The "New" NASA under obama

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Can anyone name me a president since Kennedy that has had a clear plan for America in space? Not just vague promises, but an actual vision of where we're going and how long to get there?

Reagan...

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Reagan...

The Strategic Defense Initiative was about defense more than about pushing out to new frontiers. I do recall Reagan proposed Space Station Freedom. Although announced in the 1984 State of the Union Address, Freedom was never constructed or completed as originally designed, and after years of cutbacks and revisions, the remnants of the project were folded into the International Space Station. Which still leaves us in Low Earth Orbit.

Ever since Apollo it feels like American space policy has been more about aimlessly making work than having a real long term goal.

[razark]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Ever since Apollo it feels like American space policy has been more about aimlessly making work than having a real long term goal.

Apollo wasn't about exploration. It was just a pissing contest with the Russians.

We won, we demonstrated we could do it, and we haven't been back in almost 40 years.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by razark

...we haven't been back in almost 40 years.

There's a reason for that, you know.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

There's a reason for that, you know.

hhmm, I thought it was because the decline in quality of the US astronaut?

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

hhmm, I thought it was because the decline in quality of the US astronaut?

I think it's more of a the decline in quality of the US citizen.

The space program is a good mirror of American society. The tide for America is going out. Kennedy, we miss you.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

I think it's more of a the decline in quality of the US citizen.

The space program is a good mirror of American society. The tide for America is going out. Kennedy, we miss you.

Jeebus, I'm losing control of this thread.

So we can't explore for unchartered golf courses then?

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

The Strategic Defense Initiative was about defense more than about pushing out to new frontiers.

But a massive military deployment in to space would have required an Ground to Orbit infrastructure that we don't have today. More infrastructure (more rockets, more launch pads, and more places building rockets) means cheaper launches which in turn means the non military ventures become cheaper.