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Subcommittee Stops Human Mars Mission Spending

Posted by Zonk on from the who-wants-to-go-there-anyway dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Last week's House Appropriations Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice, and Science FY08 budget markup would prevent work on programs devoted to human missions to Mars. According to a House Appropriations Committee press release, the markup language states that NASA cannot pursue "development or demonstration activity related exclusively to Human Exploration of Mars. NASA has too much on its plate already, and the President is welcome to include adequate funding for the Human Mars Initiative in a budget amendment or subsequent year funding requests." The Mars Society is already leading an effort to get the language removed."

4 of 343 comments (clear)

  1. Good. by analog_line · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Perhaps someone will get the point that humans, on Earth, in this country called the United States of America, which the US Congress happens to have at least a portion of authority over, are way more important than sending humans to a rock somewhere out there in space.

    I don't particulary care if China makes it to Mars before us. This "manned space flight is the only salvation for humanity" nonsense needs to stop. You'd think that simple things, like, oh, not spewing tons of chemicals that cause humans heal problems into the environment might be a slightly simpler, and more cost effective method of saving the human race from extinction than a hideously wasteful space exploration that doesn't have any actual advantage over unmanned probes. If a private entity wants to do it, that's their money to waste. But my government should damn well not be the one wasting it. Tell Mars Society can fund their own damn space program.

    Flame on.

  2. What's really gonna suck by Alzheimers · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    What's really gonna suck is when we do finally get a NASA ship to land on Mars, they're gonna see a Chinese flag already planted on it.

    Red planet, indeed. Maybe if had some more red and white, our politicos would be more willing.

  3. Re:FFS. Privatise it already by Colin+Smith · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I cannot imagine And there's your problem. You seem to be under the impression that nobody else could imagine either.

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    Deleted
  4. IGNORE MARS by cartman · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    There's nothing there. We already sent up a rover (at great expense) and what did it find? A desolate beige dirt landscape that's less remarkable than the scenery in West Texas.

    If people want to see pink/beige rocks, they can go to Arizona.

    There is no benefit whatsoever to having a person fly all the way out there, land, plant an American flag, then go back.