Not bad for $420 million bucks eh?

[Mikebits]

Martian soil good enough for asparagus: NASA

**broken link removed**

 

[henrybot]

Really not so bad...

I think when this planet is being irradiated in WWIII and you're safe on Mars enjoying some tasty asparagus, you will be quite thrilled with the $420 million spent

Considering what other things the U.S. government has wasted that much money on in the past, it's not too bad of a deal. At least something is getting done.

-mike

 

[Mikebits]

I think when this planet is being irradiated in WWIII and you're safe on Mars enjoying some tasty asparagus, you will be quite thrilled with the $420 million spent

Considering what other things the U.S. government has wasted that much money on in the past, it's not too bad of a deal. At least something is getting done.

-mike

Considering that I can barely afford filling my gas tank at $4.65/gal , I would think $420 million would go a long way into alternative fuel research.

 

[jpanhalt]

The US government has priorities, but with trillions of dollars, should be able to do more than one thing at a time.

What evidence is there that an additional $420 million in "alternative fuel" wouldn't just end up in the pockets of various fat cats.

The exact same narrow-minded argument you present could be applied to any other important issue, fighting crime, child abuse, poverty, clean water, even more help to the Katrina victims.

John

 

[davidbball13]

Considering that I can barely afford filling my gas tank at $4.65/gal , I would think $420 million would go a long way into alternative fuel research.

were the hell do you live????? it is 3.17$ for a gallon of unleaded and 3.45$ for super
----------------
Now playing: Streetlight Manifesto - One Foot On The Gas, One Foot In The Grave
via FoxyTunes

 

[microtexan]

even more help to the Katrina victims You've got to be kidding! You and I have paid more to the recovery of Katrina "victims" than any other US disaster in history. Give me a break.

 

[jpanhalt]

even more help to the Katrina victims You've got to be kidding! You and I have paid more to the recovery of Katrina "victims" than any other US disaster in history. Give me a break.

My comment re. Katrina was intended to be sarcastic.

John

 

[Krumlink]

I personally think this is a fantastic discovery, and not to mention that water is frozen under the surface. This is a major discovery also in many ways of human engineering (go USA woot)

 

[Menticol]

I really admire the older NASA's work, love the launch video of 1969 and the bravery of all these men. Also the Russians, I don't care about the political reasons, they put their lives on risk to get the job done, and that deserves my respect.

Off course, their work set the basis for our actual technology (satellite comunications, etc).

However, I think the actual NASA work is a waste of money. I'll not say they must share the money with poor people: if you have the money, you can spend it anyway you want. But what do we know about the earthqakes? how to predict tornados? how to get rid of nuclear waste? Maybe the outer space is the answer, but the NASA doesn't know it yet, because is too busy researching about the holes of a rock of the MX7654545 planet, wich is 120 light/years away from earth.

 

[3v0]

If we could covert car production to carbon fiber it would go a long way toward solving the supply problem.

But a fleet of cars with 3x the mileage
would result in gas/Pietro at 3x its current price. MHO

A fleet of disel-over-electric powered carbon fiber cars could do even better.

 

[microtexan]

Katrina aid

My comment re. Katrina was intended to be sarcastic.

John

Sorry, did not catch taht as sarcasm, my mistake!

 

[Krumlink]

I really admire the older NASA's work, love the launch video of 1969 and the bravery of all these men. Also the Russians, I don't care about the political reasons, they put their lives on risk to get the job done, and that deserves my respect.

Off course, their work set the basis for our actual technology (satellite comunications, etc).

However, I think the actual NASA work is a waste of money. I'll not say they must share the money with poor people: if you have the money, you can spend it anyway you want. But what do we know about the earthqakes? how to predict tornados? how to get rid of nuclear waste? Maybe the outer space is the answer, but the NASA doesn't know it yet, because is too busy researching about the holes of a rock of the MX7654545 planet, wich is 120 light/years away from earth.

It is all what people want to do. If you wanted to research archaeology, go ahead. If they want to research space, go ahead. To say that it is a waste shows that it is not one of your preferences, and you would rather research natural disasters. If you held the money in your hand, that is what you would do.

