House bill: 'Hey NASA, that asteroid retrieval plan? Fuggedaboutit' If the Republican-led House Subcommittee on Space has its way, NASA's proposed asteroid-retrieval mission will be killed, the agency's budget will be capped for the next two years at about 5 per cent less than last year's, and NASA's Earth observation efforts will be cut back. In addition, Congressional control over the choice …
It's fucking space! It's big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space and if you think getting out there will be cheap you're doing it wrong.
So what's a few billion between agencies when you can just print out more! You're already in debt and throwing money at programs that probably won't matter in one hundred years, but space! I mean come on! It's space!
The Chinese have the "vision" right now. Thorium reactor development and a manned space program. The US is lagging way behind the Russians these days in space and gave up finding a safer nuclear power option.
The Soyuz isn't the most elegant tech, but it's a work horse with an impressive record. The Senate Launch System (SLS) might wind up on the scrapheap in a few more years just like Ares. The goals dictated to NASA change with each major election. It's no wonder they can't get much done. It was great when they could at least educate and excite school kids in science and engineering. That's gone with the last pass of the scythe.
The problems aren't with a particular political party. The problems is with the politicians. It's past obvious that they are bought and paid for. I'm sure in the next couple of years, the companies that bought them will proudly state it on their Farcebook pages without repercussions.
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