🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Dec30.203937.27599@iti.org> aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer) writes:
>From: aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer)
>Subject: Re: Government-run programs  Was: Re: Justification for the Space Program
>Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 20:39:37 GMT
>In article <1992Dec30.200706.29744@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> Dr. Norman J. LaFave <lafave@ial4.jsc.nasa.gov> writes:
>
>>>prevented from some action.  The government doesn't subsidize mountain
>>>climbing; why should it subsidize much more expensive space escapism?
>
>>The fact that you can equate these two things just shows how
>>out of touch with reality you really are.
>
>Oh I don't know about that. I see lots of similarities. Both climbers and
>astronauts are small groups of well trained people. Both spend lots of
>money to do what they do. Both are limited to letting very small numbers
>of people do something exciting. After all, I will never climb Mt. Everest,
>nor (the way things are going) will I ever go into space.
>
>Now you might argue that space is the future of mankind and that a
>spacefaring civilization is more important than rock climbing. I aggree
>with that but must point out that if you think current government space
>activity has anything to do with that then YOU are the one out of touch.
>
>  Allen
>
>-- 
>+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
>| Allen W. Sherzer | "A great man is one who does nothing but leaves        |
>|  aws@iti.org     |  nothing undone"                                       |
>+----------------------115 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX----------------------+

Most polls show that the public wants a manned space program, and they
are willing to pay for it. Why do they want a manned space program? During 
the Apollo Program the answer was obvious, today it is not obvious, at least 
to me, why they want one. 

When JFK gave his speech in 1961 he talked about intangible benefits from
an effort to put AMERICANS on the moon. I don't recall that he said anything
about science and technology as a reasons for making the effort. There were 
many benefits including scientific and technical ones from the Apollo 
program. Was the money well spent? I think most people would say yes. 

Today we have AMERICANS in space on an occasional basis, with the possibility
of more or less continuous presence of AMERICANS in space within the next
decade. Is this worth what it costs? If the majority of the people think
so we will keep on with this program, if not we won't. There is no such
thing as an inexpensive space program and in particular a manned space
program. If we worked hard at mundane things like industrial engieering
we might be able to reduce the cost of placing something in LEO by 
perhaps 50%. That would be a good thing but it will not make it possible
for Joe Six Pack to vacation in space.