2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Race

[Dantrag]

Bomb Patrol: Moon

????

[Demosthenes11]

that was a serious question. I see so many people always go OMG YES SPACE EXPLORATION but it just sounds like nerds beating off. I mean, obviously there is a lot for us to learn and discover out there, but without a clear purpose and specifically at this time, it seems terrible

[ronin sparthos]

This is why the establishment is so afraid of Newt Gingrich. Just as he's starting to gain some traction against Romney he pops up with a ridiculous idea like a moonbase.

...and they called Obama's investment in Solyndra bad.

[Dantrag]

that was a serious question. I see so many people always go OMG YES SPACE EXPLORATION but it just sounds like nerds beating off. I mean, obviously there is a lot for us to learn and discover out there, but without a clear purpose and specifically at this time, it seems terrible

I think one of the biggest pluses for something like this is all the tech improvements that we would get.

[archibaldcrane]

that was a serious question. I see so many people always go OMG YES SPACE EXPLORATION but it just sounds like nerds beating off.

What you're anti-masturbation now?

[Demosthenes11]

I think one of the biggest pluses for something like this is all the tech improvements that we would get.

go to space
???
shit technology?

[Demosthenes11]

I'm thinking some of you half-expect to find some prothean ruins on the moon/mars...

[Dantrag]

go to space
???
shit technology?

What?

http://www.problem-solving-technique...e-Program.html

Environmentally Friendly Technologies - NASA Spin-offs

Solar Energy – NASA has pioneered photovoltaic power systems for spacecraft applications. Solar energy technology has been developed for space programs to expand terrestrial applications where no other long term energy sources exist.

Forest Management - A satellite scanning system has been developed that monitors and maps forestation. It detects radiation reflected and emitted from trees.

Oil Spill Control – The concept was invented by Petrol Rem, Inc. of Pittsburgh, Penn. Also, Marshall Space Flight Center and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory helped to design the tiny beeswax balls (microcapsules).

These microcapsules made of beeswax are designed so that water can’t get in, but oil can. , The microorganisms inside release enzymes that digest the oil when the oil seeps through the shell. Once the balls are full of digested oil, they explode. The microcapsules release enzymes, carbon dioxide and water, all environmentally safe. The residue is even eatable fish food!

Fishing from Orbit – A series of satellites were launched in 1972 by NASA to observe the changing conditions of the earth’s surface. The ability to monitor changes to the earth for a long period of time provides invaluable information such as: preserving wildlife, monitoring air and water pollution, mapping the growth of cities, flood control and more.

Feeding Our World-And Prepping to Feed Other Worlds - Disney and NASA are working together in a unique partnership. They are striving to find ways to use human and industrial waste to provide the ingredients needed for growing edible plants. This technology will be needed for establishing human colonies on other worlds.

Other spin-offs include:Environmental Control Sensors, energy saving air conditioning, air purification, sewage treatment, pollution control and measuring devices, a whale identification method, and a earthquake prediction system.


Here are more benefits of the US Space Program

Consumer Benefits NASA Spinoffs
Cordless Power Tools and Appliances - A key technological advance made the battery-powered drill possible -- a computer program was used to design the drill's motor to use as little power as possible.

At Home Smoke Detector - NASA needed a smoke and fire detector for Skylab, which was America's first space station. Honeywell, Inc. developed the unit for NASA.

Home Insulation – Space technology and other high tech ideas have been used to provide significant savings in home heating and cooling costs. A NASA-derived Barrier to Radiation is designed to reflect away 95 percent of the sun's radiant energy.

Clean Water for the Home - During the Apollo program, NASA developed a system to sterilize the astronauts' drinking water. This method included the use of ions (an atom or group of atoms carrying a positive or negative electrical charge) as part of the water filtering system. This and other technologies are used for the in home systems.

Other Consumer Spin-offs include: Scratch resistant lenses, water purification system, high-density batteries, trash compactors, shock-absorbing helmets, home security systems, composite golf clubs, smoke detectors, flat panel televisions, freeze-dried technology, sports bras, hang gliders, quartz crystal timing equipment, and more.


Even more benefits of the US Space Program

Medicine Benefits NASA Spin-offs
Digital Imaging Breast Biopsy System - One of many technology spin-offs from the Hubble telescope is the use of its Charge Coupled Device (CCD) chips for digital imaging breast biopsies. This device images breast tissue more clearly and efficiently than other existing technologies.

More than 500,000 women need biopsies a year. The economic and emotional benefits are huge. This technology greatly reduces the pain, scarring, radiation exposure, time, and money associated with surgical biopsies.

