Flags from Apollo moon landing still standing, photos reveal

[Soundbear]

Meanwhile, here is how Russia's last attempt to send a craft to Mars worked out ...

The Russian space agency is battling to save a faulty Mars probe that became stuck in Earth's orbit after booster rockets failed to fire shortly after launch.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...ncy-mars-probe

The USA's failures, due to corporate greed and incompetance, were a lot more spectacular.

Bye bye Christa.

[The Left Sock]

I think it is obvious that the International Space Station is crucial to human development in space. The idea of an international effort, a human effort, to advance understanding and technology is vital to our future as a planet. Having said that, it becomes critical for key countries to maintain the ability to gain access to that Space Station, so this is where my disconnect with American space policy begins. Right now, Russia is the only country with 'keys to the palace', and this doesn't bode well with me. China is developing an entirely separate space program, with plans for their own space station, and quite frankly, that scares the hell out of me.

So, the Americans should have kept going with a new generation of manned vehicles, rather than the smaller, remote-controlled program they are running now. Just my opinion.

[RWGR]

"We" lead the way?? Close. I wouldn't call a robot part of "we".

More name-calling. How sad, what you've become.

As to the fifty years, well, sci-fi speculated about a lot of interesting things that could be done in orbit with existing technology. Power satellites, medical science breakthroughs, manufacturing processes impossible in earth gravity, food production, life extension technologies, on and on.

Yeah, hopefully someday we can figure out how to make power satellites.

Err...wait ...

Sending a robot all the way to Mars is useless at this point in time

Interesting comment. Now please explain why.

[RWGR]

The USA's failures, due to corporate greed and incompetance, were a lot more spectacular.

Source?? Link??

How's CASA doing???

[RWGR]

I think it is obvious that the International Space Station is crucial to human development in space. The idea of an international effort, a human effort, to advance understanding and technology is vital to our future as a planet. Having said that, it becomes critical for key countries to maintain the ability to gain access to that Space Station, so this is where my disconnect with American space policy begins. Right now, Russia is the only country with 'keys to the palace', and this doesn't bode well with me. China is developing an entirely separate space program, with plans for their own space station, and quite frankly, that scares the hell out of me.

So, the Americans should have kept going with a new generation of manned vehicles, rather than the smaller, remote-controlled program they are running now. Just my opinion.

The shuttle program sent numerous people to the space station. In an international effort, the Russians agreed to take on that responsibility.

[The Left Sock]

I understand all of that, but I still think that if America wants to remain a key player in space exploration and development, they should have maintained the ability to launch people into space, with a rocket program or a shuttle program, of some kind. The fact that China is independently developing this ability, changes the dynamics of everything happening on this front.

[Soundbear]

Source?? Link??

How's CASA doing???

Everybody knows about Challenger and Columbia.

As to CASA, that's just silly. Sure the USA has billions to spend, tax dollars all. We don't have those kind of resources. But we do what we can.

We COULD do a per capita assessment, but that would be silly too.

[Soundbear]

"We" lead the way?? Close. I wouldn't call a robot part of "we".

More name-calling. How sad, what you've become.

What da heck you talkin' about?? Are YOU a robot?? Duh.

As to the fifty years, well, sci-fi speculated about a lot of interesting things that could be done in orbit with existing technology. Power satellites, medical science breakthroughs, manufacturing processes impossible in earth gravity, food production, life extension technologies, on and on.

Yeah, hopefully someday we can figure out how to make power satellites.

Err...wait ...

Yeah, wait. The USA HAS the tech right now. Too bad the big bucks were wasted securing oil.

Sending a robot all the way to Mars is useless at this point in time

Interesting comment. Now please explain why.

I realize and have said before that all research pays off. But the payoff from any Mars exploration will be decades away at the very best. The items I mentioned would pay off MUCH sooner.

[Soundbear]

Trivia. 10,000 square miles of useless desert covered with present technology solar panels would supply ALL the power needs of the USA!!

[Soundbear]

I understand all of that, but I still think that if America wants to remain a key player in space exploration and development, they should have maintained the ability to launch people into space, with a rocket program or a shuttle program, of some kind. The fact that China is independently developing this ability, changes the dynamics of everything happening on this front.

I sure hope it scares SOMEBODY in the USA that a very real fundamental enemy has that capability that they do not.

[Hans]

Trivia. 10,000 square miles of useless desert covered with present technology solar panels would supply ALL the power needs of the USA!!

And that would cost how much? right...

[Soundbear]

And that would cost how much? right...

I'll figure it out as soon as I can find out what those panels are worth.

However, I'll bet the bucks going to a war would make a big dent in the cost.

[Hans]

I don't believe so. Solar panels are DC power, which means it has to be stored in batteries and converted to AC.
You are looking at around 25,000 Terra Watt, which is an incredible figure.
That alone would make it incredibly expensive to use, which is the reason why power generation companies are not using it on a large scale.

[Soundbear]

No, it does not. Those rooftop panels attached to the grid do not have batteries.

[Hans]

That is correct when you are talking about a grid tie system. In that case they use an inverter to convert the DC to AC so it can be fed to the grid.
I was talking about an off-grid system, which uses batteries.

It would not make sense to use a grid tie system to supply all power needs for a country, unless you plan on using electricity during daylight times only...

[Soundbear]

It would be interesting to find out what else there is for storing power.

[riggs]

It would be interesting to find out what else there is for storing power.

Petrochemical companies have far too much power for us to see any serious R&D into future technology. When or if they come across an innovation that can be mass produced at a reasonable cost, they will lose a significant amount of their power. That would obviously be the last thing they and their shareholders would want.

[Soundbear]

At current consumption rates, we have enough discovered oil for 30 years.

We better have something in place by then.

[riggs]

If we're still around, I hope that to be true.

[Hans]

At current consumption rates, we have enough discovered oil for 30 years.

We better have something in place by then.

Says who?