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Pluto Mission Back?
FortKnox writes "When the NASA budget cuts earlier this week came, the Pluto mission was killed. However, Space.com reports that NASA will attempt to make some proposals to Congress to get money for the project."
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Ok, instead of griping, please submit a business plan that shows why my fortune 500 company would make a financial gain out of sending a $500 million mission to Pluto. I eagerly await your response.
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Why Pluto?? Because within the next 15 years Pluto will have freezed over and we will not be able to obtain as much information about its surface then.
The X-33/34 space plane program however has no "expiration date" and NASA can resume that at any point in time. The Pluto opportunities however are slipping away.
Space exporation can't be privatised because no direct financial gain can be expected from studying pluto's atmosphere :(
I'd love to sponsor the mission though. I am not rich, and I'm not good at organising things, but I'd absolutely pay a few hundred dollars or so to help save the mission to Pluto.
Today you have to be able to show a profit (human genome) if you want to do big science, or indeed much science at all. Peer reviews cut out any of the really 'wayout' ideas, making conservative judgements that restrict the opportunity for scientific advance.
Maybe in 50 years time we will still be fixed to the earth, with technology that is only evolution of today's tech. All because we forgot that money isn't everything - nurturing the soul counts (and pays) too.
As usual, spaceflightnow's article is more informative, has fewer banner ads, and is less sarcastic.
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