New Earth like Planet found

[chfaunce]

What if there were a Metric Ton of Precious Metals on Uranus...???

Hey, hey, hey - I thought this was a family-friendly forum!

[chfaunce]

Yes, we *were* thinking about it. Obama has since attempted to pull the plug on further moon exploration. I swear - that man's a frickin' genius.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02nasa.html

This guy is still thinking about it, too. A friend of mine use to be in a relationship with him - according to her, he was somewhat of an introvert, but he's brilliant:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stone_(caver)

[Drumstix61]

Oops!?

Forgot these...

http://actionflickchick.com/superaction ... dator2.jpg

http://www.constantscribbler.co.uk/wp-c ... boot-1.jpg

http://www.virginmedia.com/images/predator-400x300.jpg

http://zedomax.com/blog/wp-content/uplo ... edator.jpg

[Drumstix61]

I was hoping no one would catch that...?

What if there were a Metric Ton of Precious Metals on Uranus...???

Hey, hey, hey - I thought this was a family-friendly forum!

[Jakeiscrazy]

I mean,
wouldn't it be great to meet T'Pal or 7 of 9 ?

Who wants to help me field test phasers?

/End moment of geekyness.

[zephyp]

Well, until we get a fully functional space station in orbit all the talk about visiting anything beyond the moon is poppycock...we're trapped on this planet by a gravity well and most of the fuel is burned just to achieve orbit...launching fully fueled vehicles from a orbital position means more on board fuel, larger vehicles, and they dont have to withstand launch stress...

[gunderwood]

Well, until we get a fully functional space station in orbit all the talk about visiting anything beyond the moon is poppycock...we're trapped on this planet by a gravity well and most of the fuel is burned just to achieve orbit...launching fully fueled vehicles from a orbital position means more on board fuel, larger vehicles, and they dont have to withstand launch stress...

I'm on board with that and none of that ISS garbage. That isn't a real space station, that is a tin can. While technically you can do reasonable things like Mars without a orbital space station, everything is just so much easier if you can start from orbit. That is why space elevators and such are wonderful ideas. They allow you to use high efficiency transportation (although slower) to get to the station.

[Diomed]

I mean,
wouldn't it be great to meet T'Pal or 7 of 9 ?

Who wants to help me field test phasers?

In!

[zephyp]

Well, until we get a fully functional space station in orbit all the talk about visiting anything beyond the moon is poppycock...we're trapped on this planet by a gravity well and most of the fuel is burned just to achieve orbit...launching fully fueled vehicles from a orbital position means more on board fuel, larger vehicles, and they dont have to withstand launch stress...

I'm on board with that and none of that ISS garbage. That isn't a real space station, that is a tin can. While technically you can do reasonable things like Mars without a orbital space station, everything is just so much easier if you can start from orbit. That is why space elevators and such are wonderful ideas. They allow you to use high efficiency transportation (although slower) to get to the station.

Yes mars is achievable with an earth launch but think of it this way...build the mars vehicle in orbit and launch from there. Most of the effort and technology is used merely to achieve orbit...on orbit assembly means all those resources can be used for something else and vehicles dont have to conform to a specific shape, size, etc...but of course you know all of this and I am preaching to the choir...

And, I agree about the ISS. What a shame. With all of the effort we (collectively) have made with just firing stuff into orbit we could have a nice big orbiting factory by now...its what happens when government is involved...a mess...

Also, NASA was spawned via ARPA as a result of Eisenhower's pitching a fit that Russia made it into space first...the big priority was to do a "one up" on "those commie bastards"...the good thing is that ARPA also invented the precursor to the Internet...X.25 packet switching which was designed to be a survivable network in case of nuclear attack...for those of you unaware the Internet wasnt actually invented...it evolved from existing infrastructure mainly at universities and government (ARPANET)...most of the early protocols were actually designed by smart users who submitted them to a central group that "implemented" them as standards if appropriate...anyone remember the first RFCs...anyone ever submit one...I bet Al Gore never did...

[chfaunce]

That is why space elevators and such are wonderful ideas. They allow you to use high efficiency transportation (although slower) to get to the station.

Yeah, but it'd ruin your day getting stuck in one of those things, wouldn't it?

The real solution is easy. The next UFO that comes to check us out, we lure it over Compton, Detroit, or perhaps Jersey. Inevitably, it'll be jacked. Too bad for ET. As a 'handling fee', we let the perp keep the rims (ok, maybe the nav system) and we take the rest. Now, just look at all the R&D money we just saved! USA! USA! USA!

[TheGodfather]