Laser Angioplasty - Laser angioplasty with a "cool" type of laser, doesn’t damage blood vessel walls. It ensures non-surgical cleanings of clogged arteries with extraordinary precision and fewer complications than with balloon angioplasty.

Camera on a Chip - Physicians soon may end up tracking the onset of osteoporosis using "camera-on-a-chip" technology developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. It was originally developed for recording images in space.

Other spin-offs include: Eye Screening, Ultrasound scanners, MRI, cataract surgery tools, arteriosclerosis detection, automatic insulin pump, portable x-ray device and clean room apparel.

Computer Technology - NASA Spin-Offs - Virtual Reality, Microcomputers, Advanced keyboards, Laser Surveying, Compact Disc, Database Management System, Aircraft controls, and Design Graphics, Ground Processing Scheduling System., *1,2

The list goes on and on with Technology Spin-offs in manufacturing technology, public safety, transportation and much more.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/benefits/index.html

[Correction]

Dole Goes Nuclear

The Romney campaign sends along a statement by Bob Dole pasted below. Relations between Dole — an establishment figure in the party — and Gingrich were well known to be tense during the 1990s. Here it is:

I have not been critical of Newt Gingrich but it is now time to take a stand before it is too late. If Gingrich is the nominee it will have an adverse impact on Republican candidates running for county, state, and federal offices. Hardly anyone who served with Newt in Congress has endorsed him and that fact speaks for itself. He was a one-man-band who rarely took advice. It was his way or the highway.

Gingrich served as Speaker from 1995 to 1999 and had trouble within his own party. By 1997 a number of House Republican members wanted to throw him out as Speaker. But he hung on until after the 1998 elections when Newt could read the writing on the wall. His mounting ethics problems caused him to resign in early 1999. I know whereof I speak as I helped establish a line of credit of $150,000 to help Newt pay off the fine for his ethics violations. In the end, he paid the fine with money from other sources.

Gingrich had a new idea every minute and most of them were off the wall. He loved picking a fight with President Clinton because he knew this would get the attention of the press. This and a myriad of other specifics like shutting down the government helped to topple Gingrich in 1998.

In my run for the presidency in 1996 the Democrats greeted me with a number of negative TV ads and in every one of them Newt was in the ad. He was very unpopular and I am not only certain that this did not help me, but that it also cost House seats that year. Newt would show up at the campaign headquarters with an empty bucket in his hand — that was a symbol of some sort for him — and I never did know what he was doing or why he was doing it, and I’m not certain he knew either.

The Democrats are spending millions of dollars running negative ads against Romney as they are hoping that Gingrich will be the nominee which could result in a landslide victory for Obama and a crushing defeat for Republicans from the courthouse to the White House. Democrats are not running ads against Gingrich which is further proof they want to derail Governor Romney.

In my opinion if we want to avoid a sweeping victory by Obama in November, Republicans should nominate Governor Romney as our standard bearer. He could win because he has the requisite experience in the public and private sectors. He would be a president in whom we could have confidence and he would make us proud.

Shots. Fucking. Fired.

[Dantrag]

OH SNAP!

[Dantrag]

Is none of that stuff worth it Demon?

[Andalusian girls]

that was a serious question. I see so many people always go OMG YES SPACE EXPLORATION but it just sounds like nerds beating off. I mean, obviously there is a lot for us to learn and discover out there, but without a clear purpose and specifically at this time, it seems terrible

courtiers like you tittered when Christopher sought patronage in 1488

it goes beyond budgetary concerns, space exploration and colonization will be the most fundamental paradigm shift in the history of the species and given the finite resources & lifespan of this planet the only avenue for continued existence

and as that dapper fellow above pointed out the auxiliary benefits have been great. we've seen major developments in medicine, food production, engineering, and computer science as a result of NASA's efforts. though it is not the primary goal NASA estimates the rate of return at 800%, that is for every dollar spent on the space program the U.S. economy has received eight, which makes it one of the most economically successful programs in our government's history.

to put it into perspective the NASA budget is 18 billion annually, we spend about that on medicare and medicaid every week

[pohibaba]

I hate to sound like Max^TM here, but what advantages would a moon base have over a permanent space station? And would those advantages out-weigh (no pun intended) the disadvantages of going to another celestial body who's gravity we'll have to escape from everytime we want to go somewhere?

[Greatguardian]

that was a serious question. I see so many people always go OMG YES SPACE EXPLORATION but it just sounds like nerds beating off. I mean, obviously there is a lot for us to learn and discover out there, but without a clear purpose and specifically at this time, it seems terrible

Fuck the moon.

