PantyFanatic,

Interesting. It would seem that you and I are saying the same thing; let us wait and see.

Catch22,

I believe that President Bush outlines his plans for NASA's manned future in space at 4:00 (EST) today.

Cool

Post about it if you can. :)

I've only heard the news statements. Not much of an outline. Going to look for more details and find out why we don't have the completion of ISS as an interest and part of this.:confused:

I asked this question,before,but the server went down & evidently,didn't submit my question.I was wondering if anyone
knew if the Presedential regime changes if the space programs
will stay the same?Around here,Bush was almost a shoe-in but I have heard alot of discontent over the space program and the
undocumented(formerly,illegal)alien program. Irish

Catch22,

To be frank, it looks pretty grim.

The funding added for manned exploration will total $12 billion over the next five years. Most of this added funding for new exploration will come from reallocation of $11 billion that is currently within the five-year total NASA budget of $86 billion. President Bush will request an additional $1 billion to NASA's existing five-year plan, or an average of $200 million per year

What that tells me is that the unmanned programs will be gutted to fund more than 90% of the "Return To the Moon" program. You’ll note that the new money – which is proposed, not a given – is 1 in 12. The mission to Pluto would be an example of what is on the chopping block.

I am minded of the cancellation of Great Britain’s Black Arrow project back in 1971, in part due to the development costs of the Concorde, which also needed funds that could otherwise have gone to the space program. In the end, Concorde won out. It was seen as having more commercial potential, and the British space program was relegated to the status of a museum piece.

I hope I'm wrong about this.

But makes for great press:rolleyes:

Anything to take peoples minds off other issues in a voting year. I think the ISS is not going to be finished in a hurry either.

Catch22,

On the plus side, the Spirit rover rolled down an alternate ramp last night, the primary one being blocked. As it touched down on the Martian surface, the rover had about a 4 inch drop.

Images taken from Spirit's rear camera showed the landing pad behind the rover and tracks leading away on the Martian soil. Pictures from the front of the rover show "Sleepy Hollow", a depression near where Spirit touched down.

Yeah Team!

In 9 days the second of the pair, Opportunity, makes its scheduled landing on the other side of Mars. Let’s hope for a second success.

Yes, I saw the 360 photos. Very good. If they find signs of water that will get the minds a thinking.

Australia to play role in Mars mission


Australia will play a key role in President George W Bush's plans to massively expand the US space program.

Bush has unveiled a program to design a new space craft to replace the shuttle by 2015, Moon landings by robots and astronauts in the next two decades and completion of the international space station by 2010.

Bush also proposed a human mission to Mars launched from a Moon base.

The Tidbinbilla Deep Space Tracking Centre, near Canberra, helped NASA keep in touch with its original missions to the Moon, and would be a vital communications link for US astronauts on Mars.

The tracking centre is part of a network of three facilities which allow NASA to constantly observe spacecraft as the earth rotates.

It is currently involved in maintaining communications with the tiny Spirit robot which is exploring Mars.

Tidbinbilla spokesman Glen Nagle said the facility could be used to track and transmit messages to and from manned missions to Mars.

"One of the antennas here on our site is the dish that brought back images of man walking on the Moon," Mr Nagle told AAP.

"If we have missions returning to the Moon and eventually sending people off to Mars we'll obviously be playing the key communications role in that.

"Our centre here played a role in all of the latter Apollo missions, providing the two-way communication, all of the telemetry from the space craft, knowing about spacecraft health, whether the astronauts were okay."

Acting Prime Minister John Anderson said he hoped there was a role for Australia in the expanded US space program.

"I think wherever there are opportunities to increase knowledge and extend our horizons it's a good thing for Australia to have a role," Mr Anderson said.

A spokeswoman for Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said the new space missions could present new opportunities for Australian companies.

She pointed to the success of Melbourne-based company Aerosonde Ltd, which last year won a contract with NASA to determine the feasibility of conducting earth science research using small, unmanned aerial vehicles.

Aerosonde chief operating officer Greg Tyrrell said he was not sure if his company would benefit from an expanded NASA budget.

"We're hopeful, but we can't say," he said.

"The main thing you need for any of these missions is a very large booster," he said.

Former Australian astronaut Andy Thomas was excited about Bush's proposal to send astronauts to Mars.

He said the US was capable of designing and building a vehicle to complete the mission.

"For that you would use something derived from the shuttle probably and you would develop a crew exploration vehicle to make the journey," he told ABC radio.

Catch22,

It didn't take long for the effects to be felt...

NASA is halting all space shuttle missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope, a move that will lead to it becoming useless within five years. The decision has been taken because, under President Bush's new space program, the space shuttle will be retired in 2010.

Delphic. Very delphic.

The Hubble was one of the best things going.