Comments on: Spirit Rover is Switched Off to Save NASA Money (Update)

By: Jim K

Jim K — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:48:50 +0000

It is interesting to note that the Spirit was the rover that captured the image of the "Bigfoot" on Mars…and is now being shut down weeks later.

Hrm…

By: Chuck Lam

Chuck Lam — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:54:28 +0000

Hey everyone! Just what do you expect from the bunch of bureaucratic scienticically boarder-line illiterates making these wild decisions? We clearly require a higher level of common sense and intelligence within the government agencies that directly affect the advancement of science. Make certain you get out and vote for change this November. Gawd! Do we need change!

By: David

David — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:27:55 +0000

Good one Aqualung . . perhaps we could find a photo of "Noah's Ark" sitting out on Cydonia, or a bunch of rocks in the shape of a Grail.

By: Chuck Lam

Chuck Lam — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:31:01 +0000

A side thought to those of you who think we are going to set-up a permanent base on the moon, forget it, it aint going to happen. Technically we can do it, bureaucratically, we are really screwed I'd like to remind both the serious thinkers and sci-fi dreamers that our government, specifically NASA, is typically operated very much like FEMA and the Home Land Security bunch Do you remember those infallible agencies and the efficacious jobs they are doing? What is required for the advancement of science is clearly more intelligence, at the top on down, in the critical areas of money and project management that will make a difference. This (MER) nonsense is just the tip of the iceburg.

By: Aqualung

Aqualung — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:33:21 +0000

If life started on Mars. Isn't there a possibility that beneath parts of Mars there are vast fields of gas and oil waiting to be found.

There you are. Now there will be no shortage of funds. JD.

By: Guy Incognito

Guy Incognito — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:03:04 +0000

To put it into for perspective for you, we're spending about four hundred million a day on the so-called war in Iraq.

By: Eduardo MariÃ±o

Eduardo MariÃ±o — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:26:19 +0000

No se supone que este paÃs es el ejemplo de la democracia en el mundo? que le pregunten a la gente si quieren gastar sus impuestos en armas, guerra, mentiras y asesinatos o en explorar y conocer mejor el universo, en aprender y valorar mas ese hermoso y unico recurso terrestre: la vida… a que no hacen un ejercicio de democracia, al menos alguna vez…

By: Astrofiend

Astrofiend — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:20:03 +0000

marcellus Says:
March 25th, 2008 at 4:55 pm

This is cool stuff. I like the "Let's fund it ourselves" concept.

Actually, I think that this COULD actually be a goer! I'd be more than happy to drop a few % of my pay into some sort of NASA or ESA 'fund' to help with the cost of space missions. I'm absolutely positive, based on the opinions of friends and colleagues, that many others would too. Lots of people derive a great amount of pleasure from the findings and results of space exploration and science missions – in a way it's akin to a hobby (or an obsession), so I think many would be willing to forgo a little pay for their passion.

Even if it was only a few % of members of all of the astronomy clubs around the world who contributed a few % of their annual pay packet, we'd quickly have a substantial amount of dough to throw behind projects. In reality I think there would be more than that flowing – those are fairly conservative estimates I imagine. Of course, such a system would raise its own issues like to which projects funds are distributed, but these could be worked out. The fundamental idea remains strong in my opinion.

By: GBendt

GBendt — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:59:00 +0000

Usually, space exploration is executed that way:
A spacecraft is designed and built for hundreds of millions of dollars such that it can perform a certain set of tasks. You bring it into space, activate it and hope that it performs fine and will do exactly the sophisticated job it was designed to do. And if it has done so, you build the next spacecraft for hundreds of millions of dollars, based on the results and the findings obtained from its predecessor, to reach out for the next step.

Spirit and Opportunity were intended to last within the martian environment for up to three months. But to the amazement of the public and the space engeneering society and beyond, these craft survived and performed in that environment 16 times longer than designed, and they still are in a very good shape.
As the two rovers performed 16 times longer than was scheduled by their mission designers, the cost of their operation has grown to more than 16 times the cost planned when these rovers were brought to Mars.
If you want to foster the replacement process of a craft, this task is difficult to accomplish if the craft to be replaced simply refuses to fail. If we want to promote the next generation of rovers, one has to accept that measures have to be taken.

Space exploration is a means to support and strengthen the space industry. Of course, it is also about science. But its main objective is building spacecraft, not running spaceraft forever, once they are built. And I think doing things this way makes sense.

Regards,

GÃ¼nther

By: Jim B

Jim B — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:57:58 +0000

It could be worse, they could be shutting both rovers off. I'm sure we could find the money by cancelling some congressman's "EARMARK". The Government should be spending our money on something that many of us actually want and indirectly benfeits all of us, rather then wasting the money. Remember all those FEMA trailers from Katrina ? It is time to replace The Government !

By: marcellus

marcellus — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:55:21 +0000

This is cool stuff. I like the "Let's fund it ourselves" concept. If Frasier says "O.K." I'll send him a hundred bucks. There's GOT to be 39,999 other astronomy fans out there that would go along.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:50:47 +0000

That is the dumbest thing I've heard all day.
$4M is all – what has been spent on the war and what was the return on that investment?

