Space

[x EvilErmine x]

So today is the 50'th anniversary of the first human space flight and i think this is something really special. For the first time in the history of the universe (well as far as we know anyway) fifty years ago a man escaped from the gravity well of this smallish beautiful blue planet and the first human eyes were able to see it as a whole first hand. We had achieved something that to my mind surpasses even the 7 wonders of the old world and the discovery of flight all rolled into one. We left the protective atmosphere of the earth and swam in the void that our ancestors once called the playground of the Gods alone. A few years later in 1969 men would set foot on our closest celestial neighbor, the moon. A place that people all the way back to the beginning of our race have marveled at and speculated upon.

So people of the escapist what is your opinion on space? Do you think that we should be focusing more attention on it than we currently do or are we better off just staying at home? Where do you think we will be in another fifty years time?

 

[razor343]

We should definately focus on getting the hell off this planet, and preferably splitting ourselves very far and thin to lower our chances of blowning ourselves up. Which is what we will do in 50 years time.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

If people stopped being arseholes and concentrated on something other than gaining money/killing each other, then we'd probably have a colony on the moon by now.

This planet is only going to be able to support us for so long, so it is imperative that we expand our horizons.

Also, Prothean technology on Mars ain't gonna find itself!

 

[Quaxar]

Did you miss that Cracked article? Juri Gargarin was simply the first man to survive a trip to space and especially the return!

Still, yay for space travel. I myself plan on joining that busines... so yeah, I'm an enthusiast.

 

[Wintermoot]

I would love to explore space and am disappointed about Obama/the US congress canceling the space shuttle program (and pouring the money in another fucking war).
I think we should leave this planet and look for a new one, the planet,s resources (not just oil but also stuff like metal) is not unending.

 

[Miles000]

We should definately focus on getting the hell off this planet, and preferably splitting ourselves very far and thin to lower our chances of blowning ourselves up. Which is what we will do in 50 years time.

Agreed, we need to get away ASAP. It's a shame America has shut down most of their space program. While I personally would hate if America was up their first/alone. (Should be a multi-national thing)
America had the best chance. All their money and all that.

I don't think we will last another 50 years TBH.

 

[Wintermoot]

We should definately focus on getting the hell off this planet, and preferably splitting ourselves very far and thin to lower our chances of blowning ourselves up. Which is what we will do in 50 years time.

Agreed, we need to get away ASAP. It's a shame America has shut down most of their space program. While I personally would hate if America was up their first/alone. (Should be a multi-national thing)
America had the best chance. All their money and all that.

I don't think we will last another 50 years TBH.

what about ESA (European Space Administration) they could simply buy the results and develop the space shuttle even further

 

[Whoatemysupper]

Although I'm quite dissapointed that space exploration hasen't been a huge priority for the American government, I understand that the cash is best spent elsewhere.

 

[infohippie]

I think we should never have slowed down. We ought to have multiple space stations and a moonbase by now. We should be planning how to mine the asteroids and counting down the few days remaining until the first manned mission to Mars arrives in Martian orbit. We should have multiple probes on Europa and Titan looking for life.

 

[Aurgelmir]

So people of the escapist what is your opinion on space? Do you think that we should be focusing more attention on it than we currently do or are we better off just staying at home? Where do you think we will be in another fifty years time?

I wish we did, but right now there is to much cost, and to little benefit from doing so....
I highly doubt we'll see a manned Mars landing in my life time

 

[ActionDan]

We absolutely NEED to escape this planet, we need to expand ourselves to other worlds, and evolve.

 

[Miles000]

We should definately focus on getting the hell off this planet, and preferably splitting ourselves very far and thin to lower our chances of blowning ourselves up. Which is what we will do in 50 years time.

Agreed, we need to get away ASAP. It's a shame America has shut down most of their space program. While I personally would hate if America was up their first/alone. (Should be a multi-national thing)
America had the best chance. All their money and all that.

I don't think we will last another 50 years TBH.

what about ESA (European Space Administration) they could simply buy the results and develop the space shuttle even further

Spose that would work. But have they done anything recently? If they have the news hasn't reached me.

