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Re: [Phys-l] A solid round of boo to NASA




----- Original Message ----- From: <Faraday321@aol.com>

I think the hope that the Human race can survive the self inflicted
destruction of our environment by immigrating to other planets is a bit unrealistic.
Most likely it will just be billions and billions of dollars to get a few
photo opps for our astronauts while real science using much more cost
effective unmanned probes will be starved for funds.


It's a case for the ultimate survivability of the species, independent of global catastrophes, self-induced or otherwise, not an escape from earthly problems. The sequence for such would be moon colony, Mars colony, perhaps a hollowed out asteroid colony (full engineering plans available for such), then after centuries of unmanned probes to other star systems and IF an appropriate planet can be found (even one that needs considerable terra-forming) a major colony might be established. The latter might take millennia (or may never happen) but will certainly never happen if we never start. Besides, the moon would be a great location for all kinds of science if there were a permanent base there. Remember, it is the public that pays for 'science' and with so much of that science far from 'exciting' we do need a few focal points that can inspire the 'man in the street'. Space exploration was (and can still be) one of those. Expensive, yes, but then so is Fermi-Lab and the benefit of most of that research is pretty much lost on the public.

Rick