American downturn?

[9mmfan]

I know I am new at this, but I have a question. Does any one else feel that Obama's plan for unmanned space launches and paying Russians $50 million dollars a head for a ride to the space station is just plain un-American? Does anyone actually think the money NASA is saving from shelving the Space Shuttle (and NOT having a replacement) will go into future space programs? Perhaps more stimulus packages or give a ways? Does anyone have any idea the ordinary citizen can do anything about this travesty?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What's unAmerican about getting the government out of the space business?

 

[9mmfan]

Perhaps not un-American, but certainly not smart. The science behind the space program has given the American, the world, a lot of benefits. A quick search on google found this:
HSF - Space Shuttle Benefits. There are hundreds of items used daily in American that was originally developed for the space program.

 

[edsinger]

The return on investment is huge. Personally I think we should have a manned mission to mars. The technology of those spin offs! And yes we CAN afford it, if we keep the patents...

 

[indykid]

As the son of a person who was a big player in the manned space program, and our space exploration, I do know that this is not the first time we were without manned flight. At the end of the Apollo program, we went about 6 years without a manned space launch.

I am hoping that privatizing the space program will lead to more flights as opposed to one only when we can afford it. Much like having multiple aircraft manufacturers, I am hoping that the space program leads to the same greatness that we see in the current commercial aviation industry. (Airplanes only, do not lump the mess of trying to get on the aircraft with the craft itself.)

We Americans have been pioneers from the beginning, but it was always privately funded, which I hope continues into the future of space exploration. We just have to get the government out of it so that we are not like the oil companies that have 9 years of regulations before they are allowed to spend 9 months building a refinery!

 

[firehawk1]

What's unAmerican about getting the government out of the space business?

IMO what's unAmerican about it is we are the worlds only true superpower, we are the most prosperious nation the world has ever seen, and we have no way to get anyone into space. We are relying on a past and I believe future enemy to gouge us to allow our astronauts to ride on their rockets into space. We have spent trillions on redistributing the wealth in this country, and we are broke. Apparently too broke to be able to put men/women into space any longer. It is an embarassment to America. Once this ends, does anyone think we have the will/resources to start again? I don't.

There is a place for NASA, and there is a place for private commercial space programs.

 

[9mmfan]

I agree, there is a place for private and federal space programs. But at this moment, commercial spacecraft are not capable of carrying anything more than a couple people to the edge of space. Come on, if the Astronaut Farmer can do it, why can't a billionaire

 

[edsinger]

I do not think the technology can be developed and funded by private individuals. IT must be a government, but a lean one which we do not have.

 

[JoshuaW]

IMO what's unAmerican about it is we are the worlds only true superpower, we are the most prosperious nation the world has ever seen, and we have no way to get anyone into space. We are relying on a past and I believe future enemy to gouge us to allow our astronauts to ride on their rockets into space. We have spent trillions on redistributing the wealth in this country, and we are broke. Apparently too broke to be able to put men/women into space any longer. It is an embarassment to America. Once this ends, does anyone think we have the will/resources to start again? I don't.

There is a place for NASA, and there is a place for private commercial space programs.

Wait, we are to broke for a government program, so we cut said government program, and now you are complaining? I thought privatization was a good thing! I do understand that not everyone on here is hard core right, but I also know most people are, which is what surprises me on this.

I personally am saddened by the loss of an amazing program that has done a lot to further American technology, but I do not regret it no longer being a government run program. There is enough interest in the private sector to push us further. I KNOW NASA will be throwing money into the private sector, just like they will be giving money to the Russians. I have mixed feelings about that, should the government be giving money to the private sector for anything more than services it provides? Probably not. Will this ensure the private sectors success and continuation of American-born space programs? Yes.

There is a lot going on with the end of the shuttle program, but I think it is is important for everyone to see this as a beginning, not the beginning of the end.

 

[wrigleycub]

American exceptional ism, if nothing else. Aside from the fact that the space station in orbit around the earth was basically funded the U.S. I read a report the other day that the return on money spent on NASA was 7-1.

What's unAmerican about getting the government out of the space business?