Comments on: How to get NASA funded http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:59:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-191874 Dan Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:03:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-191874 has no comedy nerd posted this yet? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csj7vMKy4EI [from Mr. Show with Bob and David c.1997] has no comedy nerd posted this yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csj7vMKy4EI
[from Mr. Show with Bob and David c.1997]

]]> By: Doug http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187834 Doug Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:24:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187834 I recall a good answer by a NASA scientist about a cover-up concerning aliens. It was to the effect that if we REALLY had aliens in Area 51 or whatever, we'd shout it from the rooftops. Do you have any idea the funding we would get, he said? It would make Apollo look like pocket change. Anybody with a Ph. D. in physics or astronomy would have money thrown at them by the bushel basket! Cover it up? Idiotic. Besides, the only way 3 scientists can keep a secret is if all three are dead; and they have probably published it anyway! I recall a good answer by a NASA scientist about a cover-up concerning aliens. It was to the effect that if we REALLY had aliens in Area 51 or whatever, we’d shout it from the rooftops. Do you have any idea the funding we would get, he said? It would make Apollo look like pocket change. Anybody with a Ph. D. in physics or astronomy would have money thrown at them by the bushel basket! Cover it up? Idiotic. Besides, the only way 3 scientists can keep a secret is if all three are dead; and they have probably published it anyway!

]]> By: ND http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187689 ND Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:31:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187689 Gary Ansorge, And an interesting twist today, we're using their Soyuz to send US and other astronauts to ISS. Gary Ansorge,

And an interesting twist today, we’re using their Soyuz to send US and other astronauts to ISS.

]]> By: Gary Ansorge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187672 Gary Ansorge Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:51:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187672 PS: Hey Phil, I'm occasionally a betting man and I'm betting you're already familiar with the PhD comic strip but if I'm wrong, here's a link to one comic that mentions astronomers in an enviable light,,, http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=791 You will see what I mean if you look down about six panels to the right. So, is it true? Do astronomers really have lives beyond grad school??? GAry 7 PS:

Hey Phil, I’m occasionally a betting man and I’m betting you’re already familiar with the PhD comic strip but if I’m wrong, here’s a link to one comic that mentions astronomers in an enviable light,,,

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=791

You will see what I mean if you look down about six panels to the right.

So, is it true? Do astronomers really have lives beyond grad school???

GAry 7

]]> By: Gary Ansorge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187656 Gary Ansorge Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:18:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187656 Ad Hominid: Yeah, I was living with my grand mother in Nevada when Sputnik went up, on Oct 4th 1957. She came running in to tell me we were all doomed. When I laughed she said "Oh grandson. You just don't understand how terrible this is,,,". Which was really funny to me, since I'd already been reading SciFi for four years and saw the Sputnik as the first indicator of a headlong rush into space. Sputnik was obviously a challenge to get us off our fat, lazy butts and raise the gauntlet. It worked too, for a while. Too bad the Ruskies couldn't keep up with us. They were interesting competitors,,, GAry 7 Ad Hominid:

Yeah, I was living with my grand mother in Nevada when Sputnik went up, on Oct 4th 1957. She came running in to tell me we were all doomed. When I laughed she said “Oh grandson. You just don’t understand how terrible this is,,,”. Which was really funny to me, since I’d already been reading SciFi for four years and saw the Sputnik as the first indicator of a headlong rush into space. Sputnik was obviously a challenge to get us off our fat, lazy butts and raise the gauntlet. It worked too, for a while. Too bad the Ruskies couldn’t keep up with us. They were interesting competitors,,,

GAry 7

]]> By: New NASA Funding Proposal: Blow Up Mars | Astroengine.com http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187636 New NASA Funding Proposal: Blow Up Mars | Astroengine.com Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:10:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187636 [...] Bad Astronomy [...] [...] Bad Astronomy [...]

]]> By: LukeL http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187625 LukeL Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:06:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187625 How about just bankrupting themselves through poor business practices and ask for a 200 billiob dollar bailout with the chance of an aditional 100 billion after you blow the first 200 How about just bankrupting themselves through poor business practices and ask for a 200 billiob dollar bailout with the chance of an aditional 100 billion after you blow the first 200

]]> By: MadScientist http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187621 MadScientist Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:38:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187621 @IVAN3MAN: You need to update that one - change 'Sun' to 'Oracle'. One of the engineers at this place I used to work at had a poster like that. @Ad Hominid: Sputnik was awesome - it was much more fun to track on radio than those big reflective balloons. It may also have been one of the major events that resulted in funding the Vanguard project and really getting the space race going. While the Sputniks have been lost to orbit degradation, Vanguard I is still flying. @Elin: North Korea is nothing compared to China (which is fortunate because the loony-in-charge is at least as loony as big daddy loon - but daddy loon didn't have nukes and long-range rockets). @IVAN3MAN: You need to update that one – change ‘Sun’ to ‘Oracle’. One of the engineers at this place I used to work at had a poster like that.

