Columbia disaster

[scrod]

I was trying to expain to my kids today why I am so upset about the loss of The STS107. They asked why the NASA program matters.
I tried to explain how all of the electronics, cds - digital television-cellphones-gps-etc were a result of the US space program.
My Dad brought home pieces of the new tech in the 60's and 70's to show me how grand it would be later in my life.
It has been.
Does anyone else remember how to explain the future when something like this happens?
I could use some help.

That's a tough one. We're already about 20 years behind where we should be in space.

[RvW]

Keta is right, in other words the setbacks of a tragedy like this are enourmous.

I'm not sure how I would handle explaining that to kids, but I think the first thing I would do is try very hard to eliminate from the childrens minds that the goal of space research is to find an adequate way to live there, this seems to be a fable even among adults. Though a grande goal, it seems to foolishly overshadow all the great things that have come from space research.

[scrod]

Thanks Keta,
CR- they don't care to live there they just want to know why some of my buddies work so hard on this stuff.

scrod,
Are you in Areo Space? My dad was on the Pilot Safty Commitee for the Gemini Series.
I got to watch many launches when I was a kid.

[scrod]

Keta,
I was. My life dream. I saw the Challenger blow up and that put me into another mode. I'd rather fish.
Thanks. :smile:

Keep working on your dream too. We should already be on Mars and have permanent settlements on the moon.

[Silver Hilton]

Why do you say that, Keta? I don't have strong feelings one way or the other, but I haven't seen any major benefits presented for colonization. It's not like we could mine anything from either the moon or Mars for return to earth - the energy requirements are prohibitive.

Certainly the effort to get there has had many benefits, but I can't help but think that the journey, rather than the destination was the important piece.

Your computer is only one of the many benifits of the areo space industry.

Man needs to continue moving forward.

[Silver Hilton]

I agree, in general, but I guess my question is, why colonization, as opposed to, say, remote orbiter based research? It's really just an idle question, wondering if there were specific objectives you were thinking of.

I don't argue that the space program threw off excellent research with a lot of consumer applications. Heck, where would we be without velcro, for example?

[24 on/ 48 off]

I am against colonization, as we don't need to pollute another world, until we deal with our problems here.

However, I support the space program. It has improved our lives.

--spud-- :smile: