Senate Bill Defies Obama's NASA Plans, Restores Constellation and Adds Extra Shuttle Fligh
47 replies, posted
[QUOTE]The space shuttle program ain't over till Congress says it's over. A Senate committee is working on a bill that would add an extra shuttle flight next year, as well as defy some of President Obama's scaled-down NASA plans, the New York Times reports today.
The bill would continue plans to develop the Ares heavy-lift rocket and a program to build a spacecraft that could go beyond low-Earth orbit, the Times reports, quoting David Vitter, R-La., the ranking Republican on the Senate space subcommittee. It could also hamper the growth of the commercial space industry by requiring companies to demonstrate their abilities before they could get delivery contracts.
Like all politics, this is local -- the main architects of the pumped-up NASA plans hail from states where space-technology facilities are located. The bill is the result of negotiations among Sens. John D. Rockefeller, D-West Virginia; Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas; Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who flew on the shuttle; and Vitter, whose state is home to a Lockheed facility that manufactures the space shuttles' orange external tanks.
Under Obama's proposal, announced in February, NASA would cancel its plans to go back to the moon and instead focus on developing new technologies. The agency would design plans to fly humans to an asteroid around 2025 and Mars 10 years later, and rely on private industry to fly astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station.
Many critics have said the plan leaves NASA bereft of vision, which has long driven the agency's greatest accomplishments. But there wasn't much love for the Constellation moon-return/Mars program, either.
After initially canceling it, Obama agreed to keep the Orion crew capsule as a possible escape module for the space station. But the Times reports the Senate bill would restore the program to developing a deep-space vehicle.
The Senate committee will take up the bill next Thursday, the Times says. [/QUOTE]
Source: [url]http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-07/senate-bill-defies-obamas-nasa-plans-restores-constellation-and-adds-extra-shuttle-flight[/url]
Good - More space
Bad - We have no money
[QUOTE=Dolton;23260223]Good - More space
Bad - We have no money[/QUOTE]
We would if our defense budget wasn't some giant whale of a cow eating up everything we make. Fucking defense budget.
How about we introduce a new bill that taxes churches, ends American occupation overseas and diverts the savings into improving diplomatic relations with other nations and scientific research for the betterment of all mankind. Can we try that?
this bill is FUCKING RETARDED
constellation was horrible
[editline]03:55PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;23260279]How about we introduce a new bill that taxes churches, ends American occupation overseas and diverts the savings into improving diplomatic relations with other nations and scientific research for the betterment of all mankind. Can we try that?[/QUOTE]
oh and this
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;23260279]How about we introduce a new bill that taxes churches, ends American occupation overseas and diverts the savings into improving diplomatic relations with other nations and scientific research for the betterment of all mankind. Can we try that?[/QUOTE]
yeah sure.
Right after we divert FUCKING EVERYTHING INTO SPACE
EVERYTHING
we'll research that humanity shit on FUCKING MARS
FUCK YEAH
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;23260306]yeah sure.
Right after we divert FUCKING EVERYTHING INTO SPACE
EVERYTHING
we'll research that humanity shit on FUCKING MARS
FUCK YEAH[/QUOTE]
not funny
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;23260279]How about we introduce a new bill that taxes churches[/QUOTE]Hahahaha good luck with even attempting that.
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;23260364]Hahahaha good luck with even attempting that.[/QUOTE]
Yeah we can't even get gays to be allowed to marry without churches shitting all over it
They zerg the polls on things that don't even concern them but that they don't like
Oh look, another "You can't cancel this because rich people will lose money!" things in Congress. Who'd have thought, eh?
Churches really should be taxed they're the most unethical businesses of all. Since I'm in a red state I see churches on every street corner and they are [I]not[/I] humble places of worship. There are cathedrals that are smaller than these things, and they have things like recreation centers, cafes, and anything else they can make money off of.
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;23260460]Churches really should be taxed they're the most unethical businesses of all. Since I'm in a red state I see churches on every street corner and they are [I]not[/I] humble places of worship. There are cathedrals that are smaller than these things, and they have things like recreation centers, cafes, and anything else they can make money off of.[/QUOTE]
I live near a monstrosity of a non-denominational bible worship church near me that might as well be a stadium. Every Sunday the roads leading to it are impassable.
Well this thread got horribly derailed quickly.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;23260549]Well this thread got horribly derailed quickly.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but what if there ARE tentacle raping aliens?
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;23260549]Well this thread got horribly derailed quickly.[/QUOTE]
Not really. I only suggested we tax churches out of the idea we don't have the money to pay for this shit.
[editline]06:11PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=wonkadonk;23260293]this bill is FUCKING RETARDED
constellation was horrible[/QUOTE]
While I agree at least it demonstrates they want to put money in something science related
[editline]06:11PM[/editline]
I'd rather my money go to shitty science than the most just war
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;23260253]We would if our defense budget wasn't some giant whale of a cow eating up everything we make. Fucking defense budget.[/QUOTE]
Don't forget the war on drugs.
