Does Space Exploration Make Sense?

@Seed,

Tomayto, tomahto lol

Cycloptichorn

@Cycloptichorn,

big difference. greed is always the driving force behind what the government does in my mind

@hawkeye10,

Exactly. There are a lot of technical advances that come through space exploration, but throw billions of dollars at any technical research and you should get some technical advancement.

1 Reply

@Robert Gentel,

Sure if you throw billions of dollars into trying to find something that cooks food without using an oven you'll eventually come up with a microwave.

Its like putting a bunch of monkies in a room with typewriters and you'll get shakespear kind of thing.

Though I agree that space exploration is a good thing, I think doing it just so we can be first, just so we can claim "space" in the name of Russia, or China, or what have you is wrong. Motives behind the reasons are the ones that make me mad.

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@thegalacticemperor,

YES.
Were questions of this nature
addressed to Christopher Columbus ?

The Earth was Man 's cradle;
it shoud not be his grave.

David

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@Thomas,

http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html

My favorites in debates have always been the medical ones, 'cause those are related to manned missions. (Personneled missions?) But fire resistant materials, fog-free goggles, lots of food-related stuff, etc. are all directly applicable, too.

Quote:

Health and Medicine - NASA Spinoffs

DIGITAL IMAGING BREAST BIOPSY SYSTEM - The LORAD Stereo Guide Breast Biopsy system incorporates advanced Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) as part of a digital camera system. The resulting device images breast tissue more clearly and efficiently. Known as stereotactic large-core needle biopsy, this nonsurgical system developed with Space Telescope Technology is less traumatic and greatly reduces the pain, scarring, radiation exposure, time, and money associated with surgical biopsies.

BREAST CANCER DETECTION - A solar cell sensor is positioned directly beneath x-ray film, and determines exactly when film has received sufficient radiation and has been exposed to optimum density. Associated electronic equipment then sends a signal to cut off the x-ray source. Reduction of mammography x-ray exposure reduces radiation hazard and doubles the number of patient exams per machine.

LASER ANGIOPLASTY - Laser angioplasty with a "cool" type of laser, caller an excimer laser, does not damage blood vessel walls and offers precise non-surgical cleanings of clogged arteries with extraordinary precision and fewer complications than in balloon angioplasty.

ULTRASOUND SKIN DAMAGE ASSESSMENT - Advanced instrument using NASA ultrasound technology enables immediate assessment of burn damage depth, improving patient treatment, and may save lives in serious burn cases.

HUMAN TISSUE STIMULATOR - Employing NASA satellite technology, the device is implanted in the body to help patient control chronic pain and involuntary motion disorders through electrical stimulation of targeted nerve centers or particular areas of the brain.

COOL SUIT - Custom-made suit derived from space suits circulates coolant through tubes to lower patient's body/ temperature, producing dramatic improvement of symptoms of multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida and other conditions.

PROGRAMMABLE PACEMAKER - Incorporating multiple NASA technologies, the system consists of the implant and a physician's computer console containing the programming and a data printer. Communicates through wireless telemetry signals.

OCULAR SCREENING - NASA image processing techniques are used to detect eye problems in very young children. An electronic flash from a 35-millimeter camera sends light into the child's eyes, and a photorefractor analyzes the retinal reflexes, producing an image of each eye.

AUTOMATED URINALYSIS - NASA fluid dynamics studies helped development of system that automatically extracts and transfers sediment from urine sample to an analyzer microscope, replacing the manual centrifuge method.

MEDICAL GAS ANALYZER - Astronaut-monitoring technology used to develop system to monitor operating rooms for analysis of anesthetic gasses and measurement of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen concentrations to assure proper breathing environment for surgery patients.

VOICE-CONTROLLED WHEELCHAIR - NASA teleoperator and robot technology used to develop chair and manipulator that respond to 35 one-word voice commands utilizing a minicomputer to help patient perform daily tasks, like picking up packages, opening doors, and turning on appliances.

Other spinoffs in this area include: Arteriosclerosis detection, ultrasound scanners, automatic insulin pump, portable x-ray device, invisible braces, dental arch wire, palate surgery technology, clean room apparel, implantable heart aid, MRI, bone analyzer, and cataract surgery tools.

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@Seed,

Seed wrote:

big difference. greed is always the driving force behind what the government does in my mind

Moving all the heavy industry out into space would go a long way toward improving the quality life of everyone on Earth.

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@DrewDad,

Thanks, DrewDawd! Those were three interesting examples.

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@DrewDad,

You left off the most important one...

Those REALLY ABSORBENT adult diapers that one crazy astronaut chick wore when driving nonstop for hours to confront her rival...

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@thegalacticemperor,

Yes without a doubt, and yes manned is absolutely essential!

Why?

Because as cliché and overly dramatic as it may sound, without new frontiers Man will stagnate and eventually wither and die.

For a fact, Man as we know it today, will not be Man as we will be tomorrow. It's change that is elemental to our very nature.

1 Reply

@Chumly,

they why not search for atlantis? The ocean floor is pretty much Unexlpored, and im sure that it would be easy to do that then to fly into space

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@thegalacticemperor,

Quote:

Does it make sense for the United States, or even human kind, to commit resources to space exploration?

Yes.

