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NASA Think Tank to be Shut Down

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the ice-cream-dept-still-intact dept.

Matthew Sparkes writes "NASA will likely shut down its Institute for Advanced Concepts, which funds research into futuristic ideas in spaceflight and aeronautics. The move highlights the budget problems the agency is facing as it struggles to retire the space shuttles and develop a replacement. The institute receives $4 million per year from NASA, whose annual budget is $17 billion. Most of that is used to fund research into innovative technologies; recent grants include the conceptual development of spacecraft that could surf the solar system on magnetic fields, motion-sensitive spacesuits that could generate power and tiny, spherical robots that could explore Mars."

8 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. Re:OH, "Think Tank" by eclectro · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think that it'd be safe to say that the think tank lost it's foam.

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    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
  2. Really!! May I be the first.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...to welcome our "tiny, spherical robot overlords who could explore Mars."

    Also known as 'meteorites'. Exploring doesn't mean you have to phone back home!

  3. Re:Can somebody give us a list... by Gr8Apes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tang

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    The cesspool just got a check and balance.
  4. Re:Who is going to...... by physicsboy500 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't you watch South Park?! it'll be MASA... The Mexican Aeronautics and Space Administration and the good part is they'll do it for pennies on the dollar. 17 Billion pesos there is about 5 bucks!

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    The original generic sig.
  5. Re:Can somebody give us a list... by mypalmike · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Memory-foam" mattresses

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    There are 0x40000000 types of people: those who understand 32-bit IEEE 754 floating point, and those who don't.
  6. Re:% of $17B/yr That is Wasted? by Red+Flayer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can anyone think of anything that the US government is spending money on that it shouldn't?
    Wow. Dude, this is Slashdot, home of foaming-at-the-mouth anarchists and libertarians (among many other categories of people this post doesn't apply to, like tree-hugging granola-crunching Birkenstock-wearing non-showering reefer-smoking hippies).

    Are you trolling for replies or seriously asking that question?
    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  7. Ob. bash.org quote... by beset · · Score: 2, Funny

    <Patrician|Away> what does your robot do, sam
    <bovril> it collects data about the surrounding environment, then discards it and drives into walls

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    1) Clever Sig 2) ????? 3) Profit!
  8. Re:Can somebody give us a list... by travdaddy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Tang

    That's a damn good list!

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    Adidas To Bring Back Sneakernet