Bush to Announce Missions to Mars, Moon

taylormemer · 10th January 2004, 19:03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- President Bush is planning a permanent science base for astronauts on the moon and, in what would be an even greater leap for mankind, human voyages to Mars, according to senior administration officials.

The president wants to aggressively rein******te the space program, still reeling from the Columbia tragedy nearly one year ago, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.
==========
Images

President George W. Bush called at 8 a.m. Tuesday to congratulate the Mars Exploration Rover team. The President called their efforts a "reconfirmation of the American spirit of exploration."

President Bush's phone call generated reaction at a mission support conference room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Mars rover team members said it meant a great deal to know the country was behind them on the mission.

Artist's conception of a human mission to Mars. Long-term missions will need to be self-sustaining because they will be too far away to resupply. IMAGE: John Frassanito & Associates.

A blend of robots and humans transforms the Moon into a 21st Century hub for science and a jumping off point for deep space missions.
===========

White House press secretary Scott McClellan confirmed that Bush would deliver a speech Wednesday describing his vision of the long-term direction of the space program, but he did not reveal what Bush would say.

"The president is strongly committed to the exploration of space," McClellan said Friday.

A major question is how to pay for an expensive space initiative while the nation is struggling with record budget deficits and the high costs of the war against terrorism.

McClellan said that the White House budget office was involved in the administration's space review, and that Bush will "put forth a responsible budget that meets our highest priorities while working to hold the line of spending elsewhere in the budget."

A Nobel-winning physicist who investigated the shuttle accident is among those who would rather see more affordable robots -- rather than astronauts -- exploring the lunar and martian surfaces. He points to NASA's Spirit rover newly arrived at Mars.

"The cost of a manned enclave on the moon, I think, is going to make the space station look cheap. That's the only good thing about it," said Stanford University's Douglas Osheroff.

In any event, "I think we're still 30 years from going to Mars and if there's any reason to do that, I don't know," Osheroff said.

Bush does not intend to propose sending Americans to Mars anytime soon, but instead envisions preparing for a Mars expedition more than a decade from now, one administration official said.

NASA's chief spokesman, Glenn Mahone, would not divulge any details Friday.

"We're not going to pre-empt the president," he said. "But we're excited about the news of the announcement next week and what it means for the future direction of NASA." He said the announcement will be made in Washington.

The White House has been looking for a new revitalizing role for NASA for months, with Vice President Dick Cheney leading the interagency task force since summer. The speculation over a major space initiative began heating up in early December.

Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, a member of the House Science Committee, welcomed the news that Bush would be making an announcement about space.

Hall said he has long been trying to get the president more interested in space exploration. The president never went to Johnson Space Center in Houston while serving as Texas governor; in fact, last February's memorial service for the seven Columbia astronauts was his first visit.

Bush's fresh interest in space happens to coincide with an election year. A new bold space initiative, it is thought, could excite Americans.

"I had the feeling the last 2{ years people would rather make a trip to the grocery store than a trip to the moon because of the economy," Hall said. "As things are turning around, we need to stay in touch with space" and the science spinoffs it provides.

It was the Columbia accident that helped force a discussion of where NASA should venture beyond the three remaining space shuttles and the international space station. The panel that investigated the disaster called for a clearly defined long-term mission -- a national vision for space that has been missing for three decades.

Astronauts last walked on the moon in 1972; in all, 12 men trod the lunar surface over a 3{-year period. This time, the president favors a permanent station, administration officials said.

Bush's father, on the 20th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, made a similar call for lunar colonies and a Mars expedition. But the plan was prohibitively expensive -- an estimated $400 billion to $500 billion -- and went nowhere.

No one knows what the new venture might cost or how NASA would pay for it.

House Science Committee spokeswoman Heidi Tringe said lawmakers on the panel had yet to be briefed on the specifics.

Earlier this week, Bush put in a congratulatory call to officials in charge of NASA's latest Mars rover. He called the Spirit rover's successful landing a "reconfirmation of the American spirit of exploration." Another rover is due to arrive at the red planet in two weeks.

Many space buffs see the moon as a necessary place to test the equipment and techniques that would be needed by astronauts on Mars. It's closer, just three days away versus six months away for the red planet.

