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First British Astronaut

JohnnyDee said:
*Sticks fingers in ears*

Yeah but come on! It's boys stuff! Spacemen, Rockets, Star Trek and all that.

What's not to like ;)
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Don't get me wrong I love it

I worked in satellites for years and was fascinated by the rockets that were used to launch them
 
JohnnyDee said:
*Sticks fingers in ears*

Yeah but come on! It's boys stuff! Spacemen, Rockets, Star Trek and all that.

What's not to like ;)
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Agreed, i remember as a young lad staring at the stars, i said to my father

"i wish i could be shot into space"

His reply, " you would have been if i wasn't pissed"

:D
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Ok - I'll ask a few questions

What will the mission achieve to say that the billions spent will be worth it ?

What are we getting from keeping ISS going ? Do we gain benefit ?

Couple of questions that were asked on Radio 5 this morning
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Google is your friend you will get all the answers and stats there.:D

37000 people according to the programme this morning work in the space industry.

Trillions are spent on Trident.

Wether its the first Brit last Brit it matters not a jot fair play to him.
The thread title was not spot on but the hole picked were right on cue.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Ok - I'll ask a few questions

What will the mission achieve to say that the billions spent will be worth it ?

What are we getting from keeping ISS going ? Do we gain benefit ?

Couple of questions that were asked on Radio 5 this morning
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At some point in the (albeit distant) future mankind is going to have to be able to travel beyond the bounds of our solar system - so we might as well start learning what it takes for the human body to survive long periods of weightlessness; how to produce life sustaining food and water supplies in space - and how to get on with each other :)

Meanwhile we can benefit from the technological spin-offs. For instance - where would we golfers and drivers be today if we didn't have GPS - and without a space programme in previous decades we wouldn't have that - and at the time GPS and what we use GPS for weren't envisaged. Who knows what benefits we'll get from the current programmes in the next 20-50years
 
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SwingsitlikeHogan said:
At some point in the (albeit distant) future mankind is going to have to be able to travel beyond the bounds of our solar system - so we might as well start learning what it takes for the human body to survive long periods of weightlessness; how to produce life sustaining food and water supplies in space - and how to get on with each other :)

Meanwhile we can benefit from the technological spin-offs. For instance - where would we golfers and drivers be today if we didn't have GPS - and without a space programme in previous decades we wouldn't have that - and at the time GPS and what we use GPS for weren't envisaged. Who knows what benefits we'll get from the current programmes in the next 20-50years
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Are the holes bigger in space? Could be another spin off:D
 
I didn't know about the tradition of having to pee on the wheel of the coach taking the male astronauts to the rocket.:eek: Started by Yuri Gagarin, but as they said on 'Have I got News for You' probably started by Laika the first dog in space.;)
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
At some point in the (albeit distant) future mankind is going to have to be able to travel beyond the bounds of our solar system - so we might as well start learning what it takes for the human body to survive long periods of weightlessness; how to produce life sustaining food and water supplies in space - and how to get on with each other :)
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A bit too far fetched maybe to justify billions spend ?

And the Empire already control the Galaxy - beaten mankind to it

Meanwhile we can benefit from the technological spin-offs. For instance - where would we golfers and drivers be today if we didn't have GPS - and without a space programme in previous decades we wouldn't have that - and at the time GPS and what we use GPS for weren't envisaged. Who knows what benefits we'll get from the current programmes in the next 20-50years
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I know a lot of the technology has come from space programs but that development could still have happened

But wasn't GPS developed by US defence program ?

Maybe it could end up bad technology and Dr Evil can finally get a giant laser on the moon ?
 
Liverpoolphil said:
A bit too far fetched maybe to justify billions spend ?

And the Empire already control the Galaxy - beaten mankind to it
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Why is that too farfetched? We only learn through pushing the boundaries of what can be done. Would you happily not spend money learning about what's in the oceans, or the rainforests? It's always going to be expensive, it's in space, but if we let "money" and "profit" decide what we explore, then that's a pretty bad side for developing.

Liverpoolphil said:
I know a lot of the technology has come from space programs but that development could still have happened

But wasn't GPS developed by US defence program ?
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Yes, it may well have been developed. But it also may not. I would imagine that there are plenty of inventions helped by the research performed as part of the space program, and there will be plenty more to come.
 
CheltenhamHacker said:
Why is that too farfetched? We only learn through pushing the boundaries of what can be done. Would you happily not spend money learning about what's in the oceans, or the rainforests? It's always going to be expensive, it's in space, but if we let "money" and "profit" decide what we explore, then that's a pretty bad side for developing.



Yes, it may well have been developed. But it also may not. I would imagine that there are plenty of inventions helped by the research performed as part of the space program, and there will be plenty more to come.
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Myself personally I would like to see the billions used by creating ESA possibly poured into searching for cures for cancer or dementia - illnesses that effect people every day of the year right now as opposed to theories about the future
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Myself personally I would like to see the billions used by creating ESA possibly poured into searching for cures for cancer or dementia - illnesses that effect people every day of the year right now as opposed to theories about the future
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I may very well be wrong on this, and I do know mental health is MASSIVELY underfunded right now, but I imagine a great deal of private resource is already poured into this area. Do you not think that if GSK (or other large pharma) could find a cure to cancer/dementia, they would make trillions from it? So why wouldn't they be pouring money into it?
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Myself personally I would like to see the billions used by creating ESA possibly poured into searching for cures for cancer or dementia - illnesses that effect people every day of the year right now as opposed to theories about the future
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And at what point do we as mankind then start working out how we get away from our planet and how we survice long space journeys - because we are going to have to do it. We have got to start at some point. And why should the UK not play a part in that - or be expected to play a part in it along with everyone else.

