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space will only be inviting when we need to mine
Why don't we pump more money into space exploration?
- Thread starter Sleeve
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Soldato
But the olympics are ****ING BRILLIANT! Don't you know? *****ING BRILLIANT!
It's hardly rocket science (pun mildly intentional). Space exploration will probably reap no tangible benefits for mankind for generations yet... other than some technology advances we haven't found any mineable resources or have the tech to extract them, and there is nowhere habitable within umpteen light years. What exactly is the "average person" going to get out of funding space exploration, and why should the "average person" who has trouble enough making ends meet on Earth care? Advances in space exploration on the scale you are talking about (grand betterment of mankind) will likely only be possible when the world isn't a fractured set of governments that can pool resources together, and when the many problems affecting the many populaces are no longer such a huge concern.
Seems like you haven't actually thought much through logically beyond: "OMG COOL SPACE EXPLORATION LOL".
Finally, someone has hit the nail on the head.
OP, you're 23 but you don't understand the basic concept/logic that dictates people won't want to spend money if they are guaranteed no return in their lifetime? Seriously?
We need to be focussing on sustainable energy/recycling/means of propulsion before we start to build moon bases
Associate
Think of all the jobs created in making the Olympic stadium not to mention the boost to the economy with foreign visitors buying things coming to the olympics.
How much of a return on investment is Curiosity going to make other than scientific curiosity.
Don't get me wrong I'd love to see more money being spent on NASA but its not as simple as "thing X costs Y which should have been spent on Z".
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Even as a kid just thinking about space and astronomy excited me more than many things in life. Maybe it's simply the thought of venturing into the unknown and just the beauty and serenity that comes from looking into the stars.
It's a shame more money isn't invested into programs like NASA but there'll be a time when money is thrown at it like there's no tomorrow unfortunately most likely beyond any of our lifetimes. Speaking of such research another thing that intrigues my mind is the possibility of the singularity, just things that go beyond the realms of comprehension are things that intrigue me to obsession like levels.
The amount of reading I've down on both subjects is scary. It's a shame I'm pretty poor at Maths/Physics or I'd have most definitely focused on the Science's.
I guess we could also have another arms race to ignite a space exploration flurry again.
It's a shame more money isn't invested into programs like NASA but there'll be a time when money is thrown at it like there's no tomorrow unfortunately most likely beyond any of our lifetimes. Speaking of such research another thing that intrigues my mind is the possibility of the singularity, just things that go beyond the realms of comprehension are things that intrigue me to obsession like levels.
The amount of reading I've down on both subjects is scary. It's a shame I'm pretty poor at Maths/Physics or I'd have most definitely focused on the Science's.
I guess we could also have another arms race to ignite a space exploration flurry again.
To begin with it is not a narrow or blinkered viewpoint, it is one that is a pragmatic.
We have to look at the actual practicalities of building and maintaining a large scale human colonisation of the Solar System, to begin with the simple problem is one of Human fragility, we are not really built to thrive on any other planet in our Solar System other than our own and it would take massive amounts of investment, terrestrial resources and a viability of economic return to pursue such a course of action that would not have any net benefit on the population of Earth itself even in the medium term. The ratio of return must be greater than the outward investment, currently this is simply not a viable proposition.
Also I didn't say we should not invest in Space Research, only that such investment must have a potential viable economic return and the levels of public funding should be appropriate to that investment and the argument that a lot of tech we use today comes from Space research is a little weak, as far more tech we use today and more besides comes from military applications and the art of killing each other, should we do more of that as well?
In respect of Space Colonisation or Resource Exploitation , we are simply not at a point where a largescale human diaspora or economic scale resource exploitation operations are even remotely feasible, and until the economics of scale are reduced to such a point that they are then we should not invest vast amounts of resources on unknowns. Lets actually have some idea of the longterm viability first, then we can begin to assess the viability and economic and social potential of Solar System Colonisation.
As far as I understand it this is one of the projects currently under scrutiny right now, however money and resources are better invested in projects that have a tangible return, such as renewable energy, food security, population control and the myriad of other ways that the vast amounts of resources required for the OPs proposition could make serious and tangible contributions to right now, not in 100 or 250 years or longer.
You are right to question the amount of time, effort and resources we as a race put into military applications and killing each other, however that doesn't automatically make it a viable proposition that retasking that commitment into Space Research is a better use of that commitment than using it in other areas of a more terrestrial consideration such as renewable clean energy and so on.
Pragmatism and Realism.
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I agree with the fact that travel speed is an issue.
However to echo what others have said, if we spent less on wars and criminal profiteering then we could actually allocate a larger sum to developing faster space flight.
To think we are just one tiny atom in comparison to the size of the universe absolutely fascinates me, and should do the majority of the human race. Our entire existence as a species and a planet is just a tiny cog among trillions and trillions of others in space.
Its nuts to even contemplate.
However to echo what others have said, if we spent less on wars and criminal profiteering then we could actually allocate a larger sum to developing faster space flight.
To think we are just one tiny atom in comparison to the size of the universe absolutely fascinates me, and should do the majority of the human race. Our entire existence as a species and a planet is just a tiny cog among trillions and trillions of others in space.
Its nuts to even contemplate.
I agree with what you are saying, space/exploration and bettering ourselves as a race is fascinating to me as well, I'm quite a deep thinker because of what I have been through in my life, many people these days live sugar coated lives and haven't really been through adversity, experienced a lot if you get what I'm saying. People are selfish and just don't look at the bigger picture man, they just don't care, they really don't.
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Military times have brought around some of the greatest inventions and technological advances of our history, both past and modern, and many are applicable to peace-time too, so I don't think it should be so quickly discounted as being a viable route towards improved space technology and technology in general.
The "space race" and continuing competition between states will bring some healthy advances over the next 50 years i'd imagine, not to mention the technologies in development that stay locked behind closed doors that we never see and can only speculate at.
I think you're a bit late to the party then, considering this is about the 1 gazillionth thread about it on the forum, where the issue has been discussed in much greater depth than this about things ranging from space travel in general, to UFO's and aliens!
Mmkay.
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