Comments on That Piece of Space Junk is Down and Safe

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Well said!

But there's more to the story. Think of all the technology that's now available to all of us as a result of research related to sending humans into space. Light sticks, Tang, those silver foil blankets that reflect body heat and can keep you from freezing to death if your car goes off the road in a snowstorm, lightweight auto parts, mini cameras/video cameras, computerized everything, screen savers with views of earth from orbit, screen savers of the universe taken by Hubble, new theories about the expansion of the universe, and other scientific things that may not have gone commercial yet.

posted by Pat_B on August 16, 2005 at 10:50 AM | link to this | reply

Kooka Lives

makes a powerful and eloquent argument, but I remain in agreement with Damon. I never understood what all the fuss was about with regard to space exploration. I want to know the tangible human benefits. I am suspicious of arguments for exploration/science for its own sake when, as Damon points out, most people in the world are living in poverty. Now, if Kooka could provide an example as to how space exploration could solve human problems like that, I'm open to it.

posted by Dylan24 on August 10, 2005 at 5:21 AM | link to this | reply

We watched the touchdown, not that one could see much in the dark. I'm glad they got down safely.

posted by Ca88andra on August 10, 2005 at 5:02 AM | link to this | reply

I gotta disagree here

We need to get back out there. We have not even started to explore or learn about the universe and it is not going to happen until we really get a presence out there. Our problem is we are playing too safe and not taking chances. That is one reason I am thrilled to see that the private sector is getting involved in the space race. If we were to really start to develop long term survival on the moon or even Mars we would be able to use that knowledge and technology to better help us here on earth. The thing is we are only really going to be able to develop such things by putting people in a situation where it is life or death for them to figure it out. Trust me when I say there are thousands, most likely hundreds of thousands, of people who would be more than willing to take those chances. But we are a society which would rather play it safe and not risk it all in order to grow.
If we seriously get into space exploration it will be able to come back and help us here on Earth. And we have every right to go out there and explore and learn and grow. If we keep ourselves trapped here on Earth we are slowing down that process.

posted by kooka_lives on August 9, 2005 at 3:12 PM | link to this | reply

Mark....

...well, that's one idea!

Thanks for reading.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on August 9, 2005 at 10:06 AM | link to this | reply

Military Wife...

...WHY do we need manned space exploration?

I mean, apparently we've had Teflon non-stick pans and Velcro out of the space programme so far. Why do we need it now?

Thanks for reading.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on August 9, 2005 at 9:28 AM | link to this | reply

We need space exploration but we have had too many accidents over the past couple of decades.  Maybe we need to take some of that money and see what we are doing wrong with the crafts we are sending up there and how to improve them.

 

posted by Bel_ on August 9, 2005 at 8:46 AM | link to this | reply

Oh, you unfortunate, short-sighted man ~

We need space exploration.  As in manned missions to the sun, which would really help cut down on prison overcrowding. 

posted by mark2556 on August 9, 2005 at 7:30 AM | link to this | reply

littlemspickles...

...apparently it has the mother of all parachutes attached to its arse-end. imagine having to iron that tonight.

Thanks for reading, Miss!

D

posted by DamonLeigh on August 9, 2005 at 7:24 AM | link to this | reply

katray...

...yes, it's an ugly picture.

Happily, I don't see the resources for taking over Iraq, Iran, North Korea, the moon AND space.

Thanks, katray.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on August 9, 2005 at 7:23 AM | link to this | reply

Shuttlecock...

....BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the comment, Dave.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on August 9, 2005 at 7:22 AM | link to this | reply

LARDYCAKE @ 'God knows where there luggage is.'

But some serious political points to consider here too. Well broached.

If I hadn't read this, I'd be in my own little mother-in-law style bubble, just saying 'oh I'm so glad they got home safely in that shuttlecock'.

posted by _dave_says_ack_ on August 9, 2005 at 6:53 AM | link to this | reply

I felt such relief while watching Damon

Used to be mingled with pride when I visited NASA in Florida many moons ago, but now that I know the real agenda (space militarization and domination by US, laid out in PNAC and a 2000 report by Rumsfeld) very different emotions indeed.

posted by katray4 on August 9, 2005 at 6:51 AM | link to this | reply

we just watched it land safely on tv...

posted by littlemspickles on August 9, 2005 at 5:47 AM | link to this | reply