The Space thread

[Darth Mandarb]

He is smart and realizes that we (humans) NEED to be in space... not the low-earth orbit bullshit we've been stuck with since 1972.

Do we really? Why? I have a hard time thinking of a problem that isn't easier to solve on Earth than in space.

To my mind; yes.  To yours; no.

I've had this conversation so many times before (a few times on this board even) and the conclusion is that people who think as you do (and I'm not saying you're wrong) will never be persuaded to see the side that people like me present on the subject (and the reverse is true as well).  I think human kind has no hope of long-term existence if we remain a one-planet species.  You disagree.  I'm perfectly content leaving it at that because, honestly, I'm tired of this argument

When my future relatives watch your future relatives disintegrate on earth while we're safely off the planet I will have the last laugh

So it's cool to see that I was correct in my assumption (on why he wrote the article in the first place) and I agree 100% with his contention!  If people are talking about it and getting excited about it there's a FAR greater chance of something like that actually happening.

Can't happen soon enough as far as I'm concerned!

[Anian]

I've had this conversation so many times before (a few times on this board even) and the conclusion is that people who think as you do (and I'm not saying you're wrong) will never be persuaded to see the side that people like me present on the subject (and the reverse is true as well).  I think human kind has no hope of long-term existence if we remain a one-planet species.  You disagree.  I'm perfectly content leaving it at that because, honestly, I'm tired of this argument

When my future relatives watch your future relatives disintegrate on earth while we're safely off the planet I will have the last laugh

So it's cool to see that I was correct in my assumption (on why he wrote the article in the first place) and I agree 100% with his contention!  If people are talking about it and getting excited about it there's a FAR greater chance of something like that actually happening.

Can't happen soon enough as far as I'm concerned!

Shouldn't we develop technology that will provide a healthy (I mean this in ecological, peaceful and rational way) environment so we can concentrate on scientific research to actually be productive in space?

Certainly the world we created now is not sustainable as is, even if we start recycling everything and stop the wars and cure diseases and limit the pollution, I think humans will still in their core be basically parasites and space travel and colonizing other worlds is the only way to ensure a future where we actually might feel contempt.
Actually I think we should do what the aliens in Independence day do, go from planet to planet in giant ships. I mean, a bit less militaristic but basically going from planet to planet and harvesting stuff. 

[Ryan Timothy B]

I understand the sentimental appeal, but rationally I don't think there are good reasons why we should try to get people off Earth.

That's likely what people said to the earlier explorers when they went looking for different continents.

Sure we could live underground, but what are we ultimately learning from that? In the bottom of the ocean we discover things each time we go to a new area, and that's basically what living on a different celestial body is about. Which is what the mars rovers are doing, just mostly limited to roving and photos. Or did that one rover with the digging equipment and such actually make it there?

I used to follow NASA on twitter but they would tweet like 40 messages a day with meaningless things. Like 5 messages a day about Angry Birds in Space like that has anything to do with NASA. lol Unless they're trying to use pop-culture to excite people about space or Rovio paid some good money for advertisements.