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;23260279]How about we introduce a new bill that taxes churches, ends American occupation overseas and diverts the savings into improving diplomatic relations with other nations and scientific research for the betterment of all mankind. Can we try that?[/QUOTE]
A long time ago I proposed a tax on church income that isn't charity-related, I don't see why anyone would disagree.
[QUOTE=GamerKiwi;23261016]Don't forget the war on drugs.[/QUOTE]
that's not the defense budget
thats the angry soccer mom budget
[QUOTE=GamerKiwi;23261016]Don't forget the war on drugs.[/QUOTE]
A very good point
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;23260279]How about we introduce a new bill that taxes churches, ends American occupation overseas and diverts the savings into improving diplomatic relations with other nations and scientific research for the betterment of all mankind. Can we try that?[/QUOTE]
Pffft, hahaha that's so stupid you stupid. What the hell were you thinking? Hahahaha.
[editline]06:33PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=GamerKiwi;23261016]Don't forget the war on drugs.[/QUOTE]
This is the best war of all. Drugs are bad and having the freedom to choose whether or not you want to openly partake in them is ludicrous!
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;23260549]Well this thread got horribly derailed quickly.[/QUOTE]
Churches can go ahead and fund all of space exploration because from the looks of it they can afford it.
Steps to American economical improvement (with some listed from above)
[LIST]
[*]Tax Churches (Isn't there supposed to be seperation of church and state?)
[*]Legalize SOME drugs (restrict it to designated locations like in Amsterdam) also tax the shit out of it
[*]Legalize prostitution tax the fuck out of the brothel property as well as transactions (sets a standard for the buissness so its easier to control spreadable diseases)
[/LIST]
[QUOTE=slinkman;23261347]Steps to American economical improvement (with some listed from above)
[LIST]
[*]Tax Churches (Isn't there supposed to be seperation of church and state?)
[*]Legalize SOME drugs (restrict it to designated locations like in Amsterdam) also tax the shit out of it
[*]Legalize prostitution tax the fuck out of the brothel property as well as transactions (sets a standard for the buissness so its easier to control spreadable diseases)
[/LIST][/QUOTE]
It works in some EU countries. Sure, it's expensive, but $1 trillion dollars spent on a drug war with no end results is expensive, too.
America (And Britain, for that matter) is fucking backward.
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;23261296]Churches can go ahead and fund all of space exploration because from the looks of it they can afford it.[/QUOTE]
Space missionaries.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;23261599]Space missionaries.[/QUOTE]
Awesome! I can't wait for Space Chaplains!
[IMG]http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/9542/blacktemplarchaplainbyl.jpg[/IMG]
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;23260279]How about we introduce a new bill that ends American occupation overseas-[/QUOTE]
Not possible. Shit would really go to hell if we just left places like Afghanistan by themselves. Conditions are fucking horrible down there. People at home can easily argue about pulling all the troops home, but they don't really think about what would happen to the country if we did.
Besides, US activity in Afghanistan is already extremely low. Most everyday operations are handled by EU countries. But hey, there is no excuse for the US' current defense budget. Half of the current budget would still be more than enough.
[QUOTE=LordApocca;23261736]Not possible. Shit would really go to hell if we just left places like Afghanistan by themselves. Conditions are fucking horrible down there. People at home can easily argue about pulling all the troops home, but they don't really think about what would happen to the country if we did.
Besides, US activity in Afghanistan is already extremely low. Most everyday operations are handled by EU countries. But hey, there is no excuse for the US' current defense budget. Half of the current budget would still be enough.[/QUOTE]
What about our bases in Japan? Germany? All over Europe and the Pacific? Kuwait and Saudi Arabia? Will [I]those[/I] places go to hell in a hand basket if we leave? I think not.
The war in Afghanistan can be simply wrapped up. The goal was to get the Taliban out of power and capture Bin Laden. The Taliban are out, and Bin Laden is no longer there. Time to go.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;23261787]What about our bases in Japan? Germany? All over Europe and the Pacific? Kuwait and Saudi Arabia? Will [I]those[/I] places go to hell in a hand basket if we leave? I think not.
The war in Afghanistan can be simply wrapped up. The goal was to get the Taliban out of power and capture Bin Laden. The Taliban are out, and Bin Laden is no longer there. Time to go.[/QUOTE]
Iraq and Afghanistan still require troops. Other places you mentioned are of no real concern, hence why i said half of the current budget would easily do.
There was never any real war either. It has pretty much always been a peacekeeping operation. Imagine all police suddenly disappearing from the US, and that is what it would be like if we left Afghanistan. Pure chaos.
[QUOTE=LordApocca;23261919]Iraq and Afghanistan still require troops. Other places you mentioned are of no real concern, hence why i said half of the current budget would easily do.
There was never any real war either. It has pretty much always been a peacekeeping operation. Imagine all police suddenly disappearing from the US, and that is what it would be like if we left Afghanistan. Pure chaos.[/QUOTE]
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of sacrificing American lives for a nation that really hasn't helped us in any way in a war that's going no where. If the current Afghan government regime won't do anything significant to keep it control of its own country, I say let the wolves feed on it.
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