Comments on: Budget woes at NASA to impact Mars Rovers

By: xprdq

xprdq — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:43:23 +0000

Let's say dreams beyond our wildest occur ...

Next week a rover goes over the next hill and discovers a Martian slug crawling alongside a small swamp with simple plant life.

The week after that, the other rover crests a hill and discovers the fountain of youth.

Ten years later, how will either of those discoveries have helped any of us here on Earth? I'm looking for something more concrete than a "we'll be enriched by the knowledge that they exist" answer which is really a Star Trek fan, "life on Mars is cool" answer.

Seriously; How will we benefit from the knowledge of life and/or water on Mars in practical terms. Some way that the average Joe Taxpayer can look at it and say "My life sure is better now that they've found life on Mars."

p.s. This is not a forum to debate for or against the war in Iraq. If you're going to avoid answering the question by making some stupid "well, they spend more in Iraq and that doesn't help us either" statement, don't bother. People like that (you see them in previous posts) are, in my opinion, just admitting that they don't have a good answer and so they're pointing a finger elsewhere to avoid answering the question. I'm sure there are other blogs about the Iraq related costs/budget. Go make an argument against the war there and I'll be happy to hear your opinion. (I may even agree with you.) Just Please stop diluting this topic.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:31:29 +0000

Why not turn scientific operations over to a university?

I am sure there are plenty of qualified scientists/students who would love to take over the mission for free.

By: Mr. Spock

Mr. Spock — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:06:39 +0000

I think we're all in agreement, Spirit and Opportunity live on! Live long and prosper! Mars...Our new hope for the future of Earth.

By: Pieter Westbroek

Pieter Westbroek — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:22:56 +0000

As with most of you I find it appalling that a war can be funded yet scientific progress is blacklisted.

Although a Canadian, I pray that the next government has a bit more forward thinking sense...

Oh and Bush...you are right...humans cannot impact the environment...those chunks breaking off the antarctic are nothing to worry about...

By: Steve Morris

Steve Morris — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:26:51 +0000

Interesting politics in NASA headquarters. The Mars Science Lander overruns by $200 million NASA decides to cut the MER rovers by 20%, yet the James Webb Space Telescope goes from a $1 Billion mission to a $4.5 Billion (or is it $5 Billion now) and funding for Hubble doesn't get cut.

By: Cunuk

Cunuk — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:46:35 +0000

For comparison, the US government is spending about $4 million per HOUR on the war in Iraq. Knowledge of Mars might come in handy when we finally make the earth uninhabitable.

By: Anonymous Poster

Anonymous Poster — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:48:42 +0000

Am I the only one that noticed that the "journalist" that hacked together this piece doesn't know that the correct word is "telltale", and that "telltell" ISN'T a word at all?

By: cozumelkid

cozumelkid — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:39:47 +0000

Well, I guess one mans illegitimate war can kill legitimate scientific research that could serve the many.

By: ktobin

ktobin — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:24:27 +0000

For the record, NASA is a federal agency - with a budget of approx. 17 billion dollars this year.

–Kate Tobin, Sr. Producer, CNN Science & Technology

By: Wiki

Wiki — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:00:46 +0000

Awaiting for moderation...whaaa, free speech people!