The USA taxpayer is unable/unwilling to fund further space flights

CommuterIE wrote: »

Space is the future!

Even Stephen Hawkin said it. If we as in humanity do not develop the ability to exist beyond our own planet humanity will not survive in the long term.

Space exploration is the long term survival of our sepcies.

squod wrote: »

Do they?

Not anymore, one more shuttle flight and thats it. Russia are the only game in town to get a person in orbit or the ISS until China and India get in gear.

You know, pollsters do ask the US Public these questions, and publish the answers. Gallup has done a few, including one in 2008 reported here.

"These latest results -- as well as poll data from the last several years -- reveal that even in the midst of varying world and national circumstances, Americans still strongly support space exploration, and are willing to support its funding at current levels or even slightly increased levels," said Mary Engola, chairwoman of the Coalition for Space Exploration's Public Affairs Team. The 2008 Gallup Poll shows more than 52 percent of those surveyed would support an increase in space exploration funding. Currently, NASA's budget is less than 1 percent of the federal budget, or approximately 15 cents per day for the average, tax-paying citizen. In addition, 68 percent of all respondents surveyed agree that the benefits of space exploration outweigh the risks of human space flight.

The fundamental problem is not money, it's risk: space flight is dangerous, but lives have been lost in avoidable accidents, and the Shuttle program has never recovered from the two disasters.

CommuterIE wrote: »

Its sad to think Ireland didn't contribute one cent to the ESA... wouldn't it be great to see a tri-colour in space?

Not quite correct - the Irish government does indeed contribute a few million every year to the ESA 'pot', it gets returned to Irish companies who do research and development for future programmes (known as 'geo-return'). Believe it or not, there was a proposal on the table recently to design and build a small satellite to showcase technologies from Ireland (hasn't got off the ground yet though )

Seeing the SRB's (solid rocket boosters) from the second last shuttle being towed back into a Florida port the other day and probably being offered on the cheap to a private spaceflight company means that JFK's legacy is dead in the water.

CommuterIE wrote: »

Why does the USA alone have to lead space flight?

There are active space programs in Europe, India, Japan, China and Russia, not to mention a rapidly expanding private sector. There are almost certainly other programs I'm not thinking of.

That isn't the issue. Just because the US has had the biggest space program in the past doesn't mean that they are doing it "alone".

JFK Must be turning in his grave:mad:

CommuterIE wrote: »

Is it time a worldwide effort be made to reach for the stars?
...
Space is the future!

If you actually mean going to another Star system? With humans?
It could easily take 70-100 years to reach another star system, by which time, the astronauts would be either A. Dead, or B. their grandchildren whom they have given birth to and raised in space would be the ones seeing the 'new world'.
Then think of the return journey.....the occupants of the spaceship would have no actual knowledge of their great great grandparents home and no affinity with it. The earth they would return to would probably have forgotten that they had even sent them (two centuries previously)
A ship capable of travelling so far and for so long would take up a huge proportion of the earths resources and economic output for no discernible return.
So unmanned robotic probes it is - and they have been sent out since the 70s.

I thought there was going to be a joint effort in designing more efficent methods of reaching orbit?

Shame that the US space program has had cuts, considering everything the space race has given us in our everyday lives.