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Umm...you guys do know that the Hubble is maintained by astronauts in space, right?

Orbiting objects like the Hubble need to get periodic boosts from the shuttle to maintain a higher orbit. (else the fall into the ocean somewhere).

Right now all of space exploration is being done unmanned. But humans are doing experiments in space and maintaining our assets that are in orbit.

Yes, we need to examine our manned space missions and make them safer, but we shouldn't give up on them entirely.

What i'm interested in is when we will see someone walk on the moon :?:

Do you mean when will we see someone walk on the moon again? Or when will we see someone walk on the moon for real this time?

For the past decade or so NASA has been struggling to found a good reason to send astronauts into space.   I was really optimistic about the launch of the international space station, but now I don't know if sending people up to space is all that necessary.  the more important scientific, ?exciting? and highly publized space missions and discoveries has been accomplished by ?unmanned? robots like the Hubbell Telescope and the Mars explore.  The Hubbell has given us more insight and discovery into the univers than any ?manned? missions in space.  We can send some robots to Mars, but no amount of space shuttle launchs has given us any new technology to send anyone there anytime soon.  Even now they are working on a better Hubblee and Mars explorer.  I believe we will explore the solar system. Let's do more robotic preperations until we find a easier and safer way to do it.

Humans can do a much better job of repairing satellites than robots can.  And I've yet to see a spacecraft with a good self-repair program.

Both manned and unmanned space missions are valid.

A vast storehouse of knowledge has been gained by "tossing toys into the sky". Think Mariner, Pioneer, Viking, Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, Hubble, Chandra ....

Frankly, in terms of raw scientific data, I don't think manned exploration can hold a candle to what's been received from those "toys" -- which, by the way, have also pushed technology, and at a far lower price, in dollars and human life.

Buzz Aldrin will punch you if you say that to his face.

Buzz Aldrin will punch you if you say that to his face.

That old coot. He ain't got nothin'. Bring him on.

No satellites ever needed any manual repairs.  The Hubbell would have had only one upgrade if they didnt mess up in the first place.  We really need a giant leap in physics  or quantum physics to make a improve on the incremantal advance in space technology, space flights.

I got a really incredible idea. How about we let private companies do the space flying and let NASA do research?!? Wow, then we'll get, I don't know, A PROFIT from space!!!

I mean, one Earth crossing asteroid $16 TRILLION worth of iron ore in it. Bringing back just 10 tons of helium-3 from neptune would provide enough fusionable material to power North America for 30 MONTHS. USING TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY!!!

The small-mindedness of modern society is so depressing.

Whew!!

I was wondering if I was the only one thinking that! Although, IMHO, NASA should be scrapped entirely. It is an inefficient waste of time, money and resources. Private enterprise could do everything NASA could do and more, probably ten times cheaper.

In fact, I'd like someone to give me one good reason to keep NASA alive.

Tell me you dont' actually believe that the moonwalks were fake.  I gave you people more credit than that.  Please tell me you were joking!!

Everybody knows the moonwalks were faked. Everybody.

You know, you just lost all credibility with me...

Cyberpawz