Comments on: I Heart the ISS: Ten Reasons to Love the International Space Station http://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/ Space and astronomy news Wed, 23 May 2012 07:28:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Karenhttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-52835 Karen Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:17:35 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-52835 Just watched the space station go by. It was glorious! Feb. 5, 2009 Just watched the space station go by. It was glorious!
Feb. 5, 2009

]]> By: Vesnahttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-18062 Vesna Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:27:11 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-18062 Thank you Nancy, thank you RussRobers, you said everything I would. LifeSong sais: "if the ISS hadn't been built we could now have robots exploring the moon & constructing an electronic virtual 'mirror' telescope with the resolving capability of the earth moon distance. More efficient power systems for spacecraft would now exist...", I don't know...maybe that's true but ISS is the place to exercise all our skills and when the time comes we shall do all that beautiful and inconceivable stuff! If money hadn't been spent on ISS it doesn't mean it would have been saved for Mars, Moon or robots either. We should be lucky that ISS exists at all, knowing the world we are living in. Thank you Nancy, thank you RussRobers, you said everything I would.
LifeSong sais: “if the ISS hadn’t been built we could now have robots exploring the moon & constructing an electronic virtual ‘mirror’ telescope with the resolving capability of the earth moon distance. More efficient power systems for spacecraft would now exist…”, I don’t know…maybe that’s true but ISS is the place to exercise all our skills and when the time comes we shall do all that beautiful and inconceivable stuff! If money hadn’t been spent on ISS it doesn’t mean it would have been saved for Mars, Moon or robots either. We should be lucky that ISS exists at all, knowing the world we are living in.

]]> By: RussRobershttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-17130 RussRobers Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:45:10 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-17130 The future of the human race depends on our ability to live and work in space. We can either put all our eggs in one basket (earth) or expand our imaginations, horizons, and the human spirit with space exploration. We are all descendents from explores and space is the last great exploration for humans. It inspires the next generation, teaches us how to live and work in space and has expanded the global economy into space. It is a choice for the United States - to lead the world through our ideals, technology, and capability - or be happy taking the back seat and let somebody else drive! Remember if we are in the backseat we will not be steering anymore - are we really ready to be second best? We can use space to unite countries, expand the human life across the solar system, develop new technologies and capabilities that make a difference in our lives on earth, expand human knowledge and help grow our economy – or not. Civilization that lose their vision and their ability to invest in their future will wither away. That is not the future I want for this great country – I want my children and their children’s children to have pride in our countries great accomplishments and have the inherent belief that this country with all it’s amazing diversity and talent can do ANYTHING we set our mind to. The future of the human race depends on our ability to live and work in space. We can either put all our eggs in one basket (earth) or expand our imaginations, horizons, and the human spirit with space exploration. We are all descendents from explores and space is the last great exploration for humans. It inspires the next generation, teaches us how to live and work in space and has expanded the global economy into space. It is a choice for the United States – to lead the world through our ideals, technology, and capability – or be happy taking the back seat and let somebody else drive! Remember if we are in the backseat we will not be steering anymore – are we really ready to be second best? We can use space to unite countries, expand the human life across the solar system, develop new technologies and capabilities that make a difference in our lives on earth, expand human knowledge and help grow our economy – or not. Civilization that lose their vision and their ability to invest in their future will wither away. That is not the future I want for this great country – I want my children and their children’s children to have pride in our countries great accomplishments and have the inherent belief that this country with all it’s amazing diversity and talent can do ANYTHING we set our mind to.

