New Moon Race

[Teaos]

The ESA have and I am pretty sure the russian do, I know they have something in orbit at least.

The Russians have also landed a probe on Venus which is a shit load harder than Mars.

[Monroe]

The Russians have also landed a probe on Venus which is a s**t load harder than Mars.

But it melted in like 8 seconds

Now if they put one on Venus that stayed operational then that would be a shit load harder.

Look how well though exploration and military work together in Star Trek

[SteveK]

I was only talking about working hardware on the planet, which I'm fairly certain the the ESA, or any agency with the exception of NASA, has not accomplished.

[Tsukiyumi]

I was only talking about working hardware on the planet, which I'm fairly certain the the ESA, or any agency with the exception of NASA, has not accomplished.

You know, I'm fairly certain that's true. Other agencies have orbited Mars, but I think we're the only country to ever land anything.

As for the Moon, Russia landed a bunch of stuff over the years, and India hard-landed a probe just last year.

[Aaron]

All the Soviet/Russian attempts to land on Mars failed. They did actually get there though.

Nice list of Venus missions.

[Lt. Staplic]

See, NASA isn't as far behind as everyone thinks. Joining it with a military orgonization is going to cause more problems that it's worth in my opinion.

[Mikey]

I think it will actually streamline and stimulate NASA's processes.

[Lt. Staplic]

I don't I think it may actually, at least temporatily, stop the flow of NASA breakthroughs into everyday products.

The US government orrigionally wanted NASA to be a civilian program, that's why it was created that way. I am really, deeply, truely against this joining.

[Mikey]

Agreed that NASA would be best served being a civilian - read: "private" - entity. However, it's not, and the best way to run it as as the guv'mint program which it is would be to ally it to the Pentagon. And I only say this because NASA has shown that it can't be trusted to regulate itself properly.

[stitch626]

Actually originally, NASA (called NACA at the time) was not civilian. It wasn't until the beginning of manned spaceflight that it started to be considered a civilian agency (may have even been later than that).

[Lt. Staplic]

If I remember correctly the NACA was the airfoce sub-devision working on the supersonic planes right?

Regardless, NASA's base was a group of private scientists working along side the government, but still seperate, to develop a supersonic jet. After the program was finished the government continued sponsering the scientists and turned it into the National Aeronotics and Space Administration.

[stitch626]

You do remember correctly. They did work on supersonic planes. And the start of the space program.

Regardless, NASA's base was a group of private scientists working along side the government, but still seperate, to develop a supersonic jet. After the program was finished the government continued sponsering the scientists and turned it into the National Aeronotics and Space Administration.

And if the government didn't like their work, they could have been removed just like that. It happened frequently too.

[Lt. Staplic]

yes, but NASA in essence is the government turning over full funding from all the other supersonic/spaceflight programs to that individual group, that became the Agency we know today.

[Captain Picard's Hair]

The leadership of NASA has been about the last group on the planet you'd want to give the responsibility of space missions to (or any serious responsibility for that matter).

What's the point of another moon race (or, haven't we already won any moon race with China by 50 years?).

And, the only thing I really have to add here: a real race on the moon would be cool. Why didn't Buzz Aldrin and Niel Armstrong ever have a race from the lander to some big rock?

[Tsukiyumi]

And, the only thing I really have to add here: a real race on the moon would be cool. Why didn't Buzz Aldrin and Niel Armstrong ever have a race from the lander to some big rock?

Because if they tripped and ripped the suit, they'd die?