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Scientists Set Bold Plan For Future Exploration of the Sun

coondoggie writes "Our understanding of space weather and the impact of space around Earth has greatly increased in the last 10 years and if the ambitious plan the National Research Council can be implemented, the next 10 years will generate tons more scientific insight. The National Research Council issued its second research recommendation report, 'Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society,' which represents 18 months of research by more than 85 solar and space physicists and space system engineers and lays out major scientific goals for solar exploration on the next 10 years."

140 comments

  1. They need to step their game up... by mmcxii · · Score: 4, Funny

    Manned exploration of the sun. Now that would be bold.

    1. Re:They need to step their game up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just don't invite any treacherous aliens. Even if they look like affable Teddy bears.

    2. Re:They need to step their game up... by iiii · · Score: 4, Funny

      Careful selection of the crew for the first manned mission to the sun could dramatically improve the quality of political discourse here on earth. (Think "B Ark")

      --
      Light cup, beer drink, thin so chain, neck turtle fat, man I won't say it again
    3. Re:They need to step their game up... by flyingsquid · · Score: 2

      Manned exploration of the sun.

      Manned exploration of the sun is the dumbest idea I've ever heard of. It would be far more cost-effective to explore by sending robotic rovers to drive around on the surface of the sun.

    4. Re:They need to step their game up... by Isaac-1 · · Score: 1

      Our local community area name starts with a B, there is a also a local "school" for retarded citizens, called the "Association of Retarded Citizens". Their sign reads "B'ARC" you can't make this up, I just tried to look it up on google street view, but the map is a few years out of date and still shows them at their old location with the sign that spells out the community name.

    5. Re:They need to step their game up... by laejoh · · Score: 1

      Careful selection you say? Assemble our hottest astronauts!

    6. Re:They need to step their game up... by Specter · · Score: 1

      I bet Sarcastic Rover's feeling much better about Mars now: http://twitter.com/SarcasticRover.

    7. Re:They need to step their game up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let send some polticians, bankers, stock traders, telemarketers, and spammers to the sun!

      Build the B ark right away!

    8. Re:They need to step their game up... by cpricejones · · Score: 1

      What's your favorite planet? Mine's the sun.

      For those who don't remember this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haAhdtDmsOw

  2. I vote by kamapuaa · · Score: 5, Funny

    The first person to make the "go at night" joke should be permabanned.

    --
    Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
    1. Re:I vote by waynemcdougall · · Score: 5, Funny

      The first person to make the "go at night" joke should be permabanned.

      That sounds a little dark.

      --
      Recycle PCs and build a wireless community network www.hillsborough.org.nz
    2. Re:I vote by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 1

      Well that's silly. They'd completely miss the thing at night, and go hurtling off into the screaming void of space.

    3. Re:I vote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Not to mention the vastness of the sun, even if we could land on it, it can't entirely cool down in 12 hours. Our only hope is to go during Alaskan winter.

    4. Re:I vote by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Well... anybody that'd rush in here thinking they'd be the first to say that couldn't be very bright.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    5. Re:I vote by virgnarus · · Score: 1

      I'm staying out of this; I feel saturnine enough as it is.

    6. Re:I vote by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 0

      "I don't always go on manned missions to explore the Sun.

      But when I do, I go at night."

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
    7. Re:I vote by flyneye · · Score: 1

      They're gonna go blind from lookin' at the sun, just like Mom said. Or wazzat somethin' else?

      --
      *Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
    8. Re:I vote by arth1 · · Score: 4, Funny

      They're gonna go blind from lookin' at the sun, just like Mom said. Or wazzat somethin' else?

      That's from looking at page three of the Sun.

    9. Re:I vote by OhSoLaMeow · · Score: 1

      Where's my mod +1 funny when I need one?

      --
      They can take my LifeAlert pendant when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.
    10. Re:I vote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where's my mod +1 funny when I need one?

      It's OK, dog - I did it for ya!

    11. Re:I vote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I vote that we contact our members of Congress in hopes to get a canned message back stating they support our idea... our idea being a manned mission to the surface of the sun.

    12. Re:I vote by formfeed · · Score: 2

      The first person to make the "go at night" joke should be permabanned.

      Calling the "go at night" proposal a joke, can only mean you didn't grow up in a Creationist state.