Waste and government are like two peas in a pod.

One senators lifetime pension ($250,000.00/yr – for entire lifetime) should cover it.

I am tired of poor leadership and even poorer decisions. It's time for change. Knowledge about the Universe is more important than a buck in one persons pocket!

By: Winson

Winson — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:45:07 +0000

Those WMDs are actually hidden on Mars. The Bigfoot captured in that Mars photo is really an Al Quada operative who was moving them to a new location.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:33:58 +0000

I'd rather see the 4 million spent on this than the silly war against WMD's. Did we ever find those?

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:03:58 +0000

Humans are terrible things.

By: von Dawson's Express

von Dawson's Express — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:41:31 +0000

Come on NASA and USA get yer act together and stop messing about, 'call this a space programme this is not a space programme its a joke…' (Apollo-gises to Capt Lockheed). You can afford the $4m laike some one said put Iraq on hold for 20 minutes…

(thought. Wonder what happend to the NASA project to sell scrap metel that lying around Cape C…..)

By: Winston

Winston — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:21:32 +0000

Well, it looks like the program will still be funder.

Solo convinced me (isn't he that gay guy from Star Trek?). I made a few calls and had them change their minds.

By: Solo

Solo — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:59:46 +0000

Do you use a phone to communicate to other parts of the world? Do you watch TV. Do you listen to the weather? Have you ever used Velcro. How was America discovered? Hint: Exploration. Do you drive a car? Do you use resources? Hint: All of these things are made possible because of the space program. Satellites find new resources. Satellites help us observe the weather. Space program is important in national defense. Planetary exploration teaches us much about our own planet. Would it not be interesting to you to find life elsewhere in the universe? It would tell us a lot about ourselves. Settling other worlds in the future is a way to give humans a backup plan in case we screw ourselves here. Many reasons to fund space exploration, you just need to think about it.

Read Carl Sagan's insights here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot

Enough ranting. Seems a waste to turn off a spacecraft after spending all the effort and overcoming all the obstacles to getting there. Many landers never make it. I'm guessing there will be enough pressure to get Spirit back up and running soon.

By: Winston

Winston — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:21:29 +0000

> Winston, it may be non-productive for
> you, but what about the pure discovery?

I have no problem with pure discovery. But do it with private dollars, not my tax dollars, okay?

If there's something worthwhile to profit on this, let someone else do the investing, and they can reap the benefits too.

Mars is simply a vast wasteland that always will be (unless you count the population of Bigfooot there).

> just stay put, invest in what you already
> know.

Investments should have a positive economic impact. How much has been invested? How much benefit has been seen.?

By: Silicon.shaman

Silicon.shaman — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:14:53 +0000

$4million.. hell, Bush spent more than that by nearly an order of magnitude on his "re-election" campaign! One of the damn baptists churches was able to raise that in a day for Huckabee…

Bloody hell people, get your priorities right! This program is a brilliant success, and is producing insights into Mars on an almost daily basis But they cancel it?

What, is NASA being run by FOX TV network executives now?

Oh, and for those carping about "what good is it", how about this:
" The understanding of geophysical processes have already contributed to greatly enhancing our ability to understand rock formation, and indirectly, enhance our ability to locate oil."
Recent NASA press release

Stick that in your SUV.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:49:33 +0000

I am obviously uninformed and naive regarding this, but what exactly is costing $20 Million a year to keep this project going? The rovers are already there. Does it really cost that much to communicate with these things?

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:34:46 +0000

I'm absolutely disgusted. Just put the f***ing war in Iraq on hold for a few just a few minutes, there will be plenty of money to pay for the rovers until they die naturally.

Dubya sucks.

By: 4gea

4gea — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:20:13 +0000

If it were 4 billion dollars, I would understand it. But to shut down a successful research program for 4 million is not a sound decision.
And yes, I think comparisons with money spent in a war is fair – after all, today's military technology is developed on the basis of lots of research, space-research included. But I guess such logic escapes the key people.
Those who say that the MER program is a waste of time and money couldn't be more wrong. As someone who's followed these missions from the landing, I can safely say there's more scientific discovery been going on through this program than in several research labs combined. But the ways research and findings about other planets influences us here on Earth is another topic.

By: Hawkus

Hawkus — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:02:45 +0000

Can't they get some kind of sponsorship deal? $4Mill is such small-beer it's shocking that they can't find it. It's pocket-change for any large corporation

By: Eric Conrad

Eric Conrad — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:48:25 +0000

It just seems to me that a working project is more valueable than a future one… Can we pull the $4 million from another mission not off the ground yet?

However, this $4 million only covers the rest of this year. What happens in the FY09 budget, where they are short $10+ million? Unfortunetly, this is just one of those things that happens during budget cuts.

It is a shame, however, that one of the most successful landing missions of all time, which has actually captured the hearts of some non-space people, will be shut down for a time. Couldn't we take the extra million from the outer planets program scheduled for FY09? I can't imagine the few million would make a whole lot of difference there. While the money would make a HUGE difference on the MERs.

Sigh…