I have been previously critical of NASA's ambitions of the expense and delays of the SLS Artemis and Orion agenda. Enough has been said of the huge budget NASA and our federal government created and the several decades of lost time. Of course everyone knows that TIME IS MONEY.
I always liked the ideas of returning to the moon for many reasons: A relatively short distance to test man's ability to fly to the moon and back - Testing new spacecraft and astronaut endurance.; Using the moon's orbit and surface for exploration of the solar system's age, moon materials; the dark side would be a great location for future telescopes; and mining of precious materials for the earth such as Helium 3.
Maybe we can all focus on the moon for now. Allow and support SpaceX in their focus of the moon landings and future moon bases - also allow and second source additional commercial partners that will help NASA teams and SpaceX for needed additional programs and resources for possible moon colonization or other development. Doesn't the success of all of the Falcon 9 and Dragon missions prove their future worthiness? Nobody has done what they have - support them in every way to get the wrinkles out of Starship and Super Heavy and LET'S GET TO THE MOON AND BEYOND. China is catching up very quickly. Right now, focus less on human trips to Mars.
Also use all the money that is currently appropriated to SLS for other much needed projects such as new Climate monitoring satellites that their may not be enough federal money to support right now. If hypothetically SpaceX is able to transform Mars into an air-breathable planet, there would still be problems with creating enough water, lakes, ponds, etc. for future people and agricultural resources. And what about the lack of a magnetic field to protect the new inhabitants immediately and future generations? Also: time to get to Mars (and sometimes getting back) cannot be discounted.
If the senators and congressmen are worried about the loss of jobs in some of the states they represent, use the SLS money and give the workers projects on Climate monitoring satellites, new telescopes, asteroid mining missions and other projects that NASA wants but is short of budget money. Weigh what the earth, people and other programs needs right now.
If SpaceX and other partners miraculously are able to build a colony of 1,000,000 of people, what about the other 7,XXX,XXX,XXX people still on earth? Climate control can never be neglected not even for one moment. There is only one Earth that we know of in our nearby abyss of our solar system or obtainable interstellar space destination for many years into the future. I urge every reader nudge NASA in making the right choices for mankind.
I always liked the ideas of returning to the moon for many reasons: A relatively short distance to test man's ability to fly to the moon and back - Testing new spacecraft and astronaut endurance.; Using the moon's orbit and surface for exploration of the solar system's age, moon materials; the dark side would be a great location for future telescopes; and mining of precious materials for the earth such as Helium 3.
Maybe we can all focus on the moon for now. Allow and support SpaceX in their focus of the moon landings and future moon bases - also allow and second source additional commercial partners that will help NASA teams and SpaceX for needed additional programs and resources for possible moon colonization or other development. Doesn't the success of all of the Falcon 9 and Dragon missions prove their future worthiness? Nobody has done what they have - support them in every way to get the wrinkles out of Starship and Super Heavy and LET'S GET TO THE MOON AND BEYOND. China is catching up very quickly. Right now, focus less on human trips to Mars.
Also use all the money that is currently appropriated to SLS for other much needed projects such as new Climate monitoring satellites that their may not be enough federal money to support right now. If hypothetically SpaceX is able to transform Mars into an air-breathable planet, there would still be problems with creating enough water, lakes, ponds, etc. for future people and agricultural resources. And what about the lack of a magnetic field to protect the new inhabitants immediately and future generations? Also: time to get to Mars (and sometimes getting back) cannot be discounted.
If the senators and congressmen are worried about the loss of jobs in some of the states they represent, use the SLS money and give the workers projects on Climate monitoring satellites, new telescopes, asteroid mining missions and other projects that NASA wants but is short of budget money. Weigh what the earth, people and other programs needs right now.
If SpaceX and other partners miraculously are able to build a colony of 1,000,000 of people, what about the other 7,XXX,XXX,XXX people still on earth? Climate control can never be neglected not even for one moment. There is only one Earth that we know of in our nearby abyss of our solar system or obtainable interstellar space destination for many years into the future. I urge every reader nudge NASA in making the right choices for mankind.