dls@mtgzz.UUCP (d.l.skran) (05/08/85)
Since you asked, there exists a coalition of pro space station groups that includes Space Studies Institute, L5, NSI, American Space Foundation, Spacepac, and SEDS, I believe under the name "National Space Coordinating Committee." This coalition includes all major groups except the Planetary Society. Sagan's projects are mainly more robotic planetary probes. And of course they are valid, useful scientific projects. > In the same vein, if the funding for the space station is cut back so far >that nothing meaningful can be done, is there any sense in tying up the money >in futile semi-work instead of using it on a smaller project that can make >meaningful use of the money? With this attitude, we would do nothing but analyze existing data for decades. Let me put it to you straight: what is one more Titan probe going to do to move humanity into space any faster? Compared to building a space station? A reusable orbital transfer vehicle? Demonstrating zero-gee manufacturing? I support unmanned space exploration, but the time has come to ask: what are we getting out of it? Will it lead to the discovery of new resources? Critical probes to near-Earth crossing asteroids and the moon go by the by for lack of funding while more distant, sexier, targets are explored. Note that yet another probe of Mars was the first priority at NASA in their new Mariner Mark II program. > What I am suggesting is that space station project supporters are as >prone to tunnel vision about their pet project as everyone else. This does >not, however, mean that they are more right or more wrong than those with whom >they disagree. Let us remember that there is more than one Important Project. > > /Bruce N. Wheelock/ Indeed. And every single time the visionary project gets the ax. Unless we do something about it. The future doesn't just happen. People make it happen. If you care about mankind having a long term future, write your Congresscritter now and support the space station. Dale Skran, Speaking for himself, as usual.