Btw, I also used to be of the view that the money would be better spent here on Earth. However, I came to realise:
1.The R & D boost enabled by such projects pays itself back many times over and has given us many of today's technologies that we take for granted 2. It looks like we have screwed up the life support system on Earth through over population so whoever remains after the inevitable war for resources is going to have to have a plan B, which requires space exploration 3. If we spent the money on the developing world it would make little to no difference as the problems cannot be solved by money (remember Live Aid, etc. ?) 4. Space exploration is awesome.
I watched the feed live in the fifteen minutes before landing as they followed each stage of the descent; it was very tense and exciting. If we do find evidence that there used to be life on Mars (and we'll probably have to wait a while for the samples to be brought back to Earth for more detailed analysis), then this will prove that life has started at least twice in our own solar system, which means that the odds of life being out there in the rest of our galaxy and our universe are massively increased, to the point where we can be pretty confident that we're not alone. I'd say that's worth the money!
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
Not really, its 1/10 of a failed track and trace system.
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
In the scheme of things it’s not that much. For example, US Foreign aid in 2019 was $38bn.
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
Not really, its 1/10 of a failed track and trace system.
Indeed, or a quarter of Gordon Brown and Labour's failed IT project that had to be written off (not taking inflation into account, either).
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
Too right, didn’t that ‘amateur’ British attempt a few years back cost about £1 million ? It might (or might not) have crashed into Mars but I’d be surprised if the data from that wasn’t taken into account this time around...eg ‘ you need to slow down...’
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
Too right, didn’t that ‘amateur’ British attempt a few years back cost about £1 million ?
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
Too right, didn’t that ‘amateur’ British attempt a few years back cost about £1 million ?
I must be alone then in thinking it’s a complete waste of money that could be better spent doing good here on earth.
Whilst i'm pretty fascinated by 'space' stuff and think it's incredible what can be done, i do completely understand this opinion.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
Too right, didn’t that ‘amateur’ British attempt a few years back cost about £1 million ?
Yeah definitely, the good things that came out of it was mainly a better understanding of the make up of Mars atmosphere and its density and I don't believe we've had a parachute issue since
The helicopter (Ingenuity) attached to the belly of Perseverance Rover is gradually being unfurled, final detachment will occur when the cord is cut and it bounces down the final 5 inches to the Mars surface. NASA hope to start test flights on or around April 8th.
If Martians exist I expect them to attack at this point, Bad enough having alien visitors, but when they start breeding ...
Comments
Btw, I also used to be of the view that the money would be better spent here on Earth. However, I came to realise:
1.The R & D boost enabled by such projects pays itself back many times over and has given us many of today's technologies that we take for granted
2. It looks like we have screwed up the life support system on Earth through over population so whoever remains after the inevitable war for resources is going to have to have a plan B, which requires space exploration
3. If we spent the money on the developing world it would make little to no difference as the problems cannot be solved by money (remember Live Aid, etc. ?)
4. Space exploration is awesome.
Mars ... we're going home.
"with the money budgeted to operate the rover during the trip to Mars, and for around two Earth years (one Mars year) after landing, the total mission will cost around $2.7 billion".
That is A LOT of money.
Not as good as Beagle 1
Nicky Bailey's penalty kick has been found at last.
If Martians exist I expect them to attack at this point, Bad enough having alien visitors, but when they start breeding ...
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8896/nasa-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-prepares-for-first-flight/