Comments on: One Small step for… NFA-LD? http://www.socal-ld.net/2010/01/16/one-small-step-for-nfa-ld/ Southern California's NFA-LD site Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:15:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Mike http://www.socal-ld.net/2010/01/16/one-small-step-for-nfa-ld/comment-page-1/#comment-11230 Mike Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:17:41 +0000 http://www.socal-ld.net/?p=1374#comment-11230 I just want to put in my $.02 that I think this will be a timely topic. My father works for United Launch Alliance (All the U.S.-based rockets that put satellites up are built and operated by them), and after the imminent retirement of the Shuttle Program, individual rockets will be the only way for anything to get into space (you know, beyond the mesosphere). Get off the rock is an obvious place to start, but one of the things my Dad is always reminding me of is how much of our current technology was discovered directly or indirectly through the space program. It's difficult to claim "we'll know more stuff" as solvency since we don't know exactly what that knowledge will be, but if we can examine the last forty years and extrapolate out, we should be able to make a persuasive claim for dramatically increasing funding to our space program. I just want to put in my $.02 that I think this will be a timely topic. My father works for United Launch Alliance (All the U.S.-based rockets that put satellites up are built and operated by them), and after the imminent retirement of the Shuttle Program, individual rockets will be the only way for anything to get into space (you know, beyond the mesosphere).

Get off the rock is an obvious place to start, but one of the things my Dad is always reminding me of is how much of our current technology was discovered directly or indirectly through the space program. It’s difficult to claim “we’ll know more stuff” as solvency since we don’t know exactly what that knowledge will be, but if we can examine the last forty years and extrapolate out, we should be able to make a persuasive claim for dramatically increasing funding to our space program.

]]> By: Nick http://www.socal-ld.net/2010/01/16/one-small-step-for-nfa-ld/comment-page-1/#comment-11223 Nick Sun, 17 Jan 2010 08:22:00 +0000 http://www.socal-ld.net/?p=1374#comment-11223 Here's my little preface ;) “Space…the final frontier.” These four simple words have captivated American television audiences for over four decades. While Captain Kirk has long since departed the decks of the original Starship Enterprise, the vision encapsulated by Gene Roddenberry’s “Star Trek” has remained persistent. Five spin-offs, eleven feature films, and hundreds of novels grant testimony to the mass appeal of space exploration. Of course, space expands well beyond the realm of fictional pop culture. Examples of controversy surrounding space are numerous and complex. =================================== Current Events in Space Exploration =================================== I'll just post citations with tags and let you figure out the rest ;) NASA FUNDING AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE UPI.com 09 (12/30/09, " 2011 budget key to NASA ambitions ", http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/12/30/2011-budget-key-to-NASA-ambitions/UPI-37501262192150/) US ROLE IN SPACE EXPLORATION IS AT A TURNING POINT Space Review 1/11 (Roger Handberg, 1/11/10, " The future of American human space exploration and the “Critical Path” ", http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1543/1) US DOMINANCE IN SPACE EFFORTS ON THE BRINK - NOW IS THE KEY TIME Florida Today 09 (John Kelly, 12/21/09, " World awaits US decision on space exploration's future ", http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091221/NEWS02/91221002/1006/news01/World+awaits+U.S.+decision+on+space+exploration+s+future) CHINA IS HEADED TO SPACE Washington Times 1/7 (John J. Tkacik Jr., 1/7/10, " China space program shoots for moon ", http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/08/china-eyes-high-ground/?feat=home_headlines) PRIVATIZATION OF SPACE VENTURES ON THE HORIZON Wall Street Journal 09 (Andy Pasztor, 12/21/09, " New Course for Space Exploration Promotes Private Firms ", http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126135372896199409.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLETopStories) SQ POLICIES MEAN ISS GOES UNDERUTILIZED Aviation Week 09 (Frank Morring, Jr., 12/24/09, " GAO Warns NASA May Never Fully Utilize ISS ", http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/GAO122409.xml&headline=GAO%20Warns%20NASA%20May%20Never%20Fully%20Utilize%20ISS) MARS ROVERS ARE COOL CNN International 1/11 (ShelLin Erdman, Maria Boynton, 1/11/10, " NASA moves forward with Mars exploration plan ", http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/11/mars.exploration/) Here’s my little preface ;)

“Space…the final frontier.”

These four simple words have captivated American television audiences for over four decades. While Captain Kirk has long since departed the decks of the original Starship Enterprise, the vision encapsulated by Gene Roddenberry’s “Star Trek” has remained persistent. Five spin-offs, eleven feature films, and hundreds of novels grant testimony to the mass appeal of space exploration.

Of course, space expands well beyond the realm of fictional pop culture. Examples of controversy surrounding space are numerous and complex.

===================================
Current Events in Space Exploration
===================================

I’ll just post citations with tags and let you figure out the rest ;)

NASA FUNDING AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE

UPI.com 09 (12/30/09, ” 2011 budget key to NASA ambitions “, http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/12/30/2011-budget-key-to-NASA-ambitions/UPI-37501262192150/)

US ROLE IN SPACE EXPLORATION IS AT A TURNING POINT

Space Review 1/11 (Roger Handberg, 1/11/10, ” The future of American human space exploration and the “Critical Path” “, http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1543/1)

US DOMINANCE IN SPACE EFFORTS ON THE BRINK – NOW IS THE KEY TIME

Florida Today 09 (John Kelly, 12/21/09, ” World awaits US decision on space exploration’s future “, http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091221/NEWS02/91221002/1006/news01/World+awaits+U.S.+decision+on+space+exploration+s+future)

CHINA IS HEADED TO SPACE

Washington Times 1/7 (John J. Tkacik Jr., 1/7/10, ” China space program shoots for moon “, http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/08/china-eyes-high-ground/?feat=home_headlines)

PRIVATIZATION OF SPACE VENTURES ON THE HORIZON

Wall Street Journal 09 (Andy Pasztor, 12/21/09, ” New Course for Space Exploration Promotes Private Firms “, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126135372896199409.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLETopStories)

SQ POLICIES MEAN ISS GOES UNDERUTILIZED

Aviation Week 09 (Frank Morring, Jr., 12/24/09, ” GAO Warns NASA May Never Fully Utilize ISS “, http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/GAO122409.xml&headline=GAO%20Warns%20NASA%20May%20Never%20Fully%20Utilize%20ISS)

MARS ROVERS ARE COOL

CNN International 1/11 (ShelLin Erdman, Maria Boynton, 1/11/10, ” NASA moves forward with Mars exploration plan “, http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/11/mars.exploration/)

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