    13. Re:I vote by fotoflojoe · · Score: 1

      Not the first person, but the 10,000 additional copycats who ignored the first person's comment.

    14. Re:I vote by RivenAleem · · Score: 2

      Of course, everyone knows it's much easier to wait on the horizon and jump on as it comes up in the morning. Then you have all day to run tests/take pictures, before jumping off again in the evening.

    15. Re:I vote by Ogive17 · · Score: 1

      Page three of the Sun? I went blind after looking at page three of the Victoria's Secret catalog one too many times....

      --
      "Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
    16. Re:I vote by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      Well that's silly. They'd completely miss the thing at night, and go hurtling off into the screaming void of space.

      "In the void of space, no one can hear you screaming." (or something like that.) :-)

    17. Re:I vote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They're gonna go blind from lookin' at the sun, just like Mom said. Or wazzat somethin' else?

      But that's where the fun is.

  3. Bold? Bah! by waynemcdougall · · Score: 0

    You ain't seen bold until someone funds my manned mission to the Sun.

    As a cost saving measure, we'll go at night. As well as reduced insulation expenses, it's downhill all the way.

    --
    Recycle PCs and build a wireless community network www.hillsborough.org.nz
  4. As expected by LordLucless · · Score: 4, Funny

    4 posts: 2 "at nights", 2 "manned expeditions".

    Carry on, Slashdot.

    --
    Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
    1. Re:As expected by somersault · · Score: 1

      And now one post that actually made me chuckle :)

      --
      which is totally what she said
    2. Re:As expected by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It puzzles me being Slashdot, no-one offers alternatives to these two. I propose going during winter.

    3. Re:As expected by Idbar · · Score: 1

      I propose going during winter.

      And just to make it more interesting, I'll let the crowd decide if it's winter in Earth or the Sun.

    4. Re:As expected by Penurious+Penguin · · Score: 1

      Winter, night-time, zinc-oxide, etcetera, etcetera, - I've heard it all before. The most sensible strategy is to simply wait until it sets into the sea.

      --
      Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
    5. Re:As expected by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      4 posts: 2 "at nights", 2 "manned expeditions".

      Carry on, Slashdot.

      As you were!

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    6. Re:As expected by oodaloop · · Score: 1

      And yet, no "mining the sun for hydrogen" jokes. I mean, until now anyway.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    7. Re:As expected by cmdr_tofu · · Score: 1

      You mean like with a submarine?

    8. Re:As expected by Penurious+Penguin · · Score: 1

      That's even better; I'd planned on using Navy Seals, but a submarine would protect against sharks.

      --
      Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
    9. Re:As expected by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What do you have against dark humour?

    10. Re:As expected by mcgrew · · Score: 1

      Halfway down these 155 comments and all I've seen is lame jokes, every one of which should have been modded -1, not stale, obvious, not funny, OVERRATED.

      Please, slashdot, change it back so trying for a +1 funny is dangerous to your karma again. Since changing funny from karma-neutral to gaining karma, it seems that way too many threads are like this one.

      See you guys in the next thread, I'm done with this one.

    11. Re:As expected by Penurious+Penguin · · Score: 1

      After reading your comment and reflecting a bit, I can't help but to agree to some extent. However, I am a fiend for humor and see it as a nutrient. I also got more than a few good chuckles from the comments here. The article did seem to lend itself to such jokes, but I'm sure you make a valid point anyway. I will keep it in mind. But flamebait? Nah.

      --
      Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
    12. Re:As expected by mcgrew · · Score: 1

      I'm a fiend for humor as well, but some of the lamest stuff is getting modded funny.

  5. They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    They're going to land at night.

    1. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Rubbish, it'a always dark on the other side.

    2. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 1

      OK. I'm behind you, right here. You go first!

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
    3. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Straight to the heart.. Set the controls

    4. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      That is really a dumb idea. Of course they couldn't go at night.
      They wouldn't be able to see anything.

    5. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Rubbish, it'a always dark on the other side.

      If you believe dinosaurs walked on earth with man 3000 years ago, then yes, I'm sure it is dark on the other side. ;)

    6. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 2

      That is really a dumb idea. Of course they couldn't go at night.
      They wouldn't be able to see anything.

      But we have LED flashlights !!
       

      --
      Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
    7. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by drkim · · Score: 3, Funny

      That is really a dumb idea. Of course they couldn't go at night.
      They wouldn't be able to see anything.

      But we have LED flashlights !!

      ...which are, unfortunately, solar powered.

    8. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a matter of fact, it's all dark.

    9. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 3, Funny

      Syd? Is that you?

      Wish you were here...

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
    10. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Black.Shuck · · Score: 1

      ...and leave behind an asbestos-flag.

    11. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Worse than that - the sun isn't even there at night.

    12. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by RaceProUK · · Score: 1

      That's actually true, insofar as the Sun reflects no light whatsoever. I believe that measure is called the libido.

      --
      No colour or religion ever stopped the bullet from a gun
    13. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Hillgiant · · Score: 1

      That is really a dumb idea. Of course they couldn't go at night.
      They wouldn't be able to see anything.

      But we have LED flashlights !!

      ...which are, unfortunately, solar powered.

      Shine the flashlight at the solar panels. Problem solved.

      --
      -
    14. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by doublebackslash · · Score: 2

      Albedo actually, but that is one HELL of an amusing mixup! I think that if we could calculate libido accurately via simple observation we'd be able to put dating websites out of business ;)

      --
      md5sum /boot/vmlinuz
      d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e /boot/vmlinuz
    15. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If the Sun has a low libido, that might explain why it's not in a binary system.

    16. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by mcgrew · · Score: 1

      Syd? Is that you?

      No, it's Hotblack Desiato.

    17. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 1

      No longer with Disaster Area. Now selling a Disaster Area.

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
    18. Re:They've figured out how to not get burnt by treeves · · Score: 1

      That's silly. The sun is still shining at night, but the Earth has turned.
      What they have to do is land on the *dark side of the sun*.

      --
      ...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
  6. Re:National Research Council Budgeting by RudyHartmann · · Score: 1

    OK. I have poster's regret. Can I delete this now? ;-)

    --
    Oh, yeah! Wise guy, huh? Woob woob woob woob! Nyuk! Nyuk!
  7. India by opusman · · Score: 5, Funny

    In other news, India has just announced a manned landing on the Sun by 2019.

    1. Re:India by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Funny

      And Oracle, having recently acquired the Sun, is reviewing its legal options, starting with trespass.

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    2. Re:India by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      I would support a manned mission to the Sun if that man was Larry Ellison.

    3. Re:India by Urza9814 · · Score: 1

      Congrats; first slashdot post to make me actually laugh out loud in about a week. Should have seen an Oracle joke coming, but I did not. Bravo.

    4. Re:India by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      Sorry Oracle, but Apple already has claimed 8 patents on the Sun, one is for the Sun's "rounded corners".

  8. Re:National Research Council Budgeting by waynemcdougall · · Score: 2

    OK. I have poster's regret. Can I delete this now? ;-)

    Good news! The delete comes with the permaban!

    Hooray! Everyone wins!

    --
    Recycle PCs and build a wireless community network www.hillsborough.org.nz
  9. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by mug+funky · · Score: 4, Informative

    you're a fucking idiot.

  10. Tons of scientific insight by waynemcdougall · · Score: 1

    I look forward to the day when American scientific research can generate tonnes more scientific research.

    And how many tons are there per Library of Congress?

    --
    Recycle PCs and build a wireless community network www.hillsborough.org.nz
    1. Re:Tons of scientific insight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I look forward to the day when American scientific research can generate tonnes more scientific research.

      And how many tons are there per Library of Congress?

      Billions and billions - Carl Sagan

    2. Re:Tons of scientific insight by ThePeices · · Score: 2

      Oh dude, you should totally check out this thing known as a "figure of speech".

      Its a real hoot, you don't actually *have* to take it literally. Novel idea huh?

    3. Re:Tons of scientific insight by khallow · · Score: 2

      Is that a numerical figure or a bodily figure?

  11. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you honestly don't think that an atmosphere has something to do with it you really need to work on that science education.

    Take the moon, for instance. Given its distance from the sun it should be able the same temperature on the surface as on Earth. But is it? No. During the day it's 125C. At night? -150C. Also see Venus, which, due to its atmosphere, has an average surface temperature more than double that of Mercury despite being twice the distance from the sun and receiving less than 25% of the solar output.

    The sun provides the heat. The atmosphere keeps it there and distributes it around. Different gasses have different absorption properties. Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor are all high on the list for trapping heat energy.