Visionaries say observatories could be built on the moon and mining camps could gather helium-3 for conversion into fuel for use back on Earth.

Others, however, contend that astronauts should make a beeline to Mars.

Still others, including John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, believes the nation should complete and fully maximize the international space station before dashing anywhere else.

Associated Press writer Scott Lindlaw contributed to this story from Washington.
===========
More Stories
::::::
Spirit on Mars Rekindles Speculation White House Will Send Humans
::::::
10 Reasons to Put Humans Back on the Moon
::::::
Alternate Universe: Human Spaceflight Without NASA?
::::::
NASA Reveals New Plan for the Moon, Mars & ******d
( that word is meant to be o u t w a r d. There is something wrong with the site and it won't accept the word)
::::::
==========
taylormemer's Addition
The guy seems prety ambitious. I've heard things that its just a publicity stunt. I don't really mind though, if NASA do it I hope they put as much effort as possible into safety, we don't want another Columbia.
===
One problem with Mars is that it has 1/3 the gravity of Earth so if you are 100kg here on Earth you weigh 33.333333>kg on Mars (roughly) but you still have the same mass. So everyday chores would be in some way a bit of a challenge I think.
===
Secondly the atmosphere is 1/99th to that of the Earth so parachutes do not work very effectively. In order you have to have a very large parachute to get you most of the way and at the same time applying some thrust to slow you down to a good speed, then you detatch the parachute and just land Apollo style(using thrust rockets to bring you to a complete stop.
===
Thirdly, dust storms are a problem, particulary in Ausust. And I'm not talking about just little dust storms, I'm talking about planet wide ones that can last for weeks at a time. I wouldn't want to step out of my tent with a cup of coffee and a dust storm blowing ferociously. So they would have to be quite prepared for that.
===
Forthly temperature. It gets extremely cole on Mars many below -90C, however in the day time in summer it can manage to get to a pleasent 22C(85F). But that doesn't always come, and during night it gets even colder.
===
There is also alot of other issues like moral and comfort and the problem how some people go insane when isolated for months on end(I've seen it on those stupid reality shows

).
===
Then there's the posibility the the Mars Attacks Aliens will pop out of holes and eat them all

The list goes, NASA better be prepared for this.
My 2C

mikm · 10th January 2004, 19:58

I don't think that it is logisitically feasible on NASA's budget. The journey is a few months there and back- think of all the life-support requirements needed for just the trip. As to the "permanent" moon base- a somewhat steady supply of resources would be needed for a very long time until enough greenhouses, farms, etc. are set up. The risk of disaster is way too high.

LollipopLustKil · 10th January 2004, 22:30

I want to go! I want to go!

Fickle · 11th January 2004, 02:58

Bout fucking time.

taylormemer · 11th January 2004, 04:07

Quote:

Originally posted by m²k
I don't think that it is logisitically feasible on NASA's budget. The journey is a few months there and back- think of all the life-support requirements needed for just the trip. As to the "permanent" moon base- a somewhat steady supply of resources would be needed for a very long time until enough greenhouses, farms, etc. are set up. The risk of disaster is way too high.

So was the moon, but we did it. Mars will be an even bigger challenge, but I think we'll pull through, and the final estimated launch to Mars will be around 2020.

Some people think that robots do the job, but do you ever see a robot think and make its own decissions? Nope. We must go it's within us to go. Questions like what does it look how does it feel can't be described with a camera or computer chip, it's the way it has to be I think, probes are good however. They are good for cost and telling us the main aspects of the area.

zootm · 11th January 2004, 13:30

election posturing, and not much more, unfortunately. most of what he said is extremely unlikely in the timescale given.

LollipopLustKil · 11th January 2004, 16:14

"Bush is now trying to get a base set up onto the moon. To ensure it works out fine, it will be done on a full moon.

taylormemer · 11th January 2004, 16:37

@ zootm: That might be true.....

but the reality is that we have to go, there is no other way.
Well that's what I think.

ertmann|CPH · 12th January 2004, 17:59

not completely related, but still worth a read is these point's about space exploration.

