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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Senate Space Exploration: Waste of Resources or Mankind's Last Hope?

Discussion in 'Community' started by Rylo Ken, Feb 28, 2017.

  1. Diggy

    Diggy Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2013
    To answer the title's question, right now it's a waste of resources. Before serious space exploration we need to heal the world, make it a better place.
     
  2. DANNASUK

    DANNASUK Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012

    I understand that, but the Moon and Mars are possible. We just lack the ambition and, probably, the political will isn't there. Unlike SpaceX, no government official is going to say "this policy might cost billions of taxpayers dollars and, quite likely, a few people might die."

    Trump's idea for manned missions to the Jupiter and Saturn system is, currently, impossible. Forget the propulsion technology for a moment; the sheer volume of radiation would probably kill anyone on board. Won't happen until the end of the Century. We don't have the insight on how to protect individuals for instant death levels of radiation.

    Still, it is worth attempting the Moon and then Mars.
     
  3. SuperWatto

    SuperWatto Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 19, 2000
    Last Hope - a Star Wars story
     
  4. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    Why is it worth going to the Moon and Mars? What scientific outcome are you hoping for? This isn't a story of whether it's possible or impossible. What is the scientific outcome you want to get out of going to Mars?
     
  5. DANNASUK

    DANNASUK Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012

    Short term, to study whether or not life was ever on Mars and what happened to the planet. Is it possible to grow food in the Martian soil and, long term, a sustainable human colony. The questions are endless.
     
  6. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2004
    If our goal is to just ensure that humanity survives the death of the sun, well we've got several billion years to figure out space travel. At the moment, FTL travel is considered flat-out impossible...so well, we're stuck on Earth. We simply don't have any choice but to work out our problems and find a way to avoid nuking ourselves.
     
  7. Jabba-wocky

    Jabba-wocky Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    May 4, 2003
    Why can't you study those things with a drone?

    And building a colony to find out if you can build a colony is tautological and stupid. Like this whole project.
     
    Lord Vivec likes this.
  8. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    Why can't these be done with rovers and robots?
     
  9. DANNASUK

    DANNASUK Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012

    NASA have said themselves, it is better to have a human on the ground. The time it takes for data to travel to and from Mars is too long. A robot is limited and cannot act on its own; a human explorer can act of instincts, which can help understand the planet more. Plus, a human lab on Mars will be more than capable to study samples, instead of having to launch them back to Earth (which run the risk of being lost in space)

    No more "OMG ALIEN FOSSIL FOUND ON MARS" headlines in the Huffingston Post.
     
    Darth_Voider and V-2 like this.
  10. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    A human also needs to have far more infrastructure. You'll need to send multiple humans, as sending one alone for the months long trip and the year on the planet won't be good for sanity. You'll need food, water, shelter, radiation protection, entertainment, medical, etc. I'm sorry, but you don't have a case.
     
  11. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2015
    Mars is a lifeless, worthless rock, and it's not going to slam into earth in the foreseeable future. But other things will. It's a guarantee. We can and should develop the technology to detect dangerous space rocks and keep them out of the way of earth. This is an expensive undertaking. It would be a more or less permanent effort and would require the cooperation of multiple nations.

    Also we should keep looking for signs of life elsewhere in the universe. Catalog exoplanets in the goldilocks zones of their respective star systems. Learn what we can about the functioning of the universe just because it's remotely possible that we are the only beings in it who are able to care. The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is a beautiful thing, but a manned mission to Mars is just a stunt. A big giant boondoggle of a stunt.

    This PSA has been brought to you by Moondoggy, the Wastrel Space Hound

    [​IMG]
     
    Rew likes this.
  12. DANNASUK

    DANNASUK Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012
    You would need to send robots first to build the infrastructure, which the Japanese Space Agency have proposed for a Lunar base.


    I am fully aware of the risks. NASA and the Russian Space Agency have both argued for "Earth room" (filled with pictures, videos and sounds from our planet) in any long distance space vehicle to combat cabin fever; the first manned mission would have to be one way and, likely, someone will probably die. I don't deny the risks, I never have.

    It would be absurd (and dishonest), when trying to basis an on argument on space travel, for me to deny potential loss of life; if not, it's almost certainty.
     
  13. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    The point is you haven't demonstrated why we need to send humans to Mars. You haven't presented anything remotely related to science,
     
  14. Bazinga'd

    Bazinga'd Saga / WNU Manager - Knights of LAJ star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012

    If us humans are going to completely destroy the environment of this planet, extinction of the human race is inevitable unless you continue to explore our universe to find another host planet.
     
  15. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    Or we could just...not destroy the one home suited for human life?
     
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  16. DANNASUK

    DANNASUK Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012
    I did. Two posts up. The search for ancient, or present, life and understanding the planet better - you didn't question that. Only the vast amount of infrastructure needed.
     
  17. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    Except I did question that. That's literally the definition of questioning it.
     
  18. Bazinga'd

    Bazinga'd Saga / WNU Manager - Knights of LAJ star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012

    We could, but recent history and continued denial of climate change, for example, tends to show that humans are not responsible enough to do that.
     
  19. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2015
    Space exploration is a dead end that will only accelerate our demise, if such a thing is inevitable. That's why a global pandemic is the only practical way to save the species.
     
  20. DANNASUK

    DANNASUK Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012
    But, I still provided scientific justification for human travel (including reasons for a human over a robot on Mars) - even if you disagree with it. I've still given a reason and examples.
     
  21. Jabba-wocky

    Jabba-wocky Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    May 4, 2003
    This is the problem you are trying to solve? How about just reading better news sources?
     
  22. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2015
    http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39117523

    OMG LIFE ON EARTH IS MORE THAN 4.28 BILLION YEARS OLD

    we all know the origin of life on earth is that some traveling Johnny ETseed dropped a bag of life onto our planet's surface on his way through the system.
     
  23. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2004
    Even if we screw up the environment to where most humans die off, I'm sure there will still be some of us left around. More than we could send off to off-world colonies anyway. In any case, not destroying the environment isn't that hard...we just need to find the political will to do it. Whereas trying to develop space travel, terraforming and all that other stuff is a colossal undertaking that quite frankly, I don't see happening anytime soon.

    Also, if we can't learn to solve our problems here on Earth, what makes us think that people in space will do any better? I mean, we're literally on a message board devoted to a science fiction franchise in which people fight wars, do bad stuff, and clearly haven't solved their problems...all despite possessing interstellar travel.
     
  24. Diggy

    Diggy Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2013
    I don't know that finding a way to colonise a new planet because we've destroyed this one is the best reason. As we'd just do the same thing again.

    Although it would be the epitome of humanity not learning it's lesson.
     
    Bazinga'd likes this.
  25. SergeyX2017

    SergeyX2017 Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2017
    We should explore space. There are resources out there we may need. Like, perhaps, cleaner fuel sources than what we have on Earth.

    And, frankly, once we've learned to colonize other planets, it may make the human race more peaceful. Why should religious or political radicals start fights with others, anymore, once they can simply resettle to another world, with all their folllwers and supporters, and build their own society there, according to their vision? This could, in future, eliminate war and terrorism :)