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Post by Maryland Bear on Jul 20, 2009 11:22:15 GMT -5
Happy 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing, folks.
I am of the opinion that the moon landing is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, accomplishments in human history. If you limit it to accomplishments that were solved primarily scientifically, I'd say it is the greatest.
And I firmly believe that we, us humans, not just as Americans, need to return to the moon, and use it as a stepping stone on the way to Mars. If anything, just for the sheer glory of human achievement.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Jul 20, 2009 11:25:20 GMT -5
Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but the point in using robots is that it's safer. I think it was fucking retarded to be in such a hurry to send humans on such a dangerous mission just to outdo the commies. That said, the moon landing was obviously staged!
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Post by Maryland Bear on Jul 20, 2009 11:33:00 GMT -5
Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but the point in using robots is that it's safer. I think it was fucking retarded to be in such a hurry to send humans on such a dangerous mission just to outdo the commies. Well, you raise a valid point, but... - The astronauts knew that they had hellishly dangerous jobs, and were willing to do it.
- I believe in, as I said earlier, the sheer glory of human achievement. Sending real live human beings is far more impressive than sending a robot.
- If we ever want to colonize Mars, the obvious first step is to send live explorers there to test out the ships.
That, however is.... not a valid point.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Jul 20, 2009 12:03:49 GMT -5
This is why I don't get too bent out of shape over it, but in all honesty, you shouldn't get someone to do something dangerous, even if they're okay with it, in my opinion.
More impressive, yes, even more useful. And I won't argue with the glory of human achievement bit, either. However, if you can achieve the same result without risking lives in at least 100 different areas of the mission, you should really do it that way.
I don't want to colonize Mars. >_> In any case, I don't see it happening in this generation, or the next, or the next, or....
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Post by Maryland Bear on Jul 20, 2009 14:09:05 GMT -5
This is why I don't get too bent out of shape over it, but in all honesty, you shouldn't get someone to do something dangerous, even if they're okay with it, in my opinion. I think that's a far broader statement then you intended it to be. Lots of things that are worth doing are potentially dangerous. For instance, a medical procedure might come down to "this may save your life, or you may die on the operating table. Are you willing to take the risk?" Or for that matter, your average battlefield commander knows he is potentially sending soldiers off to die. He and his superiors make the decision that the objective is worth the loss of life. Except for absolute pacifists, most people would agree there are some things it is worth sacrificing lives for. Now, you can certainly argue that space program was not worth risking lives, but, as I said, I think " you shouldn't get someone to do something dangerous, even if they're okay with it" is far too broad. Well, I do, so we're at an impasse here. As for when it will happen, well, you're right in that it will not happen any time soon, but there's two reasons for that 1) I doubt the will is there to do it. 2) It would take generations to colonize Mars, period. Okay, we could probably get a handful of people living on Mars in one generation (though probably not this one), but if we're talking a self-sufficient colony, especially a profitable one, it would take a long time to reach that point.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Jul 20, 2009 14:22:18 GMT -5
Yes, it is too broad. However, it was also impossible to make that statement while simultaneously taking account of all of the exceptions. I think it's a good general rule, but ultimately, there'll always be a certain marigin for judgement calls. An example you can make that fits with the rule is suicide: Sure, they WANT to do it, but you really shouldn't LET them go through with it.
Colonizing Mars is actually probably the better of our crazy sci-fi ideas, but taking into account all of the things that will need to be done, it will be impossible for a long, loooooong time.
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Primal Eve
New Member
Independent free thinking member of Rapture Ready
Posts: 14
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Post by Primal Eve on Jul 20, 2009 14:53:09 GMT -5
That said, the moon landing was obviously staged! The missions and landings were real. Turns out that the Moon is fake!
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Post by Rime on Jul 20, 2009 16:44:25 GMT -5
You made me laugh over this. Thanks, Eve.
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Post by Mira on Jul 20, 2009 18:05:07 GMT -5
I am going to go find whatever remote cave Armstrong lives in and give him a high five (along with the thousands of other scientists and engineers that made it possible.)
Its a shame that this was the peak of America's embrace of astronomy. We went from a plane that flew 260 m at best to the 384,403 km trek to the moon in just 66 years. With a strong ambition we can achieve great things. It saddens me that we have lost it.
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Post by devilschaplain2 on Jul 20, 2009 18:09:56 GMT -5
Conservatards are using this day to bitch about Ted Kennedy. What a shock.....
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Post by devilschaplain2 on Jul 20, 2009 18:11:11 GMT -5
That said, the moon landing was obviously staged! The missions and landings were real. Turns out that the Moon is fake! I submitted a CTSTDT quote from PrisonPlanet which said exactly that ;D
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Post by Bluefinger on Jul 20, 2009 18:12:06 GMT -5
And to honour this famous day, I went and landed a ship on the Moon in Orbiter. Cape Canaveral -> Lunar transfer -> Landing. Not the Apollo ships (though I could easily download an add-on for that), but it is the principle to honour such a feat that matters.
Yay for science!
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Post by MaybeNever on Jul 20, 2009 20:24:42 GMT -5
I'll bet we could drum up the funding to colonize Mars by 2050 if we pitched it as a "prison colony" for gays, Muslims and atheists.
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Post by alwimo on Jul 20, 2009 20:25:26 GMT -5
Happy Moon Landing Day to you all.
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Post by Art Vandelay on Jul 20, 2009 21:05:45 GMT -5
I am going to go find whatever remote cave Armstrong lives in and give him a high five (along with the thousands of other scientists and engineers that made it possible.) Its a shame that this was the peak of America's embrace of astronomy. We went from a plane that flew 260 m at best to the 384,403 km trek to the moon in just 66 years. With a strong ambition we can achieve great things. It saddens me that we have lost it. If Russia makes a comeback or China keeps growing, then the US may suddenly get its ambition back. Nothing like a rival superpower to kick things into gear.
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