Reply from the President on NASA

[Jared_72069]

I've written about five letters to Barack Obama regarding NASA, the importance of our space program in general, and how I believe its important to return to the Moon and / or look forward to Mars. Well, today I got a reply back from the President, its not personalized so I'm not sure if this is something his staff sends out to those who write him regarding letters on space issues. Either way I think its great that he's a taking an interest in NASA, after reading his letter I feel more confident he will take NASA in the right direction.

***


Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me about space exploration
and research.

Not long ago, the space race fueled an extraordinary era
of discovery that inspired and mobilized a generation of
scientists and engineers. These Americans ultimately would
put a man on the Moon, make remarkable discoveries, and help
our Nation lead the world in science and technology through
the 20th century.

Today, space-based research continues to illuminate our
understanding of the universe and reveal solutions to the great
challenges of our time. Many technologies developed for our
civil space program have had significant impacts back on earth,
including global satellite communications, medical imaging,
and water purification. In fact, many aspects of our daily
economy and national security depend on services and
capabilities delivered from space such as storm tracking and
space transportation.

America's ability to explore beyond our own planet is
an inspiration at home and abroad and a measure of United
States' leadership. The continuation of our role in the
exploration and use of space is a high priority for my
Administration. My 2010 Budget includes funding for NASA
to continue use of the International Space Station for
collaborative projects such as returning Americans to the moon
and monitoring climate change. Investments in the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act support physical,
mathematical, and engineering sciences so that the United
States remains a leader in space exploration and research for
future generations. Looking forward, our independent review
of flight activities currently underway will ensure our Nation is
on a vigorous, sustainable path that achieves our boldest space
aspirations.

To learn more about this important work, please join me online
at: www.whitehouse.gov/issues. Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

 

[Bill_Wright]

First, I am happy that one of our contributors approached the President about what we hope, dream, and change in the space program. We may be a small band of sisters and brothers who believe in space exploration, and we may be divided in our immediate goals, but long term I am proud to be part of this group.

To the President's answer, I am not sure he gets it. I can't imagine what would create more high technology, machine tool, and construction jobs than investing in a vigorous space program. It is possible that going down into the Earth might accomplish more, but the risks are higher that the heat and pressure would be bigger hurdles than cold and vacuum. I saw no specific message to address what our goals in space should be, but as the Augustine Report has only recenntly delivered maybe this is all we can hope for today. I would sure hope in the next month that a coherent ten year program like "NEOs or bust" in the next decade will be the message. I beieve that Mars is a good goal but I think we need to prove we can actually wake up the planet to move a chunk of our population there (20%?) before we expend more than "rover money" to that planet. I also want us to try to wake up an asteroid prior to blowing our shot at the second best planet for life in our Solar System.

Thoughts?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Moving to Space Business and Technology.

 

[AstroBrian]

I've written to the President, both of my Senators, and my Representative. Thusfar the only one who has responded was Senator David Vitter, who is the ranking member of the Science and Space Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee. He states he is concerned about the future of Constellation, and even wants to push for more shuttle flights after 2010 to close the gap between the shuttle and Orion. Of course, he is also thinking about the workers of Michoud in New Orleans. If Obama ever responds, I'll let you know if it is the form letter that you got.

 

[Booban]

Moving to Space Business and Technology.

I think we need a "Future Space Development" forum.

 

[MeteorWayne]

That is part of Space Business and Technology:

"The business and politics of space, NASA, and their intersection with the $ of Wall Street. "

 

[missionunknown]

First, I am happy that one of our contributors approached the President about what we hope, dream, and change in the space program. We may be a small band of sisters and brothers who believe in space exploration, and we may be divided in our immediate goals, but long term I am proud to be part of this group.

To the President's answer, I am not sure he gets it. I can't imagine what would create more high technology, machine tool, and construction jobs than investing in a vigorous space program. It is possible that going down into the Earth might accomplish more, but the risks are higher that the heat and pressure would be bigger hurdles than cold and vacuum. I saw no specific message to address what our goals in space should be, but as the Augustine Report has only recenntly delivered maybe this is all we can hope for today. I would sure hope in the next month that a coherent ten year program like "NEOs or bust" in the next decade will be the message. I beieve that Mars is a good goal but I think we need to prove we can actually wake up the planet to move a chunk of our population there (20%?) before we expend more than "rover money" to that planet. I also want us to try to wake up an asteroid prior to blowing our shot at the second best planet for life in our Solar System.

Thoughts?

What do you mean when you say 'wake' up mars. If you mean terraforming giving the planet a breathable atmosphere i think its highly unlikely/ impossible due to the fact that the planet is dead the core of the planet is cold, therefore it would need reviving rather than 'waking up'.

Also i think a sense of realism is needed, moving 20% of earth population there in our lifetime or even this century is not very likely at all. A moonbase with tourism and industrial operations and perhaps one or two manned mars missions are the most realistic goals i think.

 

[tanstaafl76]

To the President's answer,

Of course you realize he did not actually write that form letter response to space issues, right?

