The article states, " Each launch therefore carries an estimated cost of between $2 billion (£1.7 billion) and $4 billion."
Wow. That's a LOT of money! Thanks for that fact.
My main concern is....
NASA is perhaps the scientific enterprise best known to the public. Without intending to, NASA seems to be communicating to the public that humanity is currently in the happy circumstance of being able to aim some of it's best minds (and tons of money) at entirely optional projects.
The public will probably eat up the moon shot show, but to me, this is an irrational message which undermines my confidence in NASA. It's looking more like a make work jobs program to me rather than a scientific enterprise. I'd prefer they stay focused on existential threats like monitoring climate change, looking for incoming asteroids etc.
As you, Dr. Krauss, pointed out in Phoenix, going to Mars, or any other planet, for an extended period of time is much like going to the bottom of the ocean and deciding to step outside for a minute to get a breath of fresh air. I always laugh when watching fantasy space movies when the characters zip around between planets and exit their ships with no helmets. I always think — amazing that all the planets have the same air gases, etc.
Another thing that needs to be considered about visiting another world where there might be life of some sort, is that we have no immunity to alien pathogens. Stepping out of a space ship on such a world would be like entering the Ebola ward — I’d rather not be around someone who just exited that hospital. This was one of the points raised in Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora
The article states, " Each launch therefore carries an estimated cost of between $2 billion (£1.7 billion) and $4 billion."
Wow. That's a LOT of money! Thanks for that fact.
My main concern is....
NASA is perhaps the scientific enterprise best known to the public. Without intending to, NASA seems to be communicating to the public that humanity is currently in the happy circumstance of being able to aim some of it's best minds (and tons of money) at entirely optional projects.
The public will probably eat up the moon shot show, but to me, this is an irrational message which undermines my confidence in NASA. It's looking more like a make work jobs program to me rather than a scientific enterprise. I'd prefer they stay focused on existential threats like monitoring climate change, looking for incoming asteroids etc.
indeed.. though it does get young kids interested in science
As you, Dr. Krauss, pointed out in Phoenix, going to Mars, or any other planet, for an extended period of time is much like going to the bottom of the ocean and deciding to step outside for a minute to get a breath of fresh air. I always laugh when watching fantasy space movies when the characters zip around between planets and exit their ships with no helmets. I always think — amazing that all the planets have the same air gases, etc.
Another thing that needs to be considered about visiting another world where there might be life of some sort, is that we have no immunity to alien pathogens. Stepping out of a space ship on such a world would be like entering the Ebola ward — I’d rather not be around someone who just exited that hospital. This was one of the points raised in Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora
less worried about that than the radiation on the way.