  12. When can we put a man on the sun? by Vermonter · · Score: 0

    I want to know when we will be able to put a man on the sun. In fact, I'd be more than willing to volunteer a few people...

    1. Re:When can we put a man on the sun? by jamstar7 · · Score: 1

      I can think of 535 people right off the top of my head. No, make that 539, this is an election year.

      If we kick the shit outta all of them, we'd be able to fit 'em all in a matchbox and save fuel for the mission...

      --
      Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
  13. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Kaenneth · · Score: 2, Funny

    *your

  14. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by ThePeices · · Score: 1, Insightful

    You are wasting your time if you are trying to convince the wilfully ignorant by educating them with the facts and using logical deductive reasoning.

    You will have more luck convincing the Pope that indeed, god does not actually exist.

  15. staff proposal: by wierd_w · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I propose that we send select delegates from both the house and senate on this noteworthy mission, so that they can see for themselves how silly it was to scrub the "return stage" construction budget.

    We of course, need to supply them with 2 way radio contact so thay can debate the matter via telepresence with their peers in washington.

    1. Re:staff proposal: by khallow · · Score: 3, Funny

      We can fund this worthy project with popcorn futures.

    2. Re:staff proposal: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No. Send them ALL.

    3. Re:staff proposal: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hear they're set to explode.

  16. Wrong! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They're going to land on the dark side of the Sun.

  17. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by arth1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You will have more luck convincing the Pope that indeed, god does not actually exist.

    I'm sure his holiness is fully aware. The idea is to not let the proletariat catch on.

  18. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You too.

  19. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by MF4218 · · Score: 2

    It's an interesting point that due to its size, its power output has been very consistent (presumably areas of higher output than the norm are cancelled out by alternate areas of lower output).

    Alas regarding Global Warming, we pay more attention to areas of lower temperature than the mean as proof that GW doesn't exist, than the average itself which is steadily rising higher. Which is strange since the energy entering the system isn't rising to a similar degree at all.

  20. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by jamstar7 · · Score: 1

    Actually, he had it right. Must not be American, else he's a greybeard like me from back in the day when we DID leave kids behind if they just couldn't cut it...

    --
    Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
  21. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    What a coincidence, I was just talking with some of my colleagues at the research lab the other day: "Hey, you know what's really hot?" ... after an awkward 15 minute silence where we realize we couldn't name a single chick in recent popular culture to pretend like we were still cool, some smart ass finally says, "I know what's really hot, the Sun. It's so hot you can probably feel its heat all the way on Earth."

    I replied with great excitement, "Holy shit Dr. Jones, you might be on to something big there."

    We all rushed to the library to find our favorite table unoccupied. After ten hours of heavy literature searching, and many trips by our grad students to fetch us coffee, we finally had to quit when the library started to close. We tried to buy some time by having Dr. Adler flirt with the librarian. Despite breaking his personal record, he only got us another 14.3 seconds.

    So despite our exhaustive efforts, we had to give up and had to conclude: no one has ever measured the Sun's output before. We thought we were onto something there, but without any data we couldn't corroborate our idea that the Sun heats the Earth. At first it came as such a shock to us, not only was it an amazing idea, but we could be the first scientists to ever think of it. In retrospect it seemed so simple, as all amazing research does.

    But eventually we felt like giving up, becoming depressed after arguing whether measuring the Sun's output could be done for only a few million dollars or if we would need at least a few tens of millions of dollars. It clearly was a project that would require a large team and infrastructure, well beyond anything achievable by past scientists, or a single person. I think the guys lost their motivation to pursue such novel work, but not any more. Just wait until I tell them there is someone on Slashdot that supports the new theory too.

  22. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    **You're

  23. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by jamstar7 · · Score: 1

    You are wasting your time if you are trying to convince the wilfully ignorant by educating them with the facts and using logical deductive reasoning.

    You will have more luck convincing the Pope that indeed, bears do not shit in the woods.

    FTFY. Yer welcome.

    --
    Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
  24. Old joke by abednegoyulo · · Score: 0

    During a press conference

    President: We will beat other countries by sending the first man on the sun!
    Press: Will they get burned?
    President: I have thought about that so we will be sending them during the night!

  25. The fifth overarching goal: fulfill basic yearning by jensend · · Score: 2

    "Since the beginning of time man has yearned to destroy the sun."

    (Excellent.)