Yes - GPS was developed for and by the US military - but we had to get the satellites up there and will have to continue to do so. GPS was never intended for civilian uses such as those we use it for now so who knows what the future will bring based upon the technological development and advances we make off the back of the current space progammes - but sure as heck there won't be any such developments if we stop the programmes.

Besides - the thrill, excitement and inspiration that space programmes - if properly 'marketed' - give our youngsters is surely one of the best ways of getting them into science and technology - rather than celebrity. And given this government's apparent intent on turning such as nursing and medicine into professions that many bright youngsters are going to avoid - there will be plenty of bright young things out there available to science and engineering :)
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
And at what point do we as mankind then start working out how we get away from our planet and how we survice long space journeys - because we are going to have to do it. We have got to start at some point. And why should the UK not play a part in that - or be expected to play a part in it along with everyone else.
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I'm unsure when it was decided we have to get away from the planet ? And none of the missions have been anywhere near investigating for that ?!

Yes - GPS was developed for and by the US military - but we had to get the satellites up there and will have to continue to do so. GPS was never intended for civilian uses such as those we use it for now so who knows what the future will bring based upon the technological development and advances we make off the back of the current space progammes - but sure as heck there won't be any such developments if we stop the programmes.
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But the development was off the back of the defence experiments - they used the rocket to fire the satellites up there but development of the satellites wasn't via the space program - communications , defence all development - and you don't need an Astronaunt to go up there with them nor have the space station for them

Besides - the thrill, excitement and inspiration that space programmes - if properly 'marketed' - give our youngsters is surely one of the best ways of getting them into science and technology - rather than celebrity. And given this government's apparent intent on turning such as nursing and medicine into professions that many bright youngsters are going to avoid - there will be plenty of bright young things out there available to science and engineering :)
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what does "celebrity" have anything to do with it ?

Virgin will be building a space plane for people to go into space - but only the people rich enough of course.

And did notice a good old cheap dig at the government and attitude towards health and medicine - surprised it took you this long to find a way to bring them into it

Plenty youngsters already get involved in lots of science projects and technology projects - lots of them funded by the government and through the military
 
Liverpoolphil said:
I'm unsure when it was decided we have to get away from the planet ? And none of the missions have been anywhere near investigating for that ?!



But the development was off the back of the defence experiments - they used the rocket to fire the satellites up there but development of the satellites wasn't via the space program - communications , defence all development - and you don't need an Astronaunt to go up there with them nor have the space station for them



what does "celebrity" have anything to do with it ?

Virgin will be building a space plane for people to go into space - but only the people rich enough of course.

And did notice a good old cheap dig at the government and attitude towards health and medicine - surprised it took you this long to find a way to bring them into it

Plenty youngsters already get involved in lots of science projects and technology projects - lots of them funded by the government and through the military
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OK then - I can't be bothered - so let's just withdraw from the ESA as it's a complete waste of money and to no real purpose that can't give us a benefit tomorrow - to heck with them. Bleedin' Europeans wasting our money. Sooner out of anything to do with Europe the better.

BTW - the celeb bit was simply that pursuit of 'celebrity' seems to be a career choice for many youngsters - to heck with getting a good education and going into a proper profession.

And as far as the nursing/medicine thing. Well - from what I read and hear it is the case - lots being put off so there is an opportunity for science and engineering at the moment if it can grab it.
 
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SwingsitlikeHogan said:
OK then - I can't be bothered - so let's just withdraw from the ESA as it's a complete waste of money and to no real purpose that can't give us a benefit tomorrow - to heck with them. Bleedin' Europeans wasting our money. Sooner out of anything to do with Europe the better.
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In times of austerity it's a very valid question in regards if the benefits outweigh the cost especially when it creeps into billions - even more so when it's hard to see such a benefit and it's publically funded

BTW - the celeb bit was simply that pursuit of 'celebrity' seems to be a career choice for many youngsters - to heck with getting a good education and going into a proper profession.
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Don't think it's right or fair to judge the countries youth based on minority

Expect there is a damn sight more looking to get educate themselves and become professionals as opposed to being a "celebrity" ?!

And you would have to clarify "proper profession"

And as far as the nursing/medicine thing. Well - from what I read and hear it is the case - lots being put off so there is an opportunity for science and engineering at the moment if it can grab it.
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Even if "lots being put off" - not sure what that has to do with the current government ?
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Myself personally I would like to see the billions used by creating ESA possibly poured into searching for cures for cancer or dementia - illnesses that effect people every day of the year right now as opposed to theories about the future
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If we spend wisely now, just think of how much we could save on expensive special effects for Star Wars XXI by actually filming the battles in space! Short term pain for long term gain....

We need to travel, explore. Quoting a US President:
"We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."
JFK - Rice Stadium Moon Speech

And also:
"We went to the moon.
Do we have to go to Mars? Why? Because it's next.
Because we came out of the cave and we looked over the hill and we saw fire and we crossed the ocean, and we pioneered the West and we took to the sky.
The history of man is hung on a timeline of exploration, and this is what's next."
Sam Seabourne - The West Wing, Galileo 5 episode.

We're just learning how to do what's next.
 
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