This is what losing a space race looks like.
this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2024
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The challenging thing here is that NASA does have deep, systemic problems and is in need of some overhaul. SLS is a breathtakingly expensive boondoggle, lunar gateway has no reason to exist, Orion is underpowered and overweight, Mars Sample Return’s entire mission is in question, JWST was a decade behind schedule and an order of magnitude over budget, and the list goes on. Extreme risk-aversion and congressional meddling have resulted in a bureaucratic quagmire of an organization. It’s hard to find nasa projects that are going well.
Of course I don’t think a gorilla with a sledgehammer as we’re sadly going to see from Trump will make things any better, we need a surgeon with a scalpel.
NASA budget shouldn't matter on the scale that it does. It is <2% of the US military spendings
This is such a common theme.
There are huge systemic problems which the "establishment" will demonstratably not address and Trump appears to be the answer to many voters... but him effectively addressing them is a wild fantasy.
We are about a decade plus into the current political theme of "throw the baby out with the bathwater". It's scary. These people have no plan. It's the levellers and the diggers all over again.
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Honestly I think lunar gateway is a decent idea, Its the easiest thing to do thats new as far as space is concerned and thus potentially the cheapest way to gain international co-operation, public interest, and potentially ignite another space race. Looking forward it can can potentially act as a life raft for any future lunar colonies in the event of a mishap. And while a moon colony isn't as impressive as a mars one its much safer to practice on given that emergency re-supply can actually get there before the crew are already skeletonized. A moon base itself can then act as support for moon based telescopes (which have significant advantages, and disadvantages of course) and if you can get some kind of manufacturing going its far easier to launch from the moon than it is from earth, even if the moon just ends up as a glorified space gas station.
Moon base on the surface is a great idea, I’m 1000% in favor.
Lunar gateway is in NRHO, which means rendezvous windows are a week apart. This makes it pretty useless for any kind of emergency. It’s in this crazy orbit because Orion is a pig that can’t transport a crew to low lunar orbit and back.
SLS should definitely be on the chopping block. It was a good idea to fund two possibilities for heavy lift rockets but SLS is clearly going nowhere. At this point, Bozo’s rocket seems like a better choice despite being so much farther behind in development.
But lunar gateway would be pretty useful if we really are going to establish a long term presence. It would allow:
- having the lander and the transportation be different vehicles
- keeping a backup lander convenient
- having a secure place to store extra supplies until a base can be built
- having a possible backup place for astronauts in case the lunar base has problems
Any sort of problem on lunar base would go bad real fast if the nearest help is two weeks away.
Having a place to park and transfer lets them not only use different vehicles for traveling and landing but also differently sized vehicles
…. But it’s only worthwhile if we’re establishing a long term presence
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God, I love how the incoming cabinet has zero redeeming qualities amongst them.
They are predictable
I think I would rather be pleasantly surprised.
When has that stopped them when they have the Congress and the courts?
Hey now... it's not like it's something heinous like a peanut farm.
"Sure is a nice publicly funded and scientifically minded space program you got here. It would be a shame if anything happened to it."
Convenient? That was the whole plan with buying X all along, to get into politics, and this guy is still there keeping it relevant.
Doesn't that fat fuck get lots of money from NASA?
What sucks the most is NASA fights tooth and nail for funding as it is. Imagine gutting it, and then coming back 4 years later to ask just for their existing budgets back.
Step 1) hurt other manufacturers more than Tesla
Step 2) benefit SpaceX by gutting NASA
Step 3) no regulations for digging tunnels?
No regulations for digging tunnels is the boring part
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Please come to europe and lets make the european space agency get their shit together.
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