No, seriously. I love NASA. I love space exploration. But fuck the moon. Fuck the constellation program. And fuck moon bases.

What the fuck is on the moon? Jack shit. At best you could only hope to make some of your money back by opening up lunar travel to private enterprise that could let the extraordinarily wealthy purchase moon tours. There is nothing else of value left on the moon aside from maybe, just maybe, ice at the south pole.

Want to build a base somewhere? Phobos, man. Phobos. Send mining operations to near-Earth Asteroids. Get people to motherfucking Mars. I don't care. Going to the moon again is really just not that important. It's not like it would engender much technological innovation to begin with as we've already been to the moon and know how to get there/back. The scrapped Constellation program wasn't exactly fancy shit.

[Demosthenes11]

What?

http://www.problem-solving-technique...e-Program.html



http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/benefits/index.html

you mean when we payed hundreds of millions of dollars for something, some new technologies came out of it? shocking.

You can do that without the space program

[Eaglestrike]

Fuck the moon.

No, seriously. I love NASA. I love space exploration. But fuck the moon. Fuck the constellation program. And fuck moon bases.

What the fuck is on the moon? Jack shit. At best you could only hope to make some of your money back by opening up lunar travel to private enterprise that could let the extraordinarily wealthy purchase moon tours. There is nothing else of value left on the moon aside from maybe, just maybe, ice at the south pole.

Want to build a base somewhere? Phobos, man. Phobos. Send mining operations to near-Earth Asteroids. Get people to motherfucking Mars. I don't care. Going to the moon again is really just not that important. It's not like it would engender much technological innovation to begin with as we've already been to the moon and know how to get there/back. The scrapped Constellation program wasn't exactly fancy shit.

I see the moon as a "necessary" stepping stone to go further. It's obviously not a permanent solution, if anything happens to our sun/earth I don't know how long the moon would help us. However, having rich as fuck people going between the moon and earth they're going to want that shit to be quicker, so we'll develop quicker and better rocketry to get over there. We'll spend more time in space and better understand long term effects of this on human health, we'll develop better food, too. Trying to jump to a place much farther away will only lead to failure because just one or two lost ships can cause paranoia for a far away place, the moon is a safe bet because it's the safest bet there can be.

[Dantrag]

you mean when we payed hundreds of millions of dollars for something, some new technologies came out of it? shocking.

You can do that without the space program

Certain things don't just get created because we throw money at them. Someone needs something specific created which then can be used in a commercial market. Saying that it was a waste of money and that we shouldn't re-up the NASA program is silly and short sighted.

[Greatguardian]

I see the moon as a "necessary" stepping stone to go further. It's obviously not a permanent solution, if anything happens to our sun/earth I don't know how long the moon would help us. However, having rich as fuck people going between the moon and earth they're going to want that shit to be quicker, so we'll develop quicker and better rocketry to get over there. We'll spend more time in space and better understand long term effects of this on human health, we'll develop better food, too. Trying to jump to a place much farther away will only lead to failure because just one or two lost ships can cause paranoia for a far away place, the moon is a safe bet because it's the safest bet there can be.

Except the moon is a waste if you're using it as a "stepping stone" in space. You're not going to go through the trouble of escaping Earth's gravity just to land on that rock and go through the trouble of accelerating a second time. You don't seem to realize how silly the idea that we can get "lost" in our own solar system really is.

How long do you think it took NASA's scientists to plot the perfect course for our probes to navigate through the Asteroid belt without running into something? 2 seconds, they just shot it in a straight line. There's that much space between asteroids. And getting a ship to Mars? "Missing" an entire planet is the last thing anyone needs to worry about. It's a planet for crying out loud.

And getting to the moon faster? Do you know how fast we already go? This isn't a matter of building faster cars, son. The important improvements that can be gleaned from additional space flight lay in getting to space cheaper, not "faster". But what's the point in developing cheaper ways to get to the moon if there's nothing on the bloody moon? The first landing was symbolic. We did it. It's done. There's nothing to explore on the moon. It's a rock. Now we should be focusing our efforts on goals that matter. Phobos and Deimos, as well as all NEAs, are going to have a shit-ton of resources on them that we can use. Phobos actually makes sense as a supply base for Earth/Mars transit, too.

[Eaglestrike]

...

Due to its short orbital period and tidal interactions, Phobos's orbital radius is decreasing and it will eventually either impact the surface of Mars or break up into a planetary ring.

lol, that makes me not want to invest into Phobos. Though it would depend on what sort of time frame one is looking at for that to happen.

[Greatguardian]

By the time that happens, it won't really be a very important loss.