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Neil Armstrong To NASA: You're Embarrassing
astroengine writes "Neil Armstrong, Apollo legend and outspoken critic of NASA's current direction for human spaceflight, was joined by three other space experts to address Congress on Thursday. It wasn't pretty. Amongst the other criticisms was Armstrong's tough statement: 'For a country that has invested so much for so long to achieve a leadership position in space exploration and exploitation, this condition is viewed by many as lamentably embarrassing and unacceptable.' He might have a point, but Apollo 17's Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, suggested the shuttles should be brought out of retirement to fill the U.S. manned spaceflight gap — a suggestion that probably rolled some eyeballs."
it's not something that can be done half-assed.
The truth is its not something that can be done lard-assed. They can't find an American that will fit in a space-suit any more.
You really are a fucking moron, aren't you?
NASA is not just essential to space exploration, but a constant source of improvement and innovation that you fail to consider as it works its way into facets of life on earth.
maybe in the future newer tech will make gaining escape velocity more cost effective
Force =Mass times Acceleration. Acceleration must be at least greater than 9.81 meters per second squared near the earth's surface. Even a "giant beanstalk" (aka "space elevator") must supply force at its high point in some fashion to counteract the pull of lifting an object from earth's surface (see also: "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction").
This is not a "tech" problem. This is physics. Even with superheated steam propulsion powered by a nuclear micropile, Force Still Equals Mass Times Acceleration and we still have to design VEHICLES that can survive the acceleration stresses of launch and reentry.
and the space shuttle is like your uncle's old smoking oldsmobile 98 with the dents all down one side, (send it in the junk yard) it was nice a couple of decades ago but it is now showing its age...
What, precisely, is your point? The space shuttle is a marvel. Did we ever get "monthly launches" from them? No. And why not? Because the original fleet was supposed to be a DOZEN or more, until the Republicans chopped the fuck out of the budget; NASA barely got four at any time, and almost didn't get the budget for Endeavour to replace Challenger.
To steal your analogy: the Space Shuttle is like my car. I drive a 14 year old sports car. It's got a couple dents from the redneck fuckwits around here who can't be bothered to put their shopping carts up. It's got some spots where I've hand-repaired some of the interior, a few patches on the seats where the fabric got frayed. But you know what? The engine still gives a nice satisfying growl because I treat it right and my maintenance is on time, I still get 28 mpg, and I plan to be driving it for another 4-5 years.
I'll take a good, solidly running, well maintained 15-year-old car any day over an already rusty shitbucket like the Chinese are building, or worse yet, the 40 year old Yugo that is the Russian Soyuz system.
Right here, dog crap for brains.
You're a fucking liar.
Said niggers and spics will never be smart, no matter how much money is spent on them. You can't see that because you are young and brainwashed, but every white person like you comes to this conclusion eventually, even if they refused to acknowledge.
Thank you for being the perfect example of the racist retardican fringe that I've been speaking of.