Tight budget quashes US space ambitions

[seanliddelow (Sean)]

Originally Posted by picklesrules

ok new plan
we start our own IIS Space Program

Headed by the realistic party

[picklesrules (Nicholas)]

ok who wants to submit our plans to parliament, i belive wed be more civil then those old un domesticated fools have you seen how they behave

[casstony]

Originally Posted by glenluceskies

I'm sorry, but I doub't we will return to the Moon or reach Mars in my lifetime now.

One possibility that's crossed my mind is that WW3 will spur technological advances as happened in WW2(rocketry, radar, navigation, jet engines, etc). So if we survive WW3, the associated tech advances might allow us to make up for lost time in the exploration/settlement of space. I would have vastly preferred the slow and steady approach but it seems humanity just doesn't work that way.

[marki]

Hey guys, don't sound so disappointed. The long succession of Australian governments have never supported technical innovation in this country even though we have some of the worlds most brilliant and talented minds. Much of what is invented here is bought cheaply by large multinationals then sold back to us at a high premium. We have always relied on the minners and farmers to earn a living for the rest of us.

I am a little confused about the use of the term "we" in the posts below as clearly you are reffering to the US of which we are not a part. I say we take a leaf from the guys at top gear but do it ozzie style . If we grafted a set of wings onto an XU1 and put a rocket up it's bum we too might be able to enter the space race .

Mark

[picklesrules (Nicholas)]

haha love your idea mark

[renormalised (Carl)]

It'll probably be an Aussie scientist that comes up with a practical warp drive, but the idiots who run this country wouldn't know what to do with it!!!!.

[marki]

If we did run with the XU1 what would we call our intrepid space travellers??? Ozonaughts, ozzienaughts, ockernaughts or my favourite considering the launch vehical, bogan-naughts.

As for the warp drive, that would have a for sale sign on it before the paint dried.

Mark

[Jen]

bugger

[casstony]

[QUOTE=marki;480791
I am a little confused about the use of the term "we" in the posts below as clearly you are reffering to the US of which we are not a part.
Mark[/QUOTE]

If the US space program is scaled down 'we' all lose and vice versa. We're increasingly becoming citizens of the world and I like to minimize the barriers that separate people, including nationalism. Building a permanent presence on Mars is a grand idea that can excite and unite people and give them something to focus on other than the fictional enemies our politicians create for us.

I'd rather see the Chinese succeed than have nobody pushing out into space; I only hope they shift toward a fairer form of government at some stage.

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Originally Posted by marki

If we grafted a set of wings onto an XU1 and put a rocket up it's bum we too might be able to enter the space race .
Mark

Thought a Monaro would be more aerodynamic

[TrevorW]

No No a go go mobile

"Bogans in Space"

"Ozmoronnauts"

Why do you think the Yanks influenced the closure of Woomera

[marki]

Originally Posted by casstony

If the US space program is scaled down 'we' all lose and vice versa. We're increasingly becoming citizens of the world and I like to minimize the barriers that separate people, including nationalism. Building a permanent presence on Mars is a grand idea that can excite and unite people and give them something to focus on other than the fictional enemies our politicians create for us.

I'd rather see the Chinese succeed than have nobody pushing out into space; I only hope they shift toward a fairer form of government at some stage.

I think of the budget cuts as a blessing in disguise. No one nation could nor should bare the burden of exploring the solar system and beyond. Without the ready cash flow NASA will have to get funding else where and I mean by cooperation with other nations to achieve their goal. This will give them a freedom they have never had and release them from the whims of congress. I too support the idea of a "world citizen " but see current nationalistic ideologies of countries like the US, China and Russia as a major barrier to the concept becoming a reality. Here is a chance for those barriers to be dismantled a little and that is only ever going to be a good thing.

Mark

[marki]

Originally Posted by lacad01

Thought a Monaro would be more aerodynamic

Ah but its got a big fat backside and will need much more grunt to get off the ground. The Torana wins on weight alone.

Mark

[TrevorW]

Originally Posted by renormalised; [URL="http://prl.anu.edu.au/SP3"

The guys at ANU have come up with a new type of ion propulsion system[/URL] 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.

How much would you be prepared to contribute I'd put up $500 would you.

Lets see 6000 members that's $3 million in my books and if the Govt put in an equal amount they'd have $6 million.

Now how about it, any one want to contribute

just imagine mission to Mars engine funded by private citizens members of IIS

In my opinion Govt and private enterprise don't think beyond the next election or balance sheet so stuff em power of the people I say

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by TrevorW

How much would you be prepared to contribute I'd put up $500 would you.

Lets see 6000 members that's $3 million in my books and if the Govt put in an equal amount they'd have $6 million.

Now how about it, any one want to contribute

just imagine mission to Mars engine funded by private citizens members of IIS

In my opinion Govt and private enterprise don't think beyond the next election or balance sheet so stuff em power of the people I say

A project like this needs funding in the millions...$50-$100million would be a good start. That's per year...you could get a fully functioning system up and running within a few years with a budget like that.

[marki]

Carl, typical post grad student, always looking for the big funding. How about trying the sticky tape and wire solution like a tori with a fire cracker up its fundermental orrifice .

mark

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by marki

Carl, typical post grad student, always looking for the big funding. How about trying the sticky tape and wire solution like a tori with a fire cracker up its fundermental orrifice .

mark

Too much thrust....might do ourselves some mischief

[TrevorW]

Yeah why does it cost $10000 for a toilet seat, why does everything have to be built in a clean room when it will probably be contaminated anyhow. Why does the rover cost so much. Me thinks they price themselves out of the game sometimes.

[renormalised (Carl)]

It cost $10000 for a toilet seat and $2500 for a hammer because most of that money is being siphoned off into the projects that really matter..."Black". Last year, the US Airforce had a $9billion dollar operational hole in its budget, that they couldn't account for. The money just "disappeared".

[TrevorW]

Oh the proverbial Black Hole