DailyDirt: Putting People In Space Again

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Mon, Dec 21st 2015 5:00pm — Michael Ho

The goal of launching people into space is difficult to really justify. Robots can do just about all of the same tasks a human astronaut can, and if robots can't, maybe we should work on building better robots. Still, manned missions to explore space are a really long term project that could lead to lunar space stations -- or small colonies on the moon or Mars. And if we ever want to expand beyond the Earth, we'll have to figure out how to travel in space for more than a few days at a time without the Earth's protection.

NASA could get a significant funding boost for 2016 -- $19.3 billion to accelerate its efforts to get astronauts into space, along all the other things NASA does. NASA will still need to rely on Soyuz missions to get astronauts to the ISS for a few more years, but with a bigger budget, NASA could keep its Orion crew capsule on schedule for 2021. [url]
Do you have the "right stuff" to be an astronaut for NASA? The government is accepting applications now, but if you're not a test pilot of some kind, you're going to need to have some serious science skills (and not be too tall/short or unfit). [url]
Space suits are getting re-designed to walk in space and on Mars. The prototype suits are still bulky and protective, but they're probably a bit more comfortable on the inside for longer excursions. [url]
In the 1960s, being an astronaut had a bit more propaganda surrounding the job. The sheen has worn off over the years, but it's still a noble profession. People are literally risking their lives to learn a bit more about space and how to live in it, and hopefully, we won't be watching dramatic reality shows featuring astronauts any time soon. [url]

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Filed Under: astronaut, international space station, iss, manned missions, orion capsule, space, space exploration, space suit
Companies: nasa

5 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 21 Dec 2015 @ 6:11pm

Suits
I would want the spun carbon nanotube fibers that Rice University has figured out how to produce. You would have a much stronger material that weighs less and allows you to push multiple atmospheres of pressure through tubes of it as well. Of course I would also insist on wireless tongue input if I had to spend hours per day in something like that.
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 21 Dec 2015 @ 6:22pm

Space X Success
Space X stuck the landing for their first stage today, despite doing a more complicated "boostback" maneuver to land yards from the launch site.
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Glenn, 21 Dec 2015 @ 9:09pm

I can think of a lot of people for whom "spacing" would be appropriate.
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Lawrence D’Oliveiro, 21 Dec 2015 @ 9:40pm

In Related News ...
... New Zealand will also be getting a spaceport.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2015 @ 10:31am

There is no scientific need to have humans in space. Much more research has been done in unmanned craft, humans in space are just a sideshow to get people interested in space exploration so NASA can get funding.
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