  26. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    *your

    Bravo, well played sir!

  27. I DID NOT KNOW POLAND HAS A SPACE PROGRAM !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Because this must be the people who came up with that. Smashmouth you too, buddy !!

  28. Um... Guys... by SternisheFan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey all scientists who have ambitious 'plans' to "experiment" with the Sun... Please DON'T!!! DON'T FUCK WITH THE SUN!!! Just look at it, okay? Do not "play" with it! It's working, it's been working fine fir BILLIONS OF YEARS!!! When something as important as THE SUN is working, leave it alone! Don't fix it!!!

    1. Re:Um... Guys... by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Please tell me you're not serious.....

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:Um... Guys... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You must be joking. The Sun has about 1.988E30 kg, while the Earth has only 5.97E24. That means the Sun has about 300,000 times Earth's mass. A small human-made machine can't even scratch the Earth, if we threw it against a giant ball of fire that burns anything that even thinks of coming close it wouldn't stand a chance. You can't simply accidentally break the Sun (and, currently, not even intentionally). You're better off worrying about the Earth, that's something we can't completely break but we can make it into a hellish place, for that we do have the technology.

    3. Re:Um... Guys... by Pesticidal · · Score: 2

      Haven't you seen the Star Trek Generations movie? It's totally possible.

    4. Re:Um... Guys... by drkim · · Score: 1

      Don't fix it!!!

      Are you kidding! We have great scientists these days.
      They can double the sun's output in no time.
      Then we'll have all the solar power we'll ever need.

    5. Re:Um... Guys... by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 1

      Aha! Never misunderestimate Science. My first thought upon hearing about this for example, was "I hope they included an antimatter mass production facility in close orbit around the sun there, we shouldn't need to wall off too much of it to be zipping around the solar system in jig time".

    6. Re:Um... Guys... by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      Don't fix it!!!

      Are you kidding! We have great scientists these days. They can double the sun's output in no time. Then we'll have all the solar power we'll ever need.

      Professor Leo Farnsworth: "What could possibly fo wrong?"

    7. Re:Um... Guys... by aNonnyMouseCowered · · Score: 1

      If you like something a bit more scientific. Try Sunshine the movie:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_(2007_film)

      I'd say bit more scientific than Star Trek because the premise sounds a bit preposterous. A mission is sent to reignite a sun that's started to grow cold. The tool of choice is a "star bomb" to start a solar chain reaction. As the GP pointed out, we're smaller than ants compared to sun, and we can't accidentally "break" the sun, what more fix it, when it breaks.

    8. Re:Um... Guys... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Good news, everyone! I've fixed the spell checker! No more annoying misspelling warnings."

    9. Re:Um... Guys... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Good news, everyone! I've fixed the spell checker! No more annoying misspelling warnings."

      Maybe he meant to misspell it on purpose, like maybe it was intentionally part of the joke. Maybe, jist maybe......

  29. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Beryllium+Sphere(tm) · · Score: 1

    Further, we have direct satellite measurements of solar output since 1978. There's been no clear trend to it while temperatures on Earth have gone up steadily.

  30. No need for manned exploration by Shag · · Score: 1

    NASA will send a pair of rovers, the "Damn, that's hot" and the "Ouch, it burns" to explore the photosphere. Expected mission lengths after arrival are expected to be measured in the femtoseconds.

    --
    Village idiot in some extremely smart villages.
    1. Re:No need for manned exploration by treeves · · Score: 1

      Corona is way hotter than photosphere, so it will not arrive.

      --
      ...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
    2. Re:No need for manned exploration by treeves · · Score: 1

      I know, whoosh.

      --
      ...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
  31. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow, that must be embarrassing for you.

  32. Anyone actually read the article yet? by CityZen · · Score: 1

    No? Just wondering. Thanks.

    1. Re:Anyone actually read the article yet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's an article??

  33. four goals by phantomfive · · Score: 1

    They have four main goals:

    *Determine the origins of the Sun's activity and predict the variations in the space environment.
    * Determine the dynamics and coupling of Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere and their response to solar and terrestrial inputs.
    * Determine the interaction of the Sun with the solar system and the interstellar medium.
    * Discover and characterize fundamental processes that occur both within the heliosphere and throughout the universe.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    1. Re:four goals by Pesticidal · · Score: 2

      You forgot:

      * ???
      * Profit!