Regardless of the beneficial technologies and knowledge which derives from exploration, mankind should not be limited to endeavors which only produce some presupposed goal. Should we stop painting pictures because we're wasting paint, stop climbing mountains because our time could be better spent by planting seeds and tending crops? There is value in the expression of what it is to be human. To artificially impose limits on ourselves is to entertain social neurosis.

When the day comes that we expend more money and effort on exploration than on war, and if people are still starving, then I will believe that we need to readjust our priorities. But for right now with space exploration producing so much incidental knowledge while exercising the greater spirit of humanity, I think we're doing fine.

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@Seed,

Atlantis is superstition, space is not.

The ocean floor is absurdly limited as opposed to the virtually infinite cosmos.

Given your clam you are "sure that it would be easy to do that then to fly into space" shows you are ignorant of the relative technologies. In fact, it's not easier vis-a-vis manned exploration as per the crushing maximum ocean depths versus space.

1 Reply

Being a musician, I sometimes use the word "clam", then again sometimes it's just a typo and sometime a cigar is just a cigar.

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@Chumly,

Chumly wrote:

Atlantis is superstition, space is not.

The ocean floor is absurdly limited as opposed to the virtually infinite cosmos.

Given your clam you are "sure that it would be easy to do that then to fly into space" shows you are ignorant of the relative technologies. In fact, it's not easier vis-a-vis manned exploration as per the crushing maximum ocean depths versus space.

Atlantis may be superstition, but what are aliens? life on other planets? which is a big reason for space exploration.

I know the dangers and the limitations of exploration beneth the waters surface. I only state that it would be more beneifical for us to explore that which is right out side. Unmanned vessels travel into the depths. Each time finding something new and exciting. New speices. New fona, currents, moutain ranges, you name it. Why not travel at home first and then visit outside?

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@Seed,

Quote:

Why not travel at home first and then visit outside?

Some of us wanna live long enuf to SEE it happen.

David

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@Seed,

You're simply being rhetorical as per "Why not travel at home first and then visit outside?" thus it's nothing more than a logical fallacy whereby you rephrase your specious clam as a query.

You have in no way substantiated that searching for Atlantis and/or reaching the ocean bottom has more merit than space exploration.

Further since you clam "aliens" and "life on other planets" are a big reason for space exploration and then weakly try and infer that to be akin to the equivalent to your Atlantis argument your views in this regard are bereft of merit.

1 Reply

@thegalacticemperor,

It makes little cents (pun intended) and robs dollars from important national priorities.

As much pro-technology as I am, when there are the huge billion dollar sums that go towards MORE exploration in place of feeding the helpless, poor elderly and the sick I feel priorities are skewed. What tangible good will there be for the welfare of 99.99% of the public if there was some provable evidence of life on Mars -- especially when you could take the same money and feed (or give meds to) 10,000 people who can't help themslves? If it's an either-or scenario, give the money towards the effort that helps the majority of the people.

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@Ragman,

If more people on this speck of cosmic dirt thought like you ragman (more importantly those in positions of power), maybe we would actually be in a more optimal position to explore space now. But apparently its more constructive to bash each others skulls in because "your beliefs are wrong" or "your skin isn't the prefered color" or "any other paranoid nonsensical schism". Abolish religious bureaucracies which is responsible for a tremendous waste of human resources. The super powers of the world need to come together and organize humanity into a single exponentially more powerful force compared to the fractured remnants of a species as we stand today, ration global nonrenewable resources and stabilize minor powers and force them to conform. Any nation that rejects or is uncompliant is immediately cut off from the global resource grid. The wasteful novelty of technologies would be mediated, such as electrical and chemical technologies (do we really need 1,000 different brands of the same sized TV? Do we really need 5,000 different brands of household disinfectant?)

Are we not of the same origin? Why cant we all work together?
Do we not realize that this rock called Earth is not forever?
Are our leaders really leaders? Or are they simply perpetuating the same ideas that keep us divided?

Is man kind ever gonna leave this Earth?
I would hope so, but I really don't believe we are collectively intelligent enough to do so.

Individually we can be brilliant. Collectively, it would seem, we are simply cattle.

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@Chumly,

Chumly wrote:

You're simply being rhetorical as per "Why not travel at home first and then visit outside?" thus it's nothing more than a logical fallacy whereby you rephrase your specious clam as a query.

You have in no way substantiated that searching for Atlantis and/or reaching the ocean bottom has more merit than space exploration.

Further since you clam "aliens" and "life on other planets" are a big reason for space exploration and then weakly try and infer that to be akin to the equivalent to your Atlantis argument your views in this regard are bereft of merit.

I am sorry. I am not quite as verbose as you are. I still see no point in what you are saying. Your statement that Atlantis is but a superstition is all you have really pointed out to me. And I may be wrong, for it happens many times, and you have pointed out my fallacys in this post so far, so please do so again, but would superstition not be the wrong word to use here? Lore, legend, myth or maybe even fairy tell be the proper term to use instead? Superstition points more in my mind to something along the lines of "dont walk under an erect ladder" or maybe "spill salt, throw a pinch over your left shoulder" kind of thing.

Yet my arguement is not that we should not have space exploration. I have already stated what without the advances of space exploration the world would still be stuck without some of the great technology that we have now.

I was just stating that the search for life on other planets is a huge reason that we even venture into the heavens. As you called Atlantis "superstition", I merely state the aliens and the search for such, should be lumped in the same boat as superstition.

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Does Space Exploration Make Sense?

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