If that is the case, life is everywhere. I can believe that much more than we are here to spread life throughout the Universe. 4.4 light years to the nearest star system is a long way to go much less the rest of the way.

The "bold assertion" that this is the only place that life exists smacks of pre-Copernican astronomy.

Co-operation between NASA and the ESA is a small but correct step in the right direction.

NASA's budget in 2006 was 15.125 billion in current dollars (according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Budget)

"There is no other life out there, we are alone and we are here to bring life to the rest of the universe."

Wow – that's a bold assertion. Nobody on Earth has any idea of what may or may not be out there with regards to life. To make a any sort of claim otherwise can only be regarded as pure guesswork, baseless personal conviction or quasi-religious.

Both history and common sense show pretty damn well that reaching conclusions in this manner isn't usually conducive to finding out the facts of the matter.

That NASA and the ESA are combining forces, that is a good thing. The Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn is proof positive of that.

"NASA is not interested in planet Earth or the benefit of anything or anyone."
That 's akin to saying the vegetarians are not interested in eating vegetables." Not exactly. An angry over generalization? Maybe. Devoid of fact? Not at all. It's an agency. It's an institution. There are plenty of former NASA people out there that will point out mismanagement, self-serving agendas, and so on.

"NASA scientists are warning of the effects of climate change on the future of humanity. However, the Bush administration kept them as quite as possible." You're illustrating my point. NASA has an unfortunate relationship with politics. Its science and research therefore depend, at least in part, on which way the political winds blow. If that is even partly true, then NASA isn't completely concerned about planet Earth, is it? Concerns over climate change are being handled by other groups with a lot more transparency, accountability and bottom line results than NASA. Give me a break.

"You have greatly overlooked NASA's activities, David. Then they wouldn't have launched the OSTM and the large armada of Earth monitoring satellites. Such as research on the Ozone layer, sea-levels, and the entire atmospheric and geophysical condition of the planet.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/index.html"

OK, how about this link to balance out your comments:

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/sep/HQ_07197_NASA_Army_MOU.html

NASA does not have just Earth research in mind, nor has it ever. You have greatly overlooked NASA's activities as well. Not to mention a very myopic understanding US political history. Most public school history classes even acknowledge the relationship between the moon program and the cold war. To suggest that NASA is somehow above politics, military research, and matters that have nothing to do with the well being of the planet is nauseating.

"Instead bashing the peaceful advancement of science and technology, how about protesting against military spending.
NASA: 17.3 billion = a meager budget for peaceful science.
US Military: $515.4 Billion = bigger body count"
I am not bashing the peaceful advancement of science and technology. I am bashing bureaucrats who rush to the press with comments about the benefit of "all the Earth" when their history and present reality are completely at odds with their rhetoric. (I would like nothing better than to see a US budget that eliminates poverty, creates good jobs, eliminates its debt, and invests heavily in science and research.)

"The US economy has already virtually collapsed–and it's all still here." Well, for someone so bothered by over generalizations and overlooking key details, you didn't seem too concerned with your own. Yes, the US economy is "still here." And the highest unemployment numbers in recent memory are here. I'll be sure to tell my friends who are on the verge of losing their jobs that the US economy is "still here."

"You make me hug the toilet." I guess you meant that my comments made you hug the toilet. Your comments have the same effect on me. So I guess that makes us united in our own vomit…and we have both adversely affected the planet by all that extra flushing.

"For the benefit of us all." Huh? That just doesn't make any sense. But I'm too busy hugging the toilet to care much…

That 's akin to saying the vegetarians are not interested in eating vegetables.

NASA scientists are warning of the effects of climate change on the future of humanity. However, the Bush administration kept them as quite as possible.

You have greatly overlooked NASA's activities, David. Then they wouldn't have launched the OSTM and the large armada of Earth monitoring satellites. Such as research on the Ozone layer, sea-levels, and the entire atmospheric and geophysical condition of the planet.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/index.html

Instead bashing the peaceful advancement of science and technology, how about protesting against military spending.

NASA: 17.3 billion = a meager budget for peaceful science.
US Military: $515.4 Billion = bigger body count

The US economy has already virtually collapsed–and it's all still here.
You make me hug the toilet.

————-

"For the benefit of all"

Despite its faults I think NASA is a great organisation, something that could certainly be improved, but something the US should be very proud of indeed so stop knocking it! ESA has had some great success too with Huygens, Giotto etc. Pooling resources for common goals must be the way forward as more advanced and human Mars exploration will be just too expensive for any one nation alone.

If this is done for the right reasons then its all very much in line with Carl Sagan's predictions of a Vision of the Human Future in Space. And who knows – one day the Russians will be invited to join too…

The crap heap comment of the day. Absolute, pure, fancied, unadulterated excrement. NASA never ponied up to the microphone so quickly for the good of planet Earth. How touching. Here's the reality. The agency realizes it's tanked along with the rest of the US economy, so they need to figure out some way to survive. When was the last time NASA ever cared about the good of planet Earth in such a public way?? Give me a break. Excuse me while I go vomit.

The sentence should read……

LLDIAZ I've read many of your comments and they are really bright, but do you believe that……….etc. etc. etc.

There is a fortune out there……… Need I give examples?

"The costs of space travel/explaroation are only going to escalate…"

Why? (other than perhaps economic inflation, which would affect *anything* you do)

Get real Ross, privatization of future space endeavors will be the eventual step to take. Otherwise we will remain just were we are struggling to get funding for this and that between funding wars, famines and politics.