    2. Re:four goals by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Glad you clarified.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  34. Metaphasic shielding by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A Ferengi scientist, Dr. Reyga, has created a metaphasic shielding technique. A shuttle is to be fitted with Dr. Reyga's shield and flown into a nearby star.

  35. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's obvious that he was just being sarcastic and playful ... right?

  36. Oldy but goody by fotoflojoe · · Score: 1

    In Soviet Russia, the sun explores you!

  37. I R on Sun by Animats · · Score: 1

    I R on Sun, first manned mission to the Sun.

  38. "Science" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will they take all the fissionable material on earth, make it into a bomb the size of Manhattan Island to restart the sun and then, when the ship breaks down, build another one that also has all the fissionable material on earth?

    Because, from where I'm standing, that about sums up the average "scientist's" level of credibility.

  39. Being serious for a minute... by PiMuNu · · Score: 1

    Reads like the sort of bland non-specific but ambitious-sounding balls that research councils push all the time. Great sound bites for the politicians, but what does it really mean?

  40. Harness sun's energy create revolving man-made ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Harness sun's energy create revolving man-made earth, so that we can be there in-spite of asteroid Armageddon on earth.

  41. Joe Biden by Megane · · Score: 1

    Today Joe Biden will announce our plans to land the first man on the Sun.

    --
    #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    1. Re:Joe Biden by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Today Joe Biden will announce our plans to land the first man on the Sun.

      No Biden is funny send Obama

  42. But why is the Sun so round? by SternisheFan · · Score: 4, Informative
  43. Sundiver by theguyfromsaturn · · Score: 1

    Now THAT would be bold. Laser cooled, laser propulsion manned solar exploration vehicle. Until they can match David Brin's dream, nothing about solar exploration will feel "bold" to me. Sigh. I'm spoiled.

    --
    I like my dinosaurs feathery, and my pterosaurs hairy (or is it pycnofibery?)
  44. Time by rossdee · · Score: 0

    Is it April already?

  45. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by EvilBudMan · · Score: 1

    A dyslexic neurotic now wonders if there really is a dog.

  46. Welfare for Whitecoats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Back in the 1990s there was a similar blueprint produced by a group of Government agencies for space weather research over the upcoming 20 years. I mentioned this report to an engineer at Motorloa with whom I was working on estimating the potential for space weather impact on the then-planned Iridium system. She admitted as to having read the report, but her opinion was that it was simply "welfare for whitecoats" (ie., researchers) with no clear plans to fund the work needed to turn research into usable tools and products (reliable predictions, for example). This was a brutal take on the issue, but it raised a clear point that even the National Research Council later took on in a report they called "Crossing the Valley of Death - From Research to Operations". It's hard enough to get funding to do basic research. Getting funding to do applied research has been, is, and probably always will be the key missing piece in all this. There's no coherent base to advocate for it, whereas at least the research community has any number of organizations that do nothing but lobby for research funding.

  47. US can only fund one percent of great ideas by peter303 · · Score: 1

    There are many great space exploration ideas out there and way to little funds.

  48. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by hazah · · Score: 1

    Just 'cause you disagree with it doesn't make it trollish. At worst this is offtopic, but given the logical inconsistancies that are found in Christian theology to begin with, its not far fetched to imagine that no one in their right mind actually believes it to be true. The controversies and corruption alone are enough to make one question, quite seriously, whether they practice what they preach. Coincidently, these people have everything to lose if they can't keep the ball rolling in their favour. End result? A blatant display of hipocricy where by it's obvious they're in it for the money.

  49. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by hazah · · Score: 1

    It wasn't broken. Now it is.

  50. Exploration? Or research? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Exploration of the Sun is so, so... hot...

  51. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?

  52. Manned mission to inner solar system by JeffAtl · · Score: 1

    Is there any reason for a manned mission to the solar system? The sun and mercury are obivous out of the question and most likely venus, but could there be any other reason to ever send a manned mission the interior of the solar system?

    1. Re:Manned mission to inner solar system by rossdee · · Score: 1

      "Is there any reason for a manned mission to the solar system?"

      Probably not - analysis of the transmissions from the third planet reveal no signs of intelligence..

  53. Re:Maybe this will kill Man made global warming by EvilBudMan · · Score: 1

    Because your joke is even older than mine.