@Ad Hominid: Sputnik was awesome – it was much more fun to track on radio than those big reflective balloons. It may also have been one of the major events that resulted in funding the Vanguard project and really getting the space race going. While the Sputniks have been lost to orbit degradation, Vanguard I is still flying.

@Elin: North Korea is nothing compared to China (which is fortunate because the loony-in-charge is at least as loony as big daddy loon – but daddy loon didn’t have nukes and long-range rockets).

]]> By: John Paradox http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187609 John Paradox Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:28:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187609 <I>33. Ad Hominid Says: A Chinese or perhaps Indian space spectacular is not outside the realm of possibility, especially if they are willing to take a shortcut and use a nuclear upper stage. I call this the Sputnik from Hell, since I am one of the few posters who can actually remember the Sputnik panic of 1957-58. </I> Another 'oldie'. When Sputnik went up, I was about 4, and wore an old 'doughboy' helmet for several weeks (?) afterward. J/P=? 33. Ad Hominid Says:
A Chinese or perhaps Indian space spectacular is not outside the realm of possibility, especially if they are willing to take a shortcut and use a nuclear upper stage. I call this the Sputnik from Hell, since I am one of the few posters who can actually remember the Sputnik panic of 1957-58.

Another ‘oldie’. When Sputnik went up, I was about 4, and wore an old ‘doughboy’ helmet for several weeks (?) afterward.

J/P=?

]]> By: Lawrence http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187608 Lawrence Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:23:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187608 For private industry to fund space travel, there needs to be some kind of payoff/profit. Space tourism is a very, very, very small venture - ultimately, unless you can show a corporation that spending billions in R&D will result in tens of billions of dollars in revenue and commensurate profit, it just won't happen. For private industry to fund space travel, there needs to be some kind of payoff/profit. Space tourism is a very, very, very small venture – ultimately, unless you can show a corporation that spending billions in R&D will result in tens of billions of dollars in revenue and commensurate profit, it just won’t happen.

]]> By: Ad Hominid http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187606 Ad Hominid Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:03:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187606 A Chinese or perhaps Indian space spectacular is not outside the realm of possibility, especially if they are willing to take a shortcut and use a nuclear upper stage. I call this the Sputnik from Hell, since I am one of the few posters who can actually remember the Sputnik panic of 1957-58. It was borderline crazy, accurately though fictitiously portrayed in the <i>Right Stuff</i> (eg "Armageddon!" "the final showdown between good and evil). Paranoid to be sure, but it did open the floodgates for all kinds of science funding and a whole generation of scientists benefited from it (including my humble self). Phil is on record as opposing this kind of thing, national rivalry driving space flight, but I think it might be beneficial if it could be kept on a benign basis, more analogous to the Olympics than to Armageddon. A Chinese or perhaps Indian space spectacular is not outside the realm of possibility, especially if they are willing to take a shortcut and use a nuclear upper stage. I call this the Sputnik from Hell, since I am one of the few posters who can actually remember the Sputnik panic of 1957-58. It was borderline crazy, accurately though fictitiously portrayed in the Right Stuff (eg “Armageddon!” “the final showdown between good and evil). Paranoid to be sure, but it did open the floodgates for all kinds of science funding and a whole generation of scientists benefited from it (including my humble self). Phil is on record as opposing this kind of thing, national rivalry driving space flight, but I think it might be beneficial if it could be kept on a benign basis, more analogous to the Olympics than to Armageddon.

]]> By: IVAN3MAN http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187605 IVAN3MAN Sun, 31 May 2009 23:42:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187605 @ SkeptikSnarf, Why explore space? Because of... <blockquote>Space... the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the star-ship <i>Enterprise</i>. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.</blockquote> :cool: @ SkeptikSnarf,

Why explore space? Because of…

Space… the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the star-ship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.

:cool:

]]> By: SkeptikSnarf http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187602 SkeptikSnarf Sun, 31 May 2009 22:54:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187602 Phil, and 1. IVAN3MAN... this is another thing my brother said, why not have private industry fund space exploration?, he just doesn't get it and doesn't care. Phil I asked you that at the nature center in Kalamazoo last night. "why explore space"? i really enjoyed the answer. hope you could make a youtube vid about the importance of space exploration and scientific exploration in general Phil, and 1. IVAN3MAN… this is another thing my brother said, why not have private industry fund space exploration?, he just doesn’t get it and doesn’t care. Phil I asked you that at the nature center in Kalamazoo last night. “why explore space”? i really enjoyed the answer. hope you could make a youtube vid about the importance of space exploration and scientific exploration in general

]]> By: amphiox http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187599 amphiox Sun, 31 May 2009 21:55:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187599 China beating the US back the moon (if the US still wants to go) is conceivable, but beating the US to Mars? Given the current gap in space technology for that to happen the Americans would have to seriously, seriously drop the ball, like down into a naked singularity. Not that the US aren't fully equipped and capable of dropping said ball, but in this case they'd almost have to actively obstruct their own efforts, while giving covert help to the Chinese at the same time, though on some days it seems they are doing exactly this. China beating the US back the moon (if the US still wants to go) is conceivable, but beating the US to Mars? Given the current gap in space technology for that to happen the Americans would have to seriously, seriously drop the ball, like down into a naked singularity.