10th January 2004, 19:03	#1
taylormemer made his slipknot mask in woodwork class (Forum King) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 3,447	Bush to Announce Missions to Mars, Moon CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- President Bush is planning a permanent science base for astronauts on the moon and, in what would be an even greater leap for mankind, human voyages to Mars, according to senior administration officials. The president wants to aggressively rein****te the space program, still reeling from the Columbia tragedy nearly one year ago, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. ========== Images President George W. Bush called at 8 a.m. Tuesday to congratulate the Mars Exploration Rover team. The President called their efforts a "reconfirmation of the American spirit of exploration." President Bush's phone call generated reaction at a mission support conference room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Mars rover team members said it meant a great deal to know the country was behind them on the mission. Artist's conception of a human mission to Mars. Long-term missions will need to be self-sustaining because they will be too far away to resupply. IMAGE: John Frassanito & Associates. A blend of robots and humans transforms the Moon into a 21st Century hub for science and a jumping off point for deep space missions. =========== White House press secretary Scott McClellan confirmed that Bush would deliver a speech Wednesday describing his vision of the long-term direction of the space program, but he did not reveal what Bush would say. "The president is strongly committed to the exploration of space," McClellan said Friday. A major question is how to pay for an expensive space initiative while the nation is struggling with record budget deficits and the high costs of the war against terrorism. McClellan said that the White House budget office was involved in the administration's space review, and that Bush will "put forth a responsible budget that meets our highest priorities while working to hold the line of spending elsewhere in the budget." A Nobel-winning physicist who investigated the shuttle accident is among those who would rather see more affordable robots -- rather than astronauts -- exploring the lunar and martian surfaces. He points to NASA's Spirit rover newly arrived at Mars. "The cost of a manned enclave on the moon, I think, is going to make the space station look cheap. That's the only good thing about it," said Stanford University's Douglas Osheroff. In any event, "I think we're still 30 years from going to Mars and if there's any reason to do that, I don't know," Osheroff said. Bush does not intend to propose sending Americans to Mars anytime soon, but instead envisions preparing for a Mars expedition more than a decade from now, one administration official said. NASA's chief spokesman, Glenn Mahone, would not divulge any details Friday. "We're not going to pre-empt the president," he said. "But we're excited about the news of the announcement next week and what it means for the future direction of NASA." He said the announcement will be made in Washington. The White House has been looking for a new revitalizing role for NASA for months, with Vice President Dick Cheney leading the interagency task force since summer. The speculation over a major space initiative began heating up in early December. Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, a member of the House Science Committee, welcomed the news that Bush would be making an announcement about space. Hall said he has long been trying to get the president more interested in space exploration. The president never went to Johnson Space Center in Houston while serving as Texas governor; in fact, last February's memorial service for the seven Columbia astronauts was his first visit. Bush's fresh interest in space happens to coincide with an election year. A new bold space initiative, it is thought, could excite Americans. "I had the feeling the last 2{ years people would rather make a trip to the grocery store than a trip to the moon because of the economy," Hall said. "As things are turning around, we need to stay in touch with space" and the science spinoffs it provides. It was the Columbia accident that helped force a discussion of where NASA should venture beyond the three remaining space shuttles and the international space station. The panel that investigated the disaster called for a clearly defined long-term mission -- a national vision for space that has been missing for three decades. Astronauts last walked on the moon in 1972; in all, 12 men trod the lunar surface over a 3{-year period. This time, the president favors a permanent station, administration officials said. Bush's father, on the 20th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, made a similar call for lunar colonies and a Mars expedition. But the plan was prohibitively expensive -- an estimated $400 billion to $500 billion -- and went nowhere. No one knows what the new venture might cost or how NASA would pay for it. House Science Committee spokeswoman Heidi Tringe said lawmakers on the panel had yet to be briefed on the specifics. Earlier this week, Bush put in a congratulatory call to officials in charge of NASA's latest Mars rover. He called the Spirit rover's successful landing a "reconfirmation of the American spirit of exploration." Another rover is due to arrive at the red planet in two weeks. Many space buffs see the moon as a necessary place to test the equipment and techniques that would be needed by astronauts on Mars. It's closer, just three days away versus six months away for the red planet. Visionaries say observatories could be built on the moon and mining camps could gather helium-3 for conversion into fuel for use back on Earth. Others, however, contend that astronauts should make a beeline to Mars. Still others, including John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, believes the nation should complete and fully maximize the international space station before dashing anywhere else. Associated Press writer Scott Lindlaw contributed to this story from Washington. =========== More Stories :::::: Spirit on Mars Rekindles Speculation White House Will Send Humans :::::: 10 Reasons to Put Humans Back on the Moon :::::: Alternate Universe: Human Spaceflight Without NASA? :::::: NASA Reveals New Plan for the Moon, Mars & **d ( that word is meant to be o u t w a r d. There is something wrong with the site and it won't accept the word) :::::: ========== taylormemer's Addition The guy seems prety ambitious. I've heard things that its just a publicity stunt. I don't really mind though, if NASA do it I hope they put as much effort as possible into safety, we don't want another Columbia. === One problem with Mars is that it has 1/3 the gravity of Earth so if you are 100kg here on Earth you weigh 33.333333>kg on Mars (roughly) but you still have the same mass. So everyday chores would be in some way a bit of a challenge I think. === Secondly the atmosphere is 1/99th to that of the Earth so parachutes do not work very effectively. In order you have to have a very large parachute to get you most of the way and at the same time applying some thrust to slow you down to a good speed, then you detatch the parachute and just land Apollo style(using thrust rockets to bring you to a complete stop. === Thirdly, dust storms are a problem, particulary in Ausust. And I'm not talking about just little dust storms, I'm talking about planet wide ones that can last for weeks at a time. I wouldn't want to step out of my tent with a cup of coffee and a dust storm blowing ferociously. So they would have to be quite prepared for that. === Forthly temperature. It gets extremely cole on Mars many below -90C, however in the day time in summer it can manage to get to a pleasent 22C(85F). But that doesn't always come, and during night it gets even colder. === There is also alot of other issues like moral and comfort and the problem how some people go insane when isolated for months on end(I've seen it on those stupid reality shows). === Then there's the posibility the the Mars Attacks Aliens will pop out of holes and eat them all The list goes, NASA better be prepared for this. My 2C DeviantART\|¤¤\|DS-Lair\|¤¤\|Dissectional\|¤¤\|Pearl Drums\|¤¤\|Viralsound\|¤¤\|PabUK Hey you! Don't tell me there's no hope at all. Together we stand, divided we fall.My PLAYLIST MSN: taylor.jake@hotmail.com**

