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Because Senator Shelby has maneuvered himself into a position to use a whole lot of NASA's budget as a jobs program for Alabama? (OK, that's not 100% the reason, but it's not entirely untrue, either.)
We're spending our funds for space exploration in stupid, wasteful ways, building heavy lifters with 1970s tech at at 1950s prices and literally providing incentives for cost overruns. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin do the job better and cheaper, but they're not lining the right pockets and won't spread their supply chain over a dozen states to get the right Congresspeople on board.
Bridenstine - whom, and I admit it openly, I was skeptical of - tried to make overtures towards opening the supply chain to private enterprise and was brought to heel. Do not mess with Boeing, Rocketdyne and whatever-Thiokol-call-themselves-today.
I hope Biden keeps him on and perhaps takes him off the leash. It's not exactly a post people line up to score, and Bridenstine did a very fine job within the confines he had to operate under. I was wrong about him.
There you go. You’ve just answered your own question. They are currently attempting to land their first rover on Mars (that could still fail). The US has already had several successes in that area and the latest one was also launched last year that comes equipped with a drone.
They just recently collected samples from the Moon. Congrats, the US already did that 50 years ago. Meanwhile Japan just collected samples from an asteroid and so did NASA.
Sending humans on the Moon? Congrats, the US already did it 50 years ago on 6 different occasions and are planning on going there soon. Elon Musk already has his eyes set on Mars.
Building an orbiting space station? Welcome to the club. The US and USSR/Russia have been at it for 40 years.
That’s not to say that none of those feats are worthy of commendation and they are positive developments for the Chinese space program, but at this stage they’re hardly groundbreaking.
I understand what you're saying, but it seems like we've stopped after doing all of the Space things. How long is this Artemis rocket going to take to build? Maybe even longer now with Biden in office if he doesn't put enough funding for NASA. Man, I really hope this James Webb telescope can get off this planet next year.
Sure, China is playing "catch up" but once they catch up, they will keep putting loads of money into space while we are just here puttering and arguing about stupid politics, left vs right, etc etc.
Having a new superpower in the next decade who is also a large space player, and who is NOT a democracy, is worrisome.
I understand what you're saying, but it seems like we've stopped after doing all of the Space things. How long is this Artemis rocket going to take to build? Maybe even longer now with Biden in office if he doesn't put enough funding for NASA. Man, I really hope this James Webb telescope can get off this planet next year.
Sure, China is playing "catch up" but once they catch up, they will keep putting loads of money into space while we are just here puttering and arguing about stupid politics, left vs right, etc etc.
Having a new superpower in the next decade who is also a large space player, and who is NOT a democracy, is worrisome.
The only plus is that if China does pull ahead there will be a political reason for the US to invest more, as they did in the 1960's. Sometimes competition is good...
How long is this Artemis rocket going to take to build?
Forever. They just botched the Green Run, stopping the countdown 5 minutes or so early. 3rd attempt, IIRC. The first Orion to fly on the SLS (unmanned) is going to launch - someday - with a known bad component in the power system, because replacing it is too hard.
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Maybe even longer now with Biden in office if he doesn't put enough funding for NASA.
Funding is Congress' responsibility. Bad news: They finalized FY 2021 appropriations, and NASA got 25% of the requested funds for the lander development.
Forever. They just botched the Green Run, stopping the countdown 5 minutes or so early. 3rd attempt, IIRC. The first Orion to fly on the SLS (unmanned) is going to launch - someday - with a known bad component in the power system, because replacing it is too hard.
Funding is Congress' responsibility. Bad news: They finalized FY 2021 appropriations, and NASA got 25% of the requested funds for the lander development.
sorry, buying weapons for Israel and US support of Terrorism is more important.
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