SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket modified for Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo launch on Jan. 30

[Admin]

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the first time on Jan. 30, sending food, supplies and science equipment to astronauts on the ISS.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket modified for Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo launch on Jan. 30 : Read more

 

[edfran]

By my estimate, a pint of ice cream for the ISS astronauts is about $200,000. Is everyone OK with that....or might you join me in arguing that we should de-orbit the ISS and put our resources to fixing our planet Earth?

 

[Classical Motion]

You picked a new unit, a new configuration as an example. First timers and modified projects always cost more. Remember the first VCRs? First flat screens?

Do you have any idea of the amount of money the wealthy people spend on entertainment? I'm sure it's much more than any report.

And if allowed, a few more years of old fashion greedy competition will harvest some of that wealth. A rotating hotel with gravity would allow any to visit. Such structures can contain various degrees of g with none in the center. A playground. I bet we have hotels before we have mining.

With a few minutes of acceleration and a few of weightlessness to get there....an exciting travel treat. With unseen views for those that must have the experience. Only the select will experience it. That will only last for awhile.......until the townhouses.

Location, location, location.

 

[Cisventure Astronot]

By my estimate, a pint of ice cream for the ISS astronauts is about $200,000. Is everyone OK with that....or might you join me in arguing that we should de-orbit the ISS and put our resources to fixing our planet Earth?

I'd like to begin this reply by saying that I don't intend to "dogpile" on you or insult your character, but to convince you that money spent on space, and science in general, does help the Earth. So please don't read this in a condescending tone.

If by "fixing our planet Earth" you mean "fighting climate change", then you should look at the climate-related science done in space and on the ISS, like this article by NASA.

Otherwise: science has many, usually unforeseen, knock-on effects. NASA helped make many things that it rarely gets credit for, like modern cameras.

NASA gets less than 1% of the federal budget, and it's not like the money is literally shot into space. It's put back into the economy. The money goes to highly-skilled individuals to hone their craft, manufacturers all over the country, inspiring and teaching the next generation of problem-solvers, and all sorts of places.

 

[edfran]

I'd like to begin this reply by saying that I don't intend to "dogpile" on you or insult your character, but to convince you that money spent on space, and science in general, does help the Earth. So please don't read this in a condescending tone.

If by "fixing our planet Earth" you mean "fighting climate change", then you should look at the climate-related science done in space and on the ISS, like this article by NASA.

Otherwise: science has many, usually unforeseen, knock-on effects. NASA helped make many things that it rarely gets credit for, like modern cameras.

NASA gets less than 1% of the federal budget, and it's not like the money is literally shot into space. It's put back into the economy. The money goes to highly-skilled individuals to hone their craft, manufacturers all over the country, inspiring and teaching the next generation of problem-solvers, and all sorts of places.

With all due respect, I am quite close to what the ISS is doing. While there is some serious science, the majority are just beyond high school science fair projects. What we have proved at ISS is this: humans are terrible suited to long duration space flight...and unaffordable in the face of mankind's needs on the planet.
I hope you would at least agreed that NASA has extraordinary capabities in robotic exploration. These are the highest value systems and sensors, and it is these that are making the greatest contribution to our better understanding of what is happening on our planet. NASA Manned Spaceflight is struggling to define missions for itself...like Artemis, a program that would ultimately consume beyond $100 billion to "land a woman and person of color on the Moon".
We can do better.

 

[Cisventure Astronot]

With all due respect, I am quite close to what the ISS is doing. While there is some serious science, the majority are just beyond high school science fair projects. What we have proved at ISS is this: humans are terrible suited to long duration space flight...and unaffordable in the face of mankind's needs on the planet.
I hope you would at least agreed that NASA has extraordinary capabities in robotic exploration. These are the highest value systems and sensors, and it is these that are making the greatest contribution to our better understanding of what is happening on our planet. NASA Manned Spaceflight is struggling to define missions for itself...like Artemis, a program that would ultimately consume beyond $100 billion to "land a woman and person of color on the Moon".
We can do better.

For the record, I don't follow the ISS very closely. So I can't really argue your point with any confidence. But I will say that there is a niche for manned space stations, which might be the "high school science fair projects" you refer to. The presence of astronauts to carry out science makes it easier for third-parties to conduct research in space with NASA's help. I can't say whether it's worth it, though.

I don't see any glaring flaw in your response. Thank you for the civil and thought-provoking conversation.