]]> By: litesonghttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-13414 litesong Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:28:26 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-13414 After decades of personal opposition to ISS, this article almost persuaded me to support it. Actually, I will support it, anyway. But my support is given, not because, but in spite of the snide sniping potshots people took at Mr.Bill. The best science has suffered terribly as the ISS was planned & got bigger in orbit. If the ISS hadn't been built we could now have robots exploring the moon & constructing an electronic virtual 'mirror' telescope with the resolving capability of the earth moon distance. More efficient power systems for spacecraft would now exist, with the hope of sooner than later sending an interstellar probe meaningfully out of the solar system....at least to Sedna. Numerous spacecraft in the glorious footsteps of Pioneer, Voyager, Magellan, Galileo, & Cassini, but with far deeper treads & capabilities would be flung thru every corner of the solar system. We could be exploring Mars in much greater depth than at present, since our robots are proving to be greatly reliable & long living.Yes, great is your ego to get people to do things in space. But never believe, that the fine minds who do search the realms beyond the earth's atmosphere, can't do more space science, more effectively with robots, than with people in space.Your egotistical pressure on Mr.Bill PROVES the great breaking of humanity. If a long lived viable, INDEPENDENT presence in space on other worlds & planets was established, time would eventually split people into different civilizations...one, the HOME WORLD, the other, OUTWORLDERS. & some how, some way, egotistic life would find a reason for war. Your strenuous dislike of Mr.Bill proves my contention. After decades of personal opposition to ISS, this article almost persuaded me to support it. Actually, I will support it, anyway. But my support is given, not because, but in spite of the snide sniping potshots people took at Mr.Bill.
The best science has suffered terribly as the ISS was planned & got bigger in orbit. If the ISS hadn’t been built we could now have robots exploring the moon & constructing an electronic virtual ‘mirror’ telescope with the resolving capability of the earth moon distance.
More efficient power systems for spacecraft would now exist, with the hope of sooner than later sending an interstellar probe meaningfully out of the solar system….at least to Sedna. Numerous spacecraft in the glorious footsteps of Pioneer, Voyager, Magellan, Galileo, & Cassini, but with far deeper treads & capabilities would be flung thru every corner of the solar system. We could be exploring Mars in much greater depth than at present, since our robots are proving to be greatly reliable & long living.

Yes, great is your ego to get people to do things in space. But never believe, that the fine minds who do search the realms beyond the earth’s atmosphere, can’t do more space science, more effectively with robots, than with people in space.

Your egotistical pressure on Mr.Bill PROVES the great breaking of humanity. If a long lived viable, INDEPENDENT presence in space on other worlds & planets was established, time would eventually split people into different civilizations…one, the HOME WORLD, the other, OUTWORLDERS. & some how, some way, egotistic life would find a reason for war. Your strenuous dislike of Mr.Bill proves my contention.

]]> By: Shaithishttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-12964 Shaithis Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:37:27 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-12964 Ya know, I bet a whole bunch of folks shook their heads when Khufu built the great pyramid. I don't know if there's an afterlife, but if there is, he is laughing and laughing and laughing.The ISS is THE FIRST marvel of the modern world. The rest have not been built yet. Ya know, I bet a whole bunch of folks shook their heads when Khufu built the great pyramid. I don’t know if there’s an afterlife, but if there is, he is laughing and laughing and laughing.

The ISS is THE FIRST marvel of the modern world. The rest have not been built yet.

]]> By: Nick Sheridanhttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-12844 Nick Sheridan Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:15:33 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-12844 I am a VERY firm supporter of the ISS because it seems to me the hardest thing at the moment is ENGINEERING - not the science.Yes, I'd love to do a Moon or Mars base, but I really don't think we are ready for it - too many unknowns and risks - and the ISS is the easiest and cheapest way to mitigate those risks.Saying that, I'd still like to get more of an understanding of what we've got and where the money has gone - how do we know that we're getting good value? Nick I am a VERY firm supporter of the ISS because it seems to me the hardest thing at the moment is ENGINEERING – not the science.

Yes, I’d love to do a Moon or Mars base, but I really don’t think we are ready for it – too many unknowns and risks – and the ISS is the easiest and cheapest way to mitigate those risks.

Saying that, I’d still like to get more of an understanding of what we’ve got and where the money has gone – how do we know that we’re getting good value?
Nick

]]> By: NRhttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-12810 NR Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:31:25 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-12810 Fellows, please, Don't put me in the same basket as MrBill. I was just being ironic...Besides that, we have the experience of Columbus: our king didn't waste money and resources with him and look what happened. The Spanish king did and Columbus found something we didn't knew (or didn't wish to be known, no one can figure it). So, we should never turn our back on this things... Beside that, ISS is not as expensive as it might look. Just check the numbers against program Apollo. Better yet, check the numbers on some really nowadays money sucking actions, such as some middle east wars or even try to find how much money mankind spend each year in cosmetics. Now, that's waste... Resources and money that goes into space programs are always short. For those younger, just find out what were we suppose we would be in the year 2000... Fellows, please, Don’t put me in the same basket as MrBill. I was just being ironic…

Besides that, we have the experience of Columbus: our king didn’t waste money and resources with him and look what happened. The Spanish king did and Columbus found something we didn’t knew (or didn’t wish to be known, no one can figure it). So, we should never turn our back on this things…
Beside that, ISS is not as expensive as it might look. Just check the numbers against program Apollo. Better yet, check the numbers on some really nowadays money sucking actions, such as some middle east wars or even try to find how much money mankind spend each year in cosmetics. Now, that’s waste…
Resources and money that goes into space programs are always short. For those younger, just find out what were we suppose we would be in the year 2000…

