Not Very Scientific

I've been on a science trend here recently. Probably has something to do with me going to Houston for a NASA event and me reading a book titled Physics of the Impossible by Mchio Kaku. Personally, I love when I get into this train of thought. I love trying to wrap my mind around Light and its Space/Time properties. Wormholes and black holes. Multiple dimensions and parallel universes. I suppose this stems from my childhood attachment to Star Wars and other science fiction material. Wouldn't it be awesome if there were shields, light sabers, lasers, aliens, and starships like we see in these works? Most, if not all (in some form or fashion), are possible! This is why science thrills me, because of the doors it can open for us. I suppose that is why I like Mchio Kaku as well; the possibility of the "impossible" actually being possible is what drives our love for science. If kids in school knew just how cool the science could actually be, it would be a much more popular subject, as it was for me.

"Kids, open your books to Chapter 12: Star Trek and Teleportation"

Anyway, one thing I wanted to throw out there is my thoughts on NASA and its current direction. I love space, and I love NASA. I hope one day work for NASA. I'd give my all to it. But, I just cannot get behind the new plan at the moment. Let me say this from the start: I am not involved in any of what goes on at NASA, so I don't have the 'full story' on many things, so this is just my outside point of view.

First off, I don't understand the cancellation of the Constellation program, if only because another rocket has been promised to be developed. So maybe it was not going the the perfect direction and was over budget, but why throw that money away and start again? Scrap something or just tone it back a bit. I understand that some of it are being reused, such as the capsule, and they just tested the emergency escape rockets successfully, but why is that it. Just seems to me that it will take long and more money to start over than to finish what they started.


Second is the outsourcing of US astronaut flights to the International Space Station to commercial companies. This, I suppose, I've eventually get use to. I mean, it eventually has to happen. Space travel will one day be as common place as air travel, and the government doesn't run every flight. Companies own the planes and flights, and so one day space travel will follow suite. And I guess now is as good a time as ever, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I guess I'm just a bit old school...even though I'm young. Point being, I do not like the idea of NASA giving up control of space to corporations. Maybe NASA will become the ATSB for space or something, so they still have some control.

Third, finally, and most importantly to me, is the new plan for human exploration of space. The new plan is to slowly work up our experience with long duration space flight until we are comfortable with going to Mars. Start with a lagrange point, then a local asteroid or two, then to a moon of Mars, then to Mars itself. Now, while I have absolutely no problems with going to Mars, as I'm ALL for that and want it to happen within my lifetime, if you notice, the moon was never mentioned in that plan. Apparently, "been there, done that" is a good enough excuse to not go back. Are you kidding me? There is so much potential on the moon! From mining, to a refuel point, to a place for humans to live not on Earth. Plus, technology is exponentially better now then when we first went in 1969; so much more could be done and learned a second time around. I just do not see enough justifications to skip the moon as a target for future human exploration.


Well, that was a rather long blog/rant, but I feel rather passionately about Humanities future in space. I think it is necessary for our race's advancement and survival. And I'm just a little bit jealous of those who witnessed that moment of the first man on the moon, haha!

Oh, and Happy Birthday to me!