Sunday discussion - "NASA: What's the point?" (Page 3)

How about this one, launched 2/6/09?  Does this seem like a waste?  From NASA:

On launch morning the NASA guy told the launch team that the SARSAT program has saved something like 24000 lives in 20+ years.  Seems worthwhile to me.

You do realize that Ron Paul is not a Libertarian and has gone on record many times saying he would never be a part of that party right??

just saying...

I work directly with the Delta II Launch vehicle with ULA and on several other government programs, mostly military, and I can tell you all that governement spending makes up 100% of my paycheck along with a few hundred other engineer/scientists I know.  It may cost alot for the goverment to build something but all that money goes right back to us.  I also know of several small businesses that wouldnt exist if it weren't these programs.   So I find it hard to call it wasteful.  Its a better stimulus than anything happening now.  I can honestly say I was unemployed several years back when I got the job I have now (and I owe it to Bush for funding the missile defense projects that got me started, believe it or not). 

 If NASA and such projects were privatized, where would all that money be going?  To some CEO's giant bonus instead of new jobs?  I don't know.  I do know a private company would go a hell of alot faster than the govt does.  But when the gov't spends twice as much to do the same thing, they also use twice as many people, including private companies.    I used to think this was a big waste also, but now that I work in the industry, I see how it is a great tool to increase the economy in the country  ... and get a huge benefit of the technololgy too.

Back to the launch capabilities.. When was the first ever successful launch and orbit of a completely privately funded rocket.. 28 September 2008, on its 4th attempt .. and it is in no way a heavy left rocket.. that launch is anticipated sometime in 2009.. it is corrently at NASA funded Cape Canaveral .. the point private space industry is in its infancy, and still has a ways to go.. I don't anyone in this thread is against private industry taking over tasks from NASA.. but you really going to turn your space program over to an industry that is just getting its start? 

Space Exploration....Finding ways to screw up the rest of the universe before we are finished with our own little orbiting sphere. 

With all the technolgies that have come about, we can put a man on the moon yet are so far unable to make a road marking paint that can easily be seen when it's raining.

While I obviously disagree with SrA's assessments about the Depression, I read his statement more as being 2 statements.  Kind of like saying "I am a Democrat and a huge supporter of Reagan", like all the "Reagan Democrats" of the early 80's.

But what are electrolytes?

I loved that movie!

Can't tell from the info you gave. How much did it cost? Since citizen outside the US are benefiting, did other countries contribute to the cost? Did the government procure competing bid to administer the project or did NASA get the project through a non-compete? Could the money be spent on something else that would save more lives?

You do know that Ron Paul ran for President on the Libertarian Party ticket in 1988?

just saying....

And W. ran as a republican...

I know, I hate it when Democrats run under a Republican ticket.

that's the reason he gives for never being a part of them again actually.

Do you mind if I borrow your statement for future use?

Canada, Russia, and France are also involved.  I'm pretty sure that in the early 80s no non-govt entity was equipped to administer this project.  You can read a history of SARSAT here:  http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/

I'm pretty sure Russia (when it was the Soviet Union) provided some of the early satellites, but most of the newer ones are built by NASA and operated by NOAA.

The search-and-rescue thing is only part of what these satellites do.  Forecasting, climate research, ocean monitoring, study of pollution, monitoring fires, volcanic eruptions, etc, stuff that is important for public safety.  A large supply of money to fund this stuff is only going to come from the govt, unless it somehow becomes profitable.

NASA is the biggest customer for many companies involved in building, processing, and launching these satellites.  The money does filter down to people like me, non-govt employees who work in the space industry.

My whole point in this thread was that there is more to the space industry than NASA, and more to NASA than pure science or manned missions.  You can decide for yourself if the money would be better spent elsewhere, but it can't be denied that search and rescue and weather forecasting save many lives.