Why are we on Mars?

[indacup]

I guess I don't understand why we are spending trillions of dollars to figure out if at one time there might have been water on Mars.

I understand the need to spend money for space exploration to see if there are other forms of life out there...but why explore a dead planet to see if there was at one time, millions of years ago, water on it?

 

[Dogfish Head]

Hardly a trillion dollars, much less trillions.

See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...-web-responds/2012/03/19/gIQAvw34NS_blog.html

The Iraq war, Afghanistan war and all the other conflicts we have been in over the last decade exceed the NASA budget by a staggering amount. In fact, if you date back to the existence of NASA, it still wouldn't total the combined money we have spent on our foreign affairs under George Bush and Obama administrations.

The NASA budget is four tenths of a penny on a tax dollar. (Per the video below)

As far as why we are on Mars period, because we are a curious species. If there was life on Mars at one point we need to understand what happened to it among many other answers that guys in white coats can answer better than me.

I highly recommend watching the videos in the link and then reading up on Neil Tyson

Video is great:

(Space nerd here)

 

[indacup]

Thanks for correcting me...obviously I did not check the numbers... (oops!)

But despite that, I wonder why we are doing such a thing? I believe money would be better spent at home...or defense....or working on reducing our nat'l debt.

I do not want this to turn into a political issue...but we are looking at radically cutting our military spending (which scares the bajeebus outta me) and yet we spend money on sending a go-cart to Mars?

 

[Dogfish Head]

Thanks for correcting me...obviously I did not check the numbers... (oops!)

But despite that, I wonder why we are doing such a thing? I believe money would be better spent at home...or defense....or working on reducing our nat'l debt.

I do not want this to turn into a political issue...but we are looking at radically cutting our military spending (which scares the bajeebus outta me) and yet we spend money on sending a go-cart to Mars?

Well, I guess that is where many differ. I believe we should cut our military spending overseas. It doesn't scare me.

Our National debt exists because we outsource our military and import pretty much everything else. Guess that is a bit political though.

Watch the video. NASA has done so much for this country for so little tax payer dollars.

Cutting NASA to reduce the debt is like removing soda from your fridge to cut your budget in your multi million dollar home.

 

[Dogfish Head]

Another fun fact: The $850 billion dollar Wall Street bailout that happened in early 2008 was greater than the entire budget of NASA... in NASA's entire existence.

 

[indacup]

Another fun fact: The $850 billion dollar Wall Street bailout that happened in early 2008 was greater than the entire budget of NASA... in NASA's entire existence.

Wow.

 

[Dogfish Head]

I lived in Huntsville, AL for 25 years. Wernher von Braun was my hero, all of our schools were pretty much named after Space Shuttles (Columbia, Discovery, Endeavour, Challenger) or Astronauts (Ed White (Edward Higgins White) Grissom High School (Gus Grissom) and many many more.

I couldn't help but grow up loving astronomy and space and I find it completely disheartening and depressing to see how the government has neglected it in my lifetime.

 

[limpalong]

I just want to applaud such healthy discussion. On so many of today's discussion boards, this would have immediatly morphed into poltiics, name-calling, etc. You guys conducted yourselves as gentlemen... what seems to be a lost art amongst society.

 

[anonymous golfaholic]

As a fellow space nerd, I wish I could like your posts twice, Dogfish.

 

[trumb1mj]

I am also a space nerd. To all other space nerds, watch Prometheus. Awesome.

 

[Wi-Golfer]

I am also a space nerd. To all other space nerds, watch Prometheus. Awesome.

Sorry but I hated that movie.

As far as the space program I say we need more of it not less. Hell we wouldn't have Tang if not for it Lot of developments from the space program trickle down to everyday life eventually.

 

[eclark53520]

Sorry but I hated that movie.

As far as the space program I say we need more of it not less. Hell we wouldn't have Tang if not for it Lot of developments from the space program trickle down to everyday life eventually.

Where the **** is my jetpack?

 

[BigJim13]

Where the **** is my jetpack?

And a light saber!!!!

 

[indacup]

Wow, I wanted a jet pack ever since I saw Gilligan with one.......that was so awesome!

 

[TheTrueReview]

Wow, I wanted a jet pack ever since I saw Gilligan with one.......that was so awesome!

I wanted Ginger and Mary-Anne ...