 

[3v0]

...
However, I think the actual NASA work is a waste of money. I'll not say they must share the money with poor people: if you have the money, you can spend it anyway you want. ...

It is easy to approve of past success.

During the Apollo moon program there were a good number of people saying it was a waste. Spend the money here where it is needed etc etc. Same song first verse.

Is there waste? Is it a government program? Same question, right.

It is good news that we may be able to grow crops on Mars.

It is all what people want to do. If you wanted to research archaeology, go ahead. If they want to research space, go ahead. To say that it is a waste shows that it is not one of your preferences, and you would rather research natural disasters. If you held the money in your hand, that is what you would do.

Well said.

 

[picbits]

If we could covert car production to carbon fiber it would go a long way toward solving the supply problem.

If you lot (Americans) started driving smaller engined cars it would go a long way towards solving the supply problem

Seriously though - over here in the UK if you drive a 2 Litre car its considered a large engine. There are 3 & 4 litre cars over here but they are quite rare.

When I visited the US a few months ago the smallest engined 7 seater we could hire was a 3.5 Litre. The majority of cars we saw were 4.0 litre or above.

On a lighter note, if I won the lottery here in the UK I'd move over to the USA in a flash (specifically south CA)

 

[3v0]

If you lot (Americans) started driving smaller engined cars it would go a long way toward solving the supply problem

Carbon fiber cars would let us do that, the cars would be fast, strong, and economical. **broken link removed**​

Seriously though - over here in the UK if you drive a 2 Litre car its considered a large engine. There are 3 & 4 litre cars over here but they are quite rare.

When I visited the US a few months ago the smallest engined 7 seater we could hire was a 3.5 Litre. The majority of cars we saw were 4.0 litre or above.

We do not drive much so in the short term it is much cheaper to keep what we have and spend an extra $50 or even $100 a month at the pump.

 

[Torben]

There is a misconception that NASA's budget is a significant portion of what the USA spends in a year. It isn't. It's tiny--about 0.6-0.8% of the US federal budget.

People love to demonize the space program for stealing money from whatever their own personal pet cause is when the truth is that there is fat to be cut in any area you care to pick, and the space program is not a good place to start looking for cash--there is much more elsewhere.


Torben

 

[picbits]

We do not drive much so in the short term it is much cheaper to keep what we have and spend an extra $50 or even $100 a month at the pump.

Where I visited in California (SoCal - San Clemente area and just about everywhere between LA and San Clemente) having a car was fairly essential. Trying to get to the nearest store was a fair old walk and public transport was pretty scarce.

It made me laugh though - there was usually 7 of us in the MPV we hired so could use the pool lane on the Freeway most of the time. I think there were only around a dozen vehicles in the pool lane with the rest of the highway totally blocked by traffic with only single numbers in the cars.

Fell totally in love with California though - if it wasn't a 10 hour flight (well 12 hours there and 10 hours back) I'd visit a whole lot more.

 

[dknguyen]

Does it not take MUCH more energy to produce a carbon fiber car than a regular one? I don't know where the balance is between the energy cost of making the a lighter, more advanced car vs the cost of just paying more to fuel a heavier, energy cheaper car.

 

[3v0]

Does it not take MUCH more energy to produce a carbon fiber car than a regular one? I don't know where the balance is between the energy cost of making the a lighter, more advanced car vs the cost of just paying more to fuel a heavier, energy cheaper car.

As I recall. Currently most of the carbon fiber production is gobbled up by the aircraft industry.

The process of making a carbon fiber panel is very labor intensive. It is not suitable for the mass production of cars.

A Denver Colorado company (and possibly others) have worked out a system where the resin and chopped carbon fiber are injected into a mold under pressure. The auto makers are said to be interested in the system.

This part is hazy, carbon fiber is somewhat tricky to manufacture. I do not recall the details but do not think it has anything to do with the energy used in production.

If they start producing it on the scale need to make cars the price should drop.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

If they start producing it on the scale need to make cars the price should drop.

I was watching the F1 racing the other week, with lots of front spoilers and nosecones been replaced due to minor bumps - fairly small components, but they apparently cost £30,000 ($60,000).