10th January 2004, 19:58	#2
mikm Major Dude Join Date: May 2001 Location: 2001:4978:20f::/48 Posts: 1,244	I don't think that it is logisitically feasible on NASA's budget. The journey is a few months there and back- think of all the life-support requirements needed for just the trip. As to the "permanent" moon base- a somewhat steady supply of resources would be needed for a very long time until enough greenhouses, farms, etc. are set up. The risk of disaster is way too high. powered by Câ‚‚Hâ‚…OH \| eff \| aclu

10th January 2004, 22:30	#3
LollipopLustKil Insomniac (Forum King) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,034	I want to go! I want to go! Scotty Doesn't Know

11th January 2004, 02:58	#4
Fickle Butterknife of Justice (Forum King) Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Behind you. Posts: 5,504	Bout fucking time. Go read a book without pictures pabook? \| Look, a blog! \| Buy Stuff I Wrote

11th January 2004, 16:14	#7
LollipopLustKil Insomniac (Forum King) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,034	"Bush is now trying to get a base set up onto the moon. To ensure it works out fine, it will be done on a full moon. Scotty Doesn't Know

11th January 2004, 13:30	#6
zootm Forum King Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: the nether reaches of bonnie scotland Posts: 13,378	election posturing, and not much more, unfortunately. most of what he said is extremely unlikely in the timescale given.

11th January 2004, 16:37	#8
taylormemer made his slipknot mask in woodwork class (Forum King) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 3,447	@ zootm: That might be true..... but the reality is that we have to go, there is no other way. Well that's what I think. DeviantART\|¤¤\|DS-Lair\|¤¤\|Dissectional\|¤¤\|Pearl Drums\|¤¤\|Viralsound\|¤¤\|PabUK Hey you! Don't tell me there's no hope at all. Together we stand, divided we fall.My PLAYLIST MSN: taylor.jake@hotmail.com

12th January 2004, 17:59	#9
ertmann\|CPH Forum Viking (Forum King) Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The North Posts: 3,541	not completely related, but still worth a read is these point's about space exploration.

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