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AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#301: Jan 16th 2013 at 6:40:45 PM

It's not about "having" to live in space. It's about the fact that there are going to be people who will want to do that, and will be willing to undergo whatever training is necessary to do it. Also I don't know why we'd grow crops in space when it's a lot less arduous to just grow it here; less fuel cost for one, more ability to respond should a crop go bad for whatever reason. Our food problem is one that requires different solutions than this. That could be a whole thread by itself.

Plus, regardless of how automated anything is you're going to have to have someone up there who can respond to machines breaking down and such. So there's going to be someone out there making sure the gas goes the right way and the machines keep running smoothly.

Meklar from Milky Way Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
#302: Jan 16th 2013 at 8:25:24 PM

There's no economical point to growing shit in space as compared to digging a huge hive under ground and setting up a massive three dimensional hydroponics or other artificial growth system.
Well, sooner or later you run into problems with power and gravity. All else being equal, going into space can help with those issues.

As mentioned before, of course, all else is not equal at the moment.

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IraTheSquire Since: Apr, 2010
#303: Jan 17th 2013 at 12:02:52 AM

[up][up] My points was not that there won't be any people needing to go up. My point was that there will be fewer people needing to go to the orbit. And just the maintenance crew will still be far less people than a whole colony of people.

edited 17th Jan '13 12:03:51 AM by IraTheSquire

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#304: Jan 17th 2013 at 12:40:59 AM

Part of the point of going into to space is to form colonies, though. Granted, we're way far away from technology making that viable, but there will be people that want to do it. Largely for the cool factor. And also for whatever opportunities will crop up once space travel is made easier.

My point is that there will be people that WANT to do all that stuff. A large part of our desire to do so isn't out of necessity, but because it sounds like a challenge we want to take on. Because we want to see if we can. What's the point of getting machines out into to space and us being unable to see all this stuff with our own eyes?

Also, ease of getting things into space has to do with things like weight and mass. Not really whether it's living or not. If you can reduce the number of people you need to send somewhere, chances are good you're going to replace that weight with something else that's useful.

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#305: Jan 17th 2013 at 9:09:57 PM

Shipping food to and from earth would not be particularly easier with it being dead (however, the lack of freshness might be an issue with purchasers). The may or may not hold together, plants and crap are fibrous, not homogenous.

However, machines are a lot easier to fire off into space since they can be engineered for durability.

Fight smart, not fair.
tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#307: Jan 21st 2013 at 1:57:09 PM

Well, that sounds encouraging. Although that second title sound like a videogame. I'd play it.

Let's hope that succeeding presidents don't try and cut that program.

KnightofLsama Since: Sep, 2010
#308: Jan 21st 2013 at 3:15:28 PM

[up] That's because it is a video game, or damn close to one.

Hedgehog Launch 2

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#310: Jan 21st 2013 at 3:45:05 PM

That is some intresting looking tech. I wonder if it has any other applications.

edited 21st Jan '13 3:45:24 PM by TuefelHundenIV

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AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#311: Jan 21st 2013 at 3:46:42 PM

NASA tends to be on the leading edge of technology; there's all sorts of things from sunglasses to lasers that exist because NASA doesn't hold on to tech patents or copyrights. So someone will find something for this stuff to do.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#312: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:28:12 PM

This almost reminds me of that wind driven mine clearer. Except it is self propelling and has spikes.

Sunglasses and lasers predate NASA. The laser predates NASA by about a year in 1957. NASA came around in 1958. Sun glasses were invented in 1929.

Who watches the watchmen?
Meklar from Milky Way Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
#313: Jan 21st 2013 at 5:19:28 PM

Let's hope that succeeding presidents don't try and cut that program.
They probably will, especially if they're republicans.

The problem is, if a space project is successful, the initiator gets a lot of credit for it. That can compare unfavorably with what the current administration (whoever it consists of at any given time), which is seen as a political problem, especially if the initiator belonged to the other party. Thus, each new administration shuts down the existing projects before they can succeed, in order to prevent there being successes not attributable to that administration.

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Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#314: Jan 21st 2013 at 6:34:03 PM

I still support removing the elected officials ability to control projects instead of just write checks, but hey, that's just me.

Fight smart, not fair.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#315: Jan 21st 2013 at 6:35:52 PM

Writing checks is basically how they control projects, though. So I don't think whatever you're thinking of would work like you want it too. Can't send shit off into space that you don't have the money to procure and build.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#316: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:08:39 PM

Well the American Deep Space Program is still on under Obama but I agree in sharing concern with future leaderships approach to it.

Who watches the watchmen?
Meklar from Milky Way Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
#317: Jan 22nd 2013 at 12:41:18 AM

I still support removing the elected officials ability to control projects instead of just write checks, but hey, that's just me.
I'm thinking they might do better with a system where a project gets a realistic estimated cost before it starts, and then receives all its funding right at the start, so that the government can't throw it out later claiming they need the money for other purposes.

Sadly, there's been nary a realistic estimate in the space industry for decades. Everyone just gives huge underestimates in order to secure contracts.

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pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#318: Jan 22nd 2013 at 10:49:02 AM

Actually, there's evidence that suggests that Republicans like science.

Neil deGrasse Tyson explains why this is the case. To summarize, its because science makes technology, and technology sells, and Republicans don't want to die poor. Or something.

edited 22nd Jan '13 10:49:17 AM by pvtnum11

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Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#319: Jan 22nd 2013 at 12:43:45 PM

pretty much. plus nothing gets the chest thumping patriotism going quite like "FUCK YEA WE PLANTED OUR FLAG ON ANOTHER PLANET! TAKE THAT (insert enemies here)!"

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Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#320: Jan 22nd 2013 at 1:31:16 PM

[down]Good idea.

edited 22nd Jan '13 2:15:01 PM by Kostya

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#321: Jan 22nd 2013 at 1:37:06 PM

Let's not derail into Republican stances on science that aren't related to space exploration, please.

I'll note that as an organization NASA is quite socialistic and doesn't hold on to patents, which tends to go against general capitalistic philosophy.

Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#322: Jan 22nd 2013 at 1:42:00 PM

[up] Kind of a shame. If they'd held onto half the patents they'd have all the funding they'd ever need.

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AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#323: Jan 22nd 2013 at 1:52:17 PM

And we wouldn't currently have half of the widely available technology we have today, leaving us well far behind where we currently are in advanced tech.

Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#324: Jan 22nd 2013 at 1:55:43 PM

no one said they had to keep it to themselves, that doesnt make you money. licensing it for cheap(they dont have to worry about profits), however...

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AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#325: Jan 22nd 2013 at 1:59:08 PM

NASA is a government agency and not out to make a profit in that manner. Their profit is in what they can learn about space and technology. They're not a private company and do not have the money making goals of one at all. What you're suggesting runs counter to what NASA desires to do.

http://ace-of-blue-spades.tumblr.com/post/37003587027/jumpingjacktrash-rockpapertheodore

Some of the stuff they've contributed to.


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