The Apollo program paid for itself with Tang alone.
Pocket calculators, microchips, and the entire digital universe we now move and breathe amidst were merely icing on the cake.
And we did it out of our national spare change, after funding ginormous wars on Poverty and in Vietnam, both of which were stupendous losses, and paid a much more abysmal return on investment.
Saying that going to Mars wouldn't get us anything the probes couldn't provide cheaper is like observing that Columbus' voyages were a colossal failure at lowering the price of cinnamon and pepper.
The Martian
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Re: The Martian
"There are four types of homicide: felonious, accidental, justifiable, and praiseworthy." -Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"
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Re: The Martian
There is a lot of stuff that could be manufactured in zero gravity and/or cheap vacuum. The problem is getting to source materials.
There is starting to be some interesting ideas for better propulsion systems. There is one drive that shouldn't work but does and there is now considerable peer review to find out why it does. It is a "reactionless" drive but hardly anybody buys that, but it is still producing continuous thrust under various lab test. The jury is out but it would cut down interplanetary trip time a lot due to reduce fuel weight and continuous thrust. There are some others but any how the biggest obstacle tends to be government cronyism driving dragging regulations.
I read the book an really liked it.
There is starting to be some interesting ideas for better propulsion systems. There is one drive that shouldn't work but does and there is now considerable peer review to find out why it does. It is a "reactionless" drive but hardly anybody buys that, but it is still producing continuous thrust under various lab test. The jury is out but it would cut down interplanetary trip time a lot due to reduce fuel weight and continuous thrust. There are some others but any how the biggest obstacle tends to be government cronyism driving dragging regulations.
I read the book an really liked it.
- Kommander
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Re: The Martian
So essentially this movie is the closest NASA is ever going to get to putting someone on mars.
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Re: The Martian
Yes, unless there are some major changes in the attitudes of the populace. If we get a celestial body hitting people might get back into effective space research. Right now NASA leadership is an oxymoron.Kommander wrote:So essentially this movie is the closest NASA is ever going to get to putting someone on mars.
I can see a move into space by corporations driven by profit seeking.
- Rod
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Re: The Martian
Okay, saw it today and thought it was great. Aesop covered most of the movie in his piece at the start of the thread. I did notice ONE major blunder, or maybe it was done deliberately. When the captain decides to blow the front hatch to use it as a retro rocket, the astronaut who does the space walk up and back isn't tethered off at all. I had a vision of the rest of the movie turning into a remake of Gravity (which I never want to see).
one can be a Democrat, or one can choose to be an American.
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
- NVGdude
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Re: The Martian
JAG2955 wrote:Ah, it was Red Thunder
John Varley. Intentionally written in a style to evoke the Heinlein Juveniles but with more sex.
- skb12172
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Re: The Martian
On the other hand, cheap propulsion.toad wrote:The problem for the aged in space is calcium loss. Already brittle bones would become even more fragile. Also while a heart wouldn't have to pump as hard in zero gravity the calcium problem could lead to heart problems if too much of the calcium leached from the bones ended up in the blood stream. They need to put some volunteer old farts into orbit for multi-year studies. The wouldn't let me go because of my gas problem.
There must be an end to this intimidation by those who come to this great country, but reject its culture.
- Captain Wheelgun
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Re: The Martian
I dunno, the Isp and thrust are pretty low. Might work as an RCS, though. (Yes, I do play KSP)skb12172 wrote:On the other hand, cheap propulsion.toad wrote:The problem for the aged in space is calcium loss. Already brittle bones would become even more fragile. Also while a heart wouldn't have to pump as hard in zero gravity the calcium problem could lead to heart problems if too much of the calcium leached from the bones ended up in the blood stream. They need to put some volunteer old farts into orbit for multi-year studies. The wouldn't let me go because of my gas problem.
And, dare I say, :jacked:
"What is this, the Congress Avenue Independence Day Parade?" - Capt. Karl von Stahlberg, RTN
Republic of Texas Navy Archives
Republic of Texas Navy Archives
- blackeagle603
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Re: The Martian
Caught up with a friend at a funeral who's been at JPL since '82. He was in charge of the rover payload team, played some big role in Cassini and has since then been mission director on more recent flights (had to homestead months at a time in Florida).
Fun to hear his impressions. Say's they all pretty much screamed more obvious solutions at the screen with the antenna and comm-link limitations/solutions as presented in the movie. Overall liked it and was relieved that none of his guys had to go on suicide watch like they did after Gravity.
Fun to hear his impressions. Say's they all pretty much screamed more obvious solutions at the screen with the antenna and comm-link limitations/solutions as presented in the movie. Overall liked it and was relieved that none of his guys had to go on suicide watch like they did after Gravity.
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"
"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
- Weetabix
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Re: The Martian
I hated Gravity. Even Sandra Bullock in tight, skimpy clothing didn't save it.
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D