Tight budget quashes US space ambitions

casstony · #1 19-08-2009, 09:29 PM

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US ambitions for manned space exploration have hit a major hurdle in the wake of severe budget constraints, according to preliminary findings of a panel appointed by President Barack Obama.
Reaching Mars was deemed too risky while returning to the Moon by 2020 was ruled out barring an additional three billion dollars per year to replace the retiring space shuttle fleet and build bigger rockets, according to the group led by Norm Augustine, a former CEO of US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090819/ts_alt_afp/usspace

In other news, US$250 billion per quarter being gifted to thieving bankers:

The only reason we have any "resemblance" of a functioning credit system at all at the present time is that the government and Fed are pumping upwards of $250 billion dollars a quarter - that is, $1 trillion a year - into the system to subsidize bad credit risks and keep those who have been and are getting screwed by these frauds - so long as they're other banks and businesses - from having to bear the cost of these acts.
Instead of locking up the bank robbers (who wear a $3,000 suit instead of a kevlar vest and a gun) we are covering their theft with taxpayer money.
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/

If I read this right, white collar criminals have cost us a big chunk of our space program, not to mention a couple decades of general future prosperity.

renormalised (Carl) · #2 19-08-2009, 10:09 PM

That's the end of any ambitions of getting to Mars....or even going back to the Moon anytime soon. All thanks to a criminally corrupt banking and political system. You can thank the previous administration for lending a huge helping hand for the mess we're in now.

picklesrules (Nicholas) · #3 19-08-2009, 10:12 PM

I agree with renomrm but u know whats gonna happen, China is already building there gear they will get to the moon in 5-9 yrs the US will be like oh **** we look like idiots now and they will mass build so space race to mars

seanliddelow (Sean) · #4 19-08-2009, 10:12 PM

This is a good time for Australia to be on the world stage. Countrys like Brazil and India have there own satelite launches and Australia has nothing. Are we in the stone ages?

picklesrules (Nicholas) · #5 19-08-2009, 10:18 PM

unfourntenly Sean Australia is massively behind in Technology compared to many countries its shameful , The Rudd administration has tried to fix this with his broadband plan but mate for starters we have the crappiest internet connections. But Australia has a lot more issues closer to home before we start constructing space craft though would be nice to see a Enterprise ship being built in space rite over Perth lol use my scope to check the progress

picklesrules (Nicholas) · #6 19-08-2009, 10:21 PM

Quick update Australia is ranked 41 in the World for internet speed and 68 for upload speeds

renormalised (Carl) · #7 19-08-2009, 10:21 PM

We were, at one stage, one of only 4 countries to have had a satellite up in space...WRESAT, in 1967. Want to know who canceled our space program. Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, our "greatest" Prime Minister. And you want to know what one of his excuses was...."I don't foresee any need to have a space program as I don't see any future in going into space". So much for being a smart man!!!.

seanliddelow (Sean) · #8 19-08-2009, 10:27 PM

We do lead the world in health and astronomy were the square kilometer array radio telescope will be built in WA. Im hoping to go to uni at UWA with their 20 million dollar radio telescope building

(Just have to get better at algebra

). The australian goverment is putting more and more money in astronomy and i think its the start of something big........

picklesrules (Nicholas) · #9 19-08-2009, 10:30 PM

thts tru yay for SKA, i was thinking about going to curtin to study Astronomy but i didnt do physics or Applic so computer networking & systems for me

renormalised (Carl) · #10 19-08-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by picklesrules

unfourntenly Sean Australia is massively behind in Technology compared to many countries its shameful , The Rudd administration has tried to fix this with his broadband plan but mate for starters we have the crappiest internet connections. But Australia has a lot more issues closer to home before we start constructing space craft though would be nice to see a Enterprise ship being built in space rite over Perth lol use my scope to check the progress

Actually, we're not. Australia is light years ahead of many countries, including the US, in a great many things. What our problems is, is that we have a culture in this country that's eaten away our ability to do anything...it's the "she'll be right, mate. We can live off the sheep's back" attitude. That and both the corporate and political culture in this country just doesn't promote anything inovative in this country. Look at Ralph Sarich. Comes up with a revolutionary orbital car engine here. Had to go over to the US to get it built and ended up being bought out by Ford. The guys at ANU have come up with a new type of ion propulsion system that could get us out to Mars in 45 days. That good it could get us clean out of Solar System within a year. They can't get the funding to continue here unless the ESA help them out, which they are. Government won't give them a cent. The Americans have come up with something a little different and they claim a 39 day trip....however, their researchers came out here to look at what we came up with to take back ideas to modify and improve their drive systems... New Scientist

No, we have the capability and the technical know how. We just don't have the political or corporate will to do anything here.

renormalised (Carl) · #11 19-08-2009, 10:44 PM

Quote:

The australian goverment is putting more and more money in astronomy

The Australian government is giving tokens to the universities in so far as funding is concerned. $80 million or so for that telescope in Chile. What they don't tell you is that is over 20-30 years. You'd think for a country that is the world's 14th largest economy and earns more than $1trillion a year in it's GDP, that we could maybe give a little bit more to fund research and teaching in this country.

seanliddelow (Sean) · #12 19-08-2009, 10:44 PM

Western Australia is really behind in late night trading. Only on thursdays

.

renormalised (Carl) · #13 19-08-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

The Rudd administration has tried to fix this with his broadband plan

That was a complete and utter joke, and every smart techie in the country knew this. Like all politicians, they're fond of coming up with grand schemes to make good with a great many things, but when it comes down to actually getting them done, they fall by the wayside.

seanliddelow (Sean) · #14 19-08-2009, 10:57 PM

The liberals and labour parties are jokes but theres not much credible people besides them to vote for

renormalised (Carl) · #15 19-08-2009, 10:58 PM

Well, that's what we've got to do something about, isn't it

picklesrules (Nicholas) · #16 19-08-2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

That was a complete and utter joke, and every smart techie in the country knew this. Like all politicians, they're fond of coming up with grand schemes to make good with a great many things, but when it comes down to actually getting them done, they fall by the wayside.

exactly hence why i said tried it was never going to happen