Not that the US aren’t fully equipped and capable of dropping said ball, but in this case they’d almost have to actively obstruct their own efforts, while giving covert help to the Chinese at the same time, though on some days it seems they are doing exactly this.

]]> By: David D http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187596 David D Sun, 31 May 2009 21:39:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187596 @llewelly-- <i> . . . I never heard of the other guy.</i> There's about 3000 dead New Yorkers who were in the WTC that wish they had never heard of the other guy. Shame on you. @llewelly–

. . . I never heard of the other guy.

There’s about 3000 dead New Yorkers who were in the WTC that wish they had never heard of the other guy. Shame on you.

]]> By: llewelly http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187594 llewelly Sun, 31 May 2009 21:28:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187594 <blockquote> Photoshop the “Martian Bigfoot” into Osama bin Laden? <br> J/P=? <br> PS(does anyone remember him?) </blockquote> Which one? The Martian micro-bigfoot was pretty cool, but I never heard of the other guy.

Photoshop the “Martian Bigfoot” into Osama bin Laden?

J/P=?

PS(does anyone remember him?)

Which one? The Martian micro-bigfoot was pretty cool, but I never heard of the other guy.

]]> By: QUASAR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187590 QUASAR Sun, 31 May 2009 20:43:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187590 @ Elin I think you went off your meds. @ Elin

I think you went off your meds.

]]> By: Elin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187589 Elin Sun, 31 May 2009 20:30:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187589 China is so last year. North Korea is the country to beat now! China is so last year. North Korea is the country to beat now!

]]> By: Iason Ouabache http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187588 Iason Ouabache Sun, 31 May 2009 20:19:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187588 Someone did a funny video version of this too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mVWN5yy1AY Someone did a funny video version of this too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mVWN5yy1AY

]]> By: QUASAR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187587 QUASAR Sun, 31 May 2009 20:06:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187587 @ DrFlimmer No. But China is not governed by antiscientists and it has hostile views towards the opium of the masses! @ DrFlimmer

No. But China is not governed by antiscientists and it has hostile views towards the opium of the masses!

]]> By: Ken B http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187584 Ken B Sun, 31 May 2009 19:54:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187584 Non-Sequitur has been running a thread on Mars, starting on May 25: http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2009/05/25/ I think this may help with funding: http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2009/05/29/ :-) Non-Sequitur has been running a thread on Mars, starting on May 25:

http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2009/05/25/

I think this may help with funding:

http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2009/05/29/

:-)

]]> By: John Paradox http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187583 John Paradox Sun, 31 May 2009 19:43:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187583 Photoshop the "Martian Bigfoot" into Osama bin Laden? J/P=? PS(does anyone remember him?) Photoshop the “Martian Bigfoot” into Osama bin Laden?

J/P=?

PS(does anyone remember him?)

]]> By: Torbjörn Larsson, OM http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187581 Torbjörn Larsson, OM Sun, 31 May 2009 19:15:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187581 Don't forget that space has a lot of cheap vacuum. Bottle it up and sell at high ROI value for environmentally friendly vacuum cleaners. "Clean as space." In fact you don't need to go to space to extract this valuable resource. Politicians are full of it. Don’t forget that space has a lot of cheap vacuum. Bottle it up and sell at high ROI value for environmentally friendly vacuum cleaners. “Clean as space.”

In fact you don’t need to go to space to extract this valuable resource. Politicians are full of it.

]]> By: Mount http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187580 Mount Sun, 31 May 2009 18:59:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187580 Posted without comment: <a href="http://comics.com/f_minus/2008-10-26/" title="F Minus" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://assets.comics.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/000000/20000/9000/800/29872/29872.full.gif" border="0" alt="F Minus" /></a> Posted without comment:

F Minus

]]> By: Michael L http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-187577 Michael L Sun, 31 May 2009 18:36:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/31/how-to-get-nasa-funded/#comment-187577 I bet there are companies begging to get their name on the side of a NASA rocket, or even better, one of the remaining Shuttle Flights. Who wouldn't love to see 'Viagra' emblazoned on the side of a rocket as it roars into space??? I bet there are companies begging to get their name on the side of a NASA rocket, or even better, one of the remaining Shuttle Flights.

Who wouldn’t love to see ‘Viagra’ emblazoned on the side of a rocket as it roars into space???

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