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hubie writes:
"U.S. House of Representatives's Science, Space and Technology Committee had a meeting to discuss whether NASA should help out the Mars Foundation. The Mars Foundation scrapped their earlier plans to send two humans to Mars, and revised it to do a two-person fly-by. However, they want NASA help. They want a design modification to the Orion spacecraft and they want use of the Space Launch System. If this goes anywhere, it will be interesting how it is proposed that funding get allocated."
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Mars Foundation Solicits Congressional Help
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Life is to you a dashing and bold adventure.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Wednesday March 05 2014, @02:22AM
NASA attracts young minds to science, like professional sports attracts young minds to the skills of throwing a ball into some hoop, hitting it, or throwing it between two goalposts. I am a bit INTP here, as I see no real benefit to society of winning some sports game, as after the game is played, what is left?
On another thread, I have discussed with several other Soylenters about China's problem with air pollution and possible ways to fix it. Maybe I am full of crap on my suggestions... maybe I have some merit... but after all is said and done, if anything we did resulted in cleaner air for the Chinese, we have left something of value.
Same for things like water desalination. I have had a particular interest in magnetically desalinating water by using passing water with DC flowing in it in magnetic fields, trying to take advantage of the fact that salt water conducts electricity, while pure water does not.
NASA gives kids dreams. They helped start me off in Engineering. As a science fair winner, I was invited to Melboure, Florida to view the NASA launch facilities. That was like a kid being wooed into sports by being invited into a major league game.
I know I am being very nerdy here, but I feel I have wasted my life if I leave nothing behind but a bunch of trophies where I demonstrated I could throw a ball into some hoop, or could acquire large tracts of rental houses by taking advantage of laws that make ownership of things one does not use profitable. I feel I am of worth only if I leave something truly meaningful behind... like how to clean the air, have fresh water to drink, or maybe I can arrange refrigeration systems to make us more comfortable.
Maybe in and of itself, what I leave on the moon does not mean all that much, but many of the same technologies we play around with trying to make an inhospitable place survivable can be used right here.
I am in awe of what generations before me have done and to this day wonder how they did it. ( very massive stone structures come to mind ), and wonder how I could harness the energy provided by nature to better our own condition without creating an environmental mess. I find this to be far more of a challenge worthy of my time than say participation in what passes for entertainment these days. Quite frankly, this stuff the media panders to me is sheer boredom, as I feel I have far more meaningful things to work on than what is offered.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]