]]> By: Adamhttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-12698 Adam Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:53:57 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-12698 I totally agree with the author. Besides, whenever NASA decides on a way forward there are scores of people, among them respected scientists, who are bitching about NASA doing the wrong thing. I think it's because they are disappointed that their particular idea or research interests weren't selected. But you can't keep everyone satisfied, at least not for the money NASA is getting and if NASA was trying to accommodate everyone they would never get off the ground. At some point you have to stop debating and actually do something. An endless search for The Perfect Solution is meaningless since you're never going to find one.And here are some comments to comments:@ Darnell Clayton NASA is not a financial operation. NASA and all the other space agencies like ESA or JAXA are charged with doing research no business would contemplate because of the lack of a clear prospect for economic rewards. I am quite convinced that whatever Bigelow Aerospace gets up and running (flying?) will be a complement not a competitor to ISS. Make no mistake about it though: I am just as excited about what Bigelow Aerospace is doing as about ISS and the new vision for exploration of Moon, Mars and perhaps beyond...@ homer "iss should be moved to about halve the way to the moon". Unfortunately ISS is not built for the radiation environment in the interplanetary space. At the height of 300-400 km it is protected by the Earth's magnetic field. Not so at a distance of say 150000 km from Earth. The Apollo astronauts were out there for a week or so at a time. The ISS crews are supposed to be away for months. Same goes for materials and electronics. I totally agree with the author. Besides, whenever NASA decides on a way forward there are scores of people, among them respected scientists, who are bitching about NASA doing the wrong thing. I think it’s because they are disappointed that their particular idea or research interests weren’t selected. But you can’t keep everyone satisfied, at least not for the money NASA is getting and if NASA was trying to accommodate everyone they would never get off the ground. At some point you have to stop debating and actually do something. An endless search for The Perfect Solution is meaningless since you’re never going to find one.

And here are some comments to comments:

@ Darnell Clayton
NASA is not a financial operation. NASA and all the other space agencies like ESA or JAXA are charged with doing research no business would contemplate because of the lack of a clear prospect for economic rewards. I am quite convinced that whatever Bigelow Aerospace gets up and running (flying?) will be a complement not a competitor to ISS. Make no mistake about it though: I am just as excited about what Bigelow Aerospace is doing as about ISS and the new vision for exploration of Moon, Mars and perhaps beyond…

@ homer
“iss should be moved to about halve the way to the moon”. Unfortunately ISS is not built for the radiation environment in the interplanetary space. At the height of 300-400 km it is protected by the Earth’s magnetic field. Not so at a distance of say 150000 km from Earth. The Apollo astronauts were out there for a week or so at a time. The ISS crews are supposed to be away for months. Same goes for materials and electronics.

]]> By: Burzycki.org - Tech and Interesting Factshttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-12661 Burzycki.org - Tech and Interesting Facts Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:41:42 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-12661 [...] But I’m going to be honest. I’ll come right out and say it: I really like the ISS. In fact, I’m crazy about it, and have been ever since Unity docked with Zarya back in 1998. Yes, my heart belongs to the space station, and since its Valentine’s Day, I’m going to profess my feelings here and now with ten reasons why I love the International Space Station:(In no particular order:)(more…) [...] [...] But I’m going to be honest. I’ll come right out and say it: I really like the ISS. In fact, I’m crazy about it, and have been ever since Unity docked with Zarya back in 1998. Yes, my heart belongs to the space station, and since its Valentine’s Day, I’m going to profess my feelings here and now with ten reasons why I love the International Space Station:(In no particular order:)(more…) [...]

]]> By: Juliahttp://www.universetoday.com/12815/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/comment-page-2/#comment-12655 Julia Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:14:33 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/14/i-heart-the-iss-ten-reasons-to-love-the-international-space-station/#comment-12655 Ever since we visited the Kennedy Space Center last Winter, we have been making the effort to watch the ISS as it crosses the sky in the evening. Every time we see it, it is spectacular and thrilling and I get goose bumps just thinking about it. Ever since we visited the Kennedy Space Center last Winter, we have been making the effort to watch the ISS as it crosses the sky in the evening. Every time we see it, it is spectacular and thrilling and I get goose bumps just thinking about it.

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