I'm sure many of you have heard or heard about the planet that was found outside our system last week. It is said to be Earth-like and likely has water on it. It is also 120 lightyears from here. I'm a science enthusiast and write science fiction stories and avidly watched just about everything on the Mars landers a few years ago. My question is: why are we exploring anywhere beyond Mars? Why do we need to know about a planet no one from Earth is ever going to walk on? I can hear the Trekies grumbling.
Yes, I do believe that a lot has come out of the space program that has benefited the common person but how does knowing that Earths doppelganger is out there benefit anyone? Why does the Government hand out grants to research such things?
When I was growing up in the fifties it was predicted we'd have a human presence on Mars before the turn of the millennium. What happened? Government money wasted on innocuous programs, wars and armament got handed out. Defense budgets I have no gripe with. They're a necessity we can't do without.
If we're going to land people on Mars then lets do it. Test propulsion systems and habitats by going to the Moon. Don't hand out grants to people who are not going to earn it. There's a lot of large chunks of rock orbiting out there that the astronomers need to check up on and I wouldn't cut there funding at any time just don't waste time looking beyond our system. Where's the benefit to us there?
This, of course, is IMHO.
Yes, I do believe that a lot has come out of the space program that has benefited the common person but how does knowing that Earths doppelganger is out there benefit anyone? Why does the Government hand out grants to research such things?
When I was growing up in the fifties it was predicted we'd have a human presence on Mars before the turn of the millennium. What happened? Government money wasted on innocuous programs, wars and armament got handed out. Defense budgets I have no gripe with. They're a necessity we can't do without.
If we're going to land people on Mars then lets do it. Test propulsion systems and habitats by going to the Moon. Don't hand out grants to people who are not going to earn it. There's a lot of large chunks of rock orbiting out there that the astronomers need to check up on and I wouldn't cut there funding at any time just don't waste time looking beyond our system. Where's the benefit to us there?
This, of course, is IMHO.
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