Where Should Space Exploration Go From Here? 1159
Since Congress has been steadily cutting back on support for NASA, Nick suggests this idea: "I'm sure there are many taxpayers out there like me that would love to see NASA's budget doubled. The problem is there isn't enough support to get congress to increase the budget by that amount, and I really don't want people to pay that don't care to. I propose an opt-in, one-time contribution box added to tax returns. I would require that my money be used only to advance the space program with either a shuttle replacement, an extra crew compartment for the space station, or a launch vehicle for a manned trip to Mars. Would you support a bill that would allow taxpayers to voluntarily contribute money to NASA? Are you ready to put your coin where your Dreams are?"
The obvious answer (Score:2, Funny)
Easy Question (Score:3, Funny)
well duh (Score:2, Funny)
Well.. Being as we are already "here", I would assume "there", or more specifically, "up".
Re:well duh (Score:2, Funny)
Technically, space is not "up". It's "out". Hence *outer* space.
On Southpark... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Easy Question (Score:2, Funny)
I think the more important part is that it come back down....in one piece
A modest proposal or two (Score:5, Funny)
Space Elevator (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Where? Forward. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Let NASA make the decision (Score:2, Funny)
Re:well duh (Score:1, Funny)
suuure.. Let's try down.. hmm. Didn't get very far in that direction.
ok, let's try any horizantal direction.. doh. That's not very efficient. I must be going the long way.
Now let's try up. Hey! There it is!
> "up" is a perspective term
Indeed. And unless you spend a lot of time hanging upside down from the monkey bars (poor kids..) "up" will lead to "outer space". Furthermore, it is the most direct route.
Re:Jet fighters and Missle Defense (Score:5, Funny)
porn (Score:3, Funny)
That, and it really *is* silly that we send up so much oxygen and water with a lot of missions. Remote control is the future.
Re:The obvious answer (Score:2, Funny)
1) Urinating into your own mouth safely
2) Spewing up and running away
3) The possibility of having an "3000 mile high club"
4) Checking which direction the toilet flushes
and so forth. Call me insensitive (God bless their souls), but these are the answers NASA should be providing.
Re:Up is easy; down is harder (Score:3, Funny)
Then, the astronaut would rely on a built-in heat shield to survive the fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere and wait for a parachute to automatically deploy for a safe landing.
You can check out this out-there but admittedly cool idea at Space.com [space.com]. I'm still waiting for it to be used in a major motion picture...
Re:The Budget Sucks (Score:3, Funny)
Linear Accelerator (Score:3, Funny)
Now we build a few booster heavy tugs in orbit, find a convenient asteroid and pull it into orbit around Mars (or just land some miners on one of the Moons of mars) and start extracting raw materials from that to continue habitat constructions. This plan puts us well on our way to permanent residency on Mars, and I'd say it will take about 75 years to complete. If I were lucky I could see us land on Mars and establish that colony base before I die...
Kintanon
Re:Up is easy; down is harder (Score:2, Funny)