Post by Lucifer on Jul 29, 2005 13:42:22 GMT -5
I find all these things extrordinarily interesting. If we spent our money on funding space missions and new space technology, instead of fighting wars we shouldn't be in, the world and other worlds would be so much better. I find it annoying the way NASA now conducts itself, especially with the grouding of all space flights just after ungrouding them. However, they must be careful becuase after the death of all the astronauts in 2003, skeptics and even the government are getting edgy. If Bush actually put the money into the space program like he said he would, I wouldn't find him as bad (though it would be a very minimal increase).
Anyway, all the different future plans to push for life off of Earth and interplanetary exploration are very interesting. See some of the different stories here.
From ion engines (which are actually a reality and will power the next trip to the moon in as early as 2015, though not early enough in my opinion), to robots that work as a team with humans to set up shelter and scout terrain, as well as being able to communicate using spoken commands and hand gestures, and even to mapping the moon 3d (2008 they send out an extremely advanced sattelite to map the moon and create a 3d map so astronauts can never get lost and can then be used in astronaut training virtual reality sims).
All of it is so cool, but so far in the future. At this rate, there won't be a whole lot of regular humans on the moon (non astronauts i mean) before we are in our 40s. And colonization of mars will happen when we are in our 80s or dead. Not enticing. But, with all the technological advances we are having these days, things could pick up quickly.
The site above that I posted (http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/explore_main.html) has multiple stories on it about many of these topics (even one I haven't read about nanotech shape-shifting swarms on mars).
Read them. What are your opinions? We have to get off the Earth someday, or we will be wiped out as a race altogether. Better sooner than later, just in case we go to nuclear war and destroy the planet or something else very bad happens.
Anyway, all the different future plans to push for life off of Earth and interplanetary exploration are very interesting. See some of the different stories here.
From ion engines (which are actually a reality and will power the next trip to the moon in as early as 2015, though not early enough in my opinion), to robots that work as a team with humans to set up shelter and scout terrain, as well as being able to communicate using spoken commands and hand gestures, and even to mapping the moon 3d (2008 they send out an extremely advanced sattelite to map the moon and create a 3d map so astronauts can never get lost and can then be used in astronaut training virtual reality sims).
All of it is so cool, but so far in the future. At this rate, there won't be a whole lot of regular humans on the moon (non astronauts i mean) before we are in our 40s. And colonization of mars will happen when we are in our 80s or dead. Not enticing. But, with all the technological advances we are having these days, things could pick up quickly.
The site above that I posted (http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/explore_main.html) has multiple stories on it about many of these topics (even one I haven't read about nanotech shape-shifting swarms on mars).
Read them. What are your opinions? We have to get off the Earth someday, or we will be wiped out as a race altogether. Better sooner than later, just in case we go to nuclear war and destroy the planet or something else very bad happens.