 

[halman]

Jared_72069,

Welcome to the SDC forums! Congratulations on actually acting upon your beliefs! I have written to every president since Reagan, (except for W.) as well as my state senators. I have usually received replies, (funny how they like to reply to paper letters,) and, I must say, the replies have all seemed like the one your received. Noncommital, non-specific, broadly supporting space exploration without defining any specific goals.

Still, every paper letter carries the weight of about 1,000 emails, which are considered to numerous to respond to. Also, emails can be generated by computers, so the validity of many is questioned. But a paper letter means that someone actually took a few minutes to sit down and write it out, and then took the expense (44 cents, currently,) of sending it in.

If everyone who reads these forums were to do the same thing, we might actually influence policy regarding space exploration, just as the seniors who wrote letters did regarding legislation which affected them. Let people know what you believe is important! Tell people that sports and celebrities will not be our salvation! Make people think for a change!

 

[EarthlingX]

In my experience, when forced to think, people turn hostile. Please tell me, it's only me, because then i might be able to fix this.

 

[halman]

Yes, it is true that some people will kill you if you try to make them think, but they are usually pretty worthless anyway.

Instead of trying to get someone to understand large concepts, like the Solar System, I just slip little teasers into the conversation. "Space is only 120 miles from here." "The International Space Station is moving at 5 miles per second." "Rocks go by us all the time. Big ones, too. We have come within a gnat's eyelash of getting wiped out more than once and didn't ever realize it until afterward."

We had better give up on making cars, and refrigerators, and start building space ships, lunar shuttles, deep space vehicles, and lunar mining equipment. Our labor costs are too expensive for the automobile and appliance markets, and our financial markets are still trying to recover from the last period of innovation. We need to be building stuff that other people want, so that we can exchange things of value with them. If we can offer a space station, on orbit, for a few hundred million, someone will snap it up, even if it is an old Airstream trailer we have welded an airlock to.

Anybody have a design for an automated, autonomous machine to travel about the Moon taking core samples from 1 kilometer down, and shipping them back to Earth? We need to know what the regolith is like below the solar bombardment, cosmic ray bombardment, rock bombardment layers. It may well be that the qualities of the matter on the surface are quite different than the qualities of matter somewhat deeper.

 

[EarthlingX]

Yes, it is true that some people will kill you if you try to make them think, but they are usually pretty worthless anyway.

Instead of trying to get someone to understand large concepts, like the Solar System, I just slip little teasers into the conversation. "Space is only 120 miles from here." "The International Space Station is moving at 5 miles per second." "Rocks go by us all the time. Big ones, too. We have come within a gnat's eyelash of getting wiped out more than once and didn't ever realize it until afterward."

I don't like the use of 'worthless' when referring to people, but they definitely don't help.
Why are people not more interested in space is a long and mostly political, historical and philosophical question, but in my opinion, mostly because there's just too much information about everything, and as we who post and lurk here, other follow their interest and pleasure, which finally translates to entertainment on popular media, and chatting on social media.
Second reason is because space is too far from what a regular mortal can do. It's not like buying an air ticket.
Third reason is because space has emphasis on science, which is far away from an average person, being busy with work, family,and being entertained. When it will become something an average Chu can do, there will be more interest.
Another reason is that only in dreams, power point presentations, and sci-fi, space is seen as our future home of artificial islands for our farms in the sky, with celestial bodies as continents, in this greatest sea of them all.

We had better give up on making cars, and refrigerators, and start building space ships, lunar shuttles, deep space vehicles, and lunar mining equipment. Our labor costs are too expensive for the automobile and appliance markets, and our financial markets are still trying to recover from the last period of innovation. We need to be building stuff that other people want, so that we can exchange things of value with them. If we can offer a space station, on orbit, for a few hundred million, someone will snap it up, even if it is an old Airstream trailer we have welded an airlock to.

We just need to start basing our lives on our needs not our wants.
Let me show you a car example:

and more here:
Top 15 Most Eccentric & Innovative Electric Vehicles
Check them out, some are cute

Some sort of a robotic revolution, similar to industrial is about to happen. Actually, it is already happening, but i don't think that it's generally recognized as such.
If space push would become global, coordinated policy, i'm sure, everyone would be very busy, every country has something to offer, and i'm sure there must be a way for everyone to profit at the end. No natives to worry about where we go, or at least we don't know about them yet.
When things, tech, become available, i'm sure they will find application on surface too, or even before the space.

Anybody have a design for an automated, autonomous machine to travel about the Moon taking core samples from 1 kilometer down, and shipping them back to Earth? We need to know what the regolith is like below the solar bombardment, cosmic ray bombardment, rock bombardment layers. It may well be that the qualities of the matter on the surface are quite different than the qualities of matter somewhat deeper.

You could probably have a bot on the Moon for around 500 M$, or 350 M€. It will not be very long, before it gets even cheaper, if it' not already.
Why not just put some evolved/improved Spirit/Opportunity clone there, while thinking what to do ?