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NASA Asks the Public For Advice On Goals

Posted by timothy on from the go-fast-turn-left dept.

JeremyYoung writes: "The National Academy of Science's National Research Council is conducting what is being called the Solar System Exploration Survey at NASA's request. In it they are including public opinion from a web-based survey on the direction of NASA through 2013. The survey itself can be found at this page on the Planetary Society website. The article with more detail in explaining this is here. The survey closes on January 31, so don't miss this chance to tell NASA what you think it should be doing. pssst ... Mars can be done cheaply."

6 of 43 comments (clear)

  1. Triton! by Fweeky · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Funny retrograde orbit, dodgy orientation, nitrogen geysers, evidence that it was formed outside the solar system, but they include "Phobos Missions" but not Triton Missions?

    Why go to yet another piece of inert rock when there are places like this? (ignoring for a second the small matter of cost, obviously).

  2. Slightly Off Topic by JPawloski · · Score: 2, Interesting

    A while back I saw something on PBS where some guy from NASA showed a computer depiction of a space station which "created" gravity through centripetal motion. It seemed like a good idea because I know a lot of problems with space travel is the time limit due to atrophy of muscles from a zero gravity environment. The PBS guy dismissed this though by saying, "In fact, the US government knows little to nothing about making a station like this one."

    Personally, I think this should be the top priority. This would solve many of our problems and would allow a manned mission to Mars be possible. Why isn't NASA working towards this? What is prohibiting them from doing it? Or are they making progress that I am not aware?

    1. Re:Slightly Off Topic by AntDaniel · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I think Arther C. Clarke was the first to 'theorise' on this.

      There's a problem with it though

      Anything in motion inside the space station will be subject to what is called "coriolis forces", which would not be experienced due to gravitational forces. The direction of the force is always perpendicular both to the axis of the space station, and the direction of motion. The faster the station rotates, the more the effect will be. So, one should try to make the station larger to minimize coriolis effects.

      http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae202 .cfm

  3. Priorities by Tuxinatorium · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't think it's worth it to send a man to mars just for the sake of having said we've sent a man to mars. Nasa should focus more on new propulsion and technology research. Fusion propultion would be great for interstellar travel. Hydrogen fusion converts about 1% of its mass into energy, so theoretically a highly efficient fusion drive could get up to a maximum of 1% of the speed of light. Alternatively, a propulsion system that uses solar panels to power a system that ejects ions at 99% of the speed of light, (and maybe uses a ramscoop) could hypothetically get up to a very high percentage of the speed of light, although it would take centuries. The good thing about this is that it is infinitely replenishable. Another possible propulsion system involves using antimatter as a fuel. This would allow achieving a decent fraction of the speed of light, and with good acceleration, but antimatter is extremely difficult to manufacture in large quantities, and will probably remain as such for a long time.

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    Repeal the DMCA!
    1. Re:Priorities by Dancing+Tree · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I both agree and disagree with the author of said referenced comment. Indeed, I do believe that we should be concerned with getting to Mars (or Venus, or back to the moon, etc.) AND we should be developing not just new drives, but new ways of getting payloads off of the planet's surface. The amount of mass and energy wasted in launching craft/cargos into space is ridiculous right now. So how about some magnetic accellerator action at least for the non perishables (I understand it can generate quite alot of G's in acceleration. Maybe this can be modded) and maybe some slower but less wasteful manner for getting live loads at least into orbit.

      These questions weren't even asked on the survey though maybe NASA considers them as part and parcel of all the other options offered. Whatever the case, I do believe that it would be a great achievement for the human race and the planet, for us to venture out into wide and vasty space that is the rest of the universe. Who knows what mind blowing, cool stuff is out there for us to find.

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      :::Horrendous Experiences Make Amusing Anecdotes:::
  4. What I'd like to see by rakerman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Enough with the shuttle and space station already, unless it's used as a stepping stone to space missions. The shuttle, which was supposed to be a space truck but turns out to be a space ferrari (in terms of cost, not performance) goes up a couple hundred km and then comes back. At least it has somewhere to go now, instead of just floating around, but still. It's boring.

    Robots to everywhere.
    Mine the asteroids.
    Move industry into outer space where possible.

    Men to Mars.