Mars Mission - Beagle prototype unveiled

[Memphis]

not really, space should be a human race thing..... ALL of us, black, white and all genders.... It shouldnt be about country vs country.

While I agree wholeheartedly with that statement, I must admit that any new technology interests me. The fact it's British does give me satisfaction but the end game should still be to get humanity to the further reaches of space, but not with the attitude of "us Brits can beat the stoopid Americans".

 

[Overlag]

Now, you see, that's loser talk. Where is your sense of adventure, the drive to suceed, push the boundaries and expand new frontiers. The Americans didn't even consider failure when the went to the Moon, if they had they wouldn't have tried; yes, men died, but everytime a young child looks at the moon, wonders and strives to achieve even half of what those men did their sacrifice is honoured.

The only failure is not to try.

its true, however a lot of planning is needed for a manned mission. Its mainly what the Americans MRO is about. High resolution captures of the whole planet, to try and find suitable landings sports for other rovers, and in the long run Manned missions.

Right now we (the uk) have absolutely NO high res data that we could use for landings sites for a manned mission. I mean NASA is starting to map the moon and mars ready for manned missions in 12 years (for moon) and 20odd years for mars.


Beagle's chute deployed fine, it landed in rough terrain and killed itself.... Do you want that for a human mission?

 

[Overlag]

While I agree wholeheartedly with that statement, I must admit that any new technology interests me. The fact it's British does give me satisfaction but the end game should still be to get humanity to the further reaches of space, but not with the attitude of "us Brits can beat the stoopid Americans".

if each of the main developed countries grouped together and produced different parts we could progress much faster. Russia had the fastest rockets... Other countries could specialise on other certain parts, making a bigger, better chance...

 

[Memphis]

if each of the main developed countries grouped together and produced different parts we could progress much faster. Russia had the fastest rockets... Other countries could specialise on other certain parts, making a bigger, better chance...

Exactly. If every country with some specialist knowledge worked together, we would likely be further ahead.

 

[AJUK]

Beagle's chute deployed fine, it landed in rough terrain and killed itself.... Do you want that for a human mission?

I wouldn't want it but if it happened, so be it. You will still get no end of peopel prepared to go.

 

[Dutch Guy]

I wouldn't want it but if it happened, so be it. You will still get no end of peopel prepared to go.

Excactly, they would volunteer to go and would know the risks.

But I doubt we will see a manned mission anytime soon as the food/water alone would make it a very expensive mission and perhaps it isn't even possible?

 

[turkey73]

The problem is that there is no real driving force behind space exploration. We as a country or as a world community have the capability to acheive a very rapid turnaround on a high technology project, eg the Manhattan project. However, that had a significant driving force behind it, ie get the weapon before the Nazis, Space exploration doesnt have that overall driving force, it just has the - 'because we want to' mentality.

 

[ElRazur]

if each of the main developed countries grouped together and produced different parts we could progress much faster. Russia had the fastest rockets... Other countries could specialise on other certain parts, making a bigger, better chance...

That sounds good on paper but it has plenty of problem in reality. Look at the Euro fighters, it took so long and was over budget by several millions, part of this cpuld be attributed to different county's experte (sp) approach..

 

[Von Smallhausen]

Im watching this on BBC right now, im gonna post a link later.

Since the last mission was a failure, aint we rushing back into it now? Even though it wont be lauched until 2011?

Even if we managed to get there, other than the excitement of knowing that life does/does not exist, is there any benefit?

Bearing in mind, this project is estimated in millons and if it goes the same way as the first mission wont this be waste of money? Why dont we just work with the americans instead of going it alone? (i think it is being done solely as a UK project)

Anyway what do you guys think?

I think anyone that dismisses space exploration is a little short-sighted, but thats just my opinion.

Although 5 billion years away, if Humanity doesn't get off the Earth, then we die out when the Sun runs out of Hydrogen and it swells to a red gaint and it will take all life on earth with it.

Also, future space exploration will be far cheaper if using lower mavity worlds such as the Moon. What natural resources does Mars have ? Could we harvest them if cost effective.

I think space exploration is a must and the benefits are huge.

 

[locutus12]

Im watching this on BBC right now, im gonna post a link later.

Since the last mission was a failure, aint we rushing back into it now? Even though it wont be lauched until 2011?

the long developement of the beagle project was patially due to the technology of the time and the budget being insufficient to produce a mission of that scale with just £50 million that was paid out across 13 years. with the technology and computing power available today, plust most of the ground works already been done and can be reused from the original project, and with that same ammount of money injected across a smaller number of years then no, were not rushing back in.

Even if we managed to get there, other than the excitement of knowing that life does/does not exist, is there any benefit?

only a person with no creative spirit would try and some up space exploration in a cost / benfit ratio. its an adventure, besides the place where we wanted to land, no ones been to since the 70`s and the equiptment they had back then wasnt exactly advanced.

Bearing in mind, this project is estimated in millons and if it goes the same way as the first mission wont this be waste of money? Why dont we just work with the americans instead of going it alone? (i think it is being done solely as a UK project)

Anyway what do you guys think?

If it blows up in the air then its still worth it, for the simple reason that this country urinates away hundreds of millions of pounds a year simply through non effecient usage of budgets, and we spend 42 billion pounds on Defence,

somehow £50 million pounds for a probe to mars seems not only a small ammount in comparison, but a more worthy project to spend our money on as opposed to wasting it through some failed government scheme or failed government computer system (like the NHS has, its 2 years late, only half of its key systems work and it cost £6 billion)

Why dont we just work with the americans instead of going it alone? (i think it is being done solely as a UK project)

its not being done alone.... we dont have the abillity to launch a probe of beagles size into orbit, its being done with the European Space Agency who will absorb some of the cost of the launch, probably using the Arian 5
launcher.

Countries are irrelevant when talking about space.

Should be a world poject imo, even as a world, we are insignificant compared to the universe, so why split it up furthermore?

exactly

If we spend more money on research like the US then failure is not an option, until then i will use a cautious approach.

we dont, but the European Space Agency does and we are very much a part of it, although our financial contribution is tiny compaired to other european countrys like france and germany

 

[Radiation]

There's plenty of good reasons to go to space, im surprised big companies haven't already taken up interest in harvesting resources as there's trillions and trillions worth, they should be developing better technologies to get out of earth orbit as that's the first thing needed, big chemical rockets are such an old technology its a joke.

 

[locutus12]

There's plenty of good reasons to go to space, im surprised big companies haven't already taken up interest in harvesting resources as there's trillions and trillions worth, they should be developing better technologies to get out of earth orbit as that's the first thing needed, big chemical rockets are such an old technology its a joke.

asteroid mining may even lead us to discover some new metals embeded in them. although i doubt we will find any Di Lythium ....