers, but care far more about developing infrastructure and logistics for retrieving what they find out there. And not having all of humanities eggs in one basket.

Osterbaum · 01-02-2012, 08:19 PM

Don't NASA and ESA (and JAXA too maybe?) have a long term goal of a manned mission to Mars in the 2030's. I know that a while back (several years now) ESA announced the Aurora -program with this particular goal, but I've since understood that the cost concerns have lead previously mentioned space agencies to pool their resources on this instead of attemping their own seperate programmes.

e: Now that I think about it, I seem to recall the RKA having their own plans for Mars as well. And I doubt it that the CNSA will want to be the only major space agency to not have any goals with Mars in mind.

Aerozord · 01-02-2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osterbaum

Don't NASA and ESA (and JAXA too maybe?) have a long term goal of a manned mission to Mars in the 2030's.

I think NASA scrapped that plan due to budget cuts

Mr.Bookworm · 01-02-2012, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerozord

Wasn't someone working on a space-elevator?

God, I hope not. That would be the biggest waste of money possible short of trying to build a Dyson sphere or something.

Also, while I'm not enthusiastic about budget cuts, I am slightly glad that it's forcing space agencies to reprioritize. I would far rather have them focusing on unmanned missions and things like the Hubble, rather than ludicriously expensive wastes of time like sending a couple of dudes to Mars (looks good, gets put in the history books, accomplishes jack and shit beyond the previous two objectives).

And besides all of this, the private sector is where the real future of space exploration is.

01-02-2012, 04:41 PM	#1
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	Any one still give a crap about space? Now I know my own government has kind of abandoned the idea of doing anything major in the cosmos, but I hope some nations are still interested. Wasn't someone working on a space-elevator? __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."

01-02-2012, 05:26 PM	#2
Flarecobra Burn. Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Classified Posts: 11,017	NASA just put two probes into lunar orbit today. And recently launched a new Mars explorer rover, the biggest one since the Viking landers. New Horizons will be approching Pluto in a couple years. Russia will be adding a new componont to the International Space Station. China has launched it's own space lab. And a private group is going to be testing out a new solar sail. __________________ "Only the fool wishes to go into battle to beat someone for the satisfaction of beating someone." -A Thousand Sons Rules. Read them, know them, love them. Last edited by Flarecobra; 01-02-2012 at 05:29 PM.

01-02-2012, 05:35 PM	#3
Doc ock rokc ...Really? Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: in Theory. Everything works here Posts: 3,961	There is always people thinking about Space. Its the forefront of all our Science fiction thus always in the public mind in some way. Once I think we tackle ~~our president out of office~~ or debt we can start doing manned missions again. __________________ I have a Pesterchum its DangerousDoc I am ether fading out of Time, Space, or Reality...Or Simply my Typewriter is running out of ink

01-02-2012, 06:57 PM	#7
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	Mostly I'm wondering about space colonization/travel. I mean I'm all for probes and rovers, but care far more about developing infrastructure and logistics for retrieving what they find out there. And not having all of humanities eggs in one basket. __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."

01-02-2012, 08:19 PM	#8
Osterbaum The revolution will be memed! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: FIN Posts: 5,967	Don't NASA and ESA (and JAXA too maybe?) have a long term goal of a manned mission to Mars in the 2030's. I know that a while back (several years now) ESA announced the Aurora -program with this particular goal, but I've since understood that the cost concerns have lead previously mentioned space agencies to pool their resources on this instead of attemping their own seperate programmes. e: Now that I think about it, I seem to recall the RKA having their own plans for Mars as well. And I doubt it that the CNSA will want to be the only major space agency to not have any goals with Mars in mind. __________________ D is for Dirty Commie! Last edited by Osterbaum; 01-02-2012 at 08:23 PM.