 

[Jonluw]

I only have one very clear opinion on what we should do in space right now:
Why don't we try pointing the Hubble telescope at Mars or Venus or something at maximum effect?

Have we already tried? Would it be out of focus?
It just sounds like if the Hubble telescope can take high resolution pictures of other galaxies, we would be able to get some pretty decent pictures of the planets in our solar system.

I guess it's about time for us to get around to piercing the heavens with our drill though.

 

[Xixikal]

Definitely put more effort in. The prospect of aliens is epic indeed
Hopefully they find some during my lifetime.

 

[GiantRedButton]

If people stopped being arseholes and concentrated on something other than gaining money/killing each other, then we'd probably have a colony on the moon by now.

This planet is only going to be able to support us for so long, so it is imperative that we expand our horizons.

Also, Prothean technology on Mars ain't gonna find itself!

We actually only wentto the moon because of the cold war and technology advaces fastest during wars, especially rockets etc.
So the killing each other part is hugly helpfull.
but yeah prothean relics go! and europe should invest more.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

I only have one very clear opinion on what we should do in space right now:
Why don't we try pointing the Hubble telescope at Mars or Venus or something at maximum effect?

Have we already tried? Would it be out of focus?
It just sounds like if the Hubble telescope can take high resolution pictures of other galaxies, we would be able to get some pretty decent pictures of the planets in our solar system.

There ya go

Not terribly impressive, is it? You get those amazing hubble pictures by using very long exposure times to capture the dim light. You can't really do this on planets in our solar system, sadly.

So yeah...space. You guys are aware that business person and all around retard Donald Trump is attempting to run for president, yes? I'm pretty sure that means NASA won't be building colonies on Mars anytime soon...
Anyway, let's get back up there! Don't listen to old farts like Weinberg who will protest it as a waste of money. A colony on the moon would be the ultimate feat of human ingenuity! And then, galactic dominance, but let's not get carried away...

 

[RanD00M]

Well that's a fun fact for today. Too bad it will probably go on completely unnoticed by most people.

 

[Jonluw]

I only have one very clear opinion on what we should do in space right now:
Why don't we try pointing the Hubble telescope at Mars or Venus or something at maximum effect?

Have we already tried? Would it be out of focus?
It just sounds like if the Hubble telescope can take high resolution pictures of other galaxies, we would be able to get some pretty decent pictures of the planets in our solar system.

There ya go

Not terribly impressive, is it? You get those amazing hubble pictures by using very long exposure times to capture the dim light. You can't really do this on planets in our solar system, sadly.

That's the best we can do? Damn it.
I was hoping to be able to spot every piece of dust on the solar panels of the Mars rover

 

[x EvilErmine x]

Personally I'm with lithium.jelly i think we should have never slowed down too.

We really need multinational co-operation to further space exploration as one one nation can afford it on it's own. The people most able to make this a reality however are too busy squabbling amongst them selves or fighting pointless wars. Which manages to achieve the amazing feet of both sucking and blowing at the same time.

Also another question for you all, what think ye of the space elevator? Studies have been done that say that it is possible to build with today's technology and materials and ones that defiantly are within our reach given a bit more research. However the cost would be massive...BUT also remember that once one is complete and operational then you have everything already in place to make more and that this would essentially be free.

 

[KiKiweaky]

Space fascinates me I read about it and watch programs on it and I cant get over just how huge it is. The only problem about research of this kind is that its expensive back in the days when NASA was trying to put people on the moon they had an enourmous budget, I have no idea what their budget is now but its probably nothing close to what it was.

All that said though if you watch 2 of professor Brian Cos's series Wonders of the Solar System and Wonders of the Universe it is clear that we have some incredible minds working on the issue.

In 50 years what will we be doing? Humans have accomplished more in the last 100 years than we could ever have dreamed of, give us another 50 at our current rate of progress and honestly I have no idea what we could discover or invent. Gota say I'm excited by the future though be interesting to see what happens.