PromoTheRobot Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 http://www1.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I love it! I love it! If this isn't exciting, I don't know what is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomerjamhead Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I still laugh at all of the whackos that protested the Cassini launch. Fools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 http://www1.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ PTR 205369[/snapback] It may look like "scientists milling about" to the lay person...but in the scientific world, that's called "research". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Just a question, because I really don't know, but isn't there a better way we could be spending $3.3 billion? I mean, what would have happened if it hadn't worked or hadnt gone to plan? And even now that it has, are we going to gain "$3.3 Billion in new knowledge" that will be usable even in the next 100 years? Seriously, some of you seem excited, and I don't know much about this (except for a couple articles) and was wondering about it. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Just a question, because I really don't know, but isn't there a better way we could be spending $3.3 billion? I mean, what would have happened if it hadn't worked or hadnt gone to plan? And even now that it has, are we going to gain "$3.3 Billion in new knowledge" that will be usable even in the next 100 years? Seriously, some of you seem excited, and I don't know much about this (except for a couple articles) and was wondering about it. Thanks. 205433[/snapback] NASA has given a ton back to humanity. Using a keybpard? Thank NASA for plastics. Know anyone with a pacemaker? Thank NASA. Smoke detector ever saved your house? Thank NASA. Using a computer? Thank NASA (for miniturization). I just did a quick search and found this: http://www.stars4space.org/Benefits.html So while landing on Titan probably won't directly affect your life any, the research that was done GETTING us to Titan will (and probably has). CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadCap Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Not only that, but it may shed a bit more light on the origins of life on Earth. Scientists have long theorized that Titan is very similar to the early Earth, and there is evidence that there are complex amino acids in its atmosphere. There is no question that this mission is worth it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadCap Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I still laugh at all of the whackos that protested the Cassini launch. Fools. 205401[/snapback] OMG, now I remember that. Don't they realize that not only has it been done many times before, but it's not a bomb? Oh wait, they could crash it into Jupiter and the resulting atomic explosion could ignite it into a second star, erradicating all life on Earth. I think I read some such nonsense somewhere.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 OMG, now I remember that. Don't they realize that not only has it been done many times before, but it's not a bomb? Oh wait, they could crash it into Jupiter and the resulting atomic explosion could ignite it into a second star, erradicating all life on Earth. I think I read some such nonsense somewhere.... 205526[/snapback] Freaky... You're the second person I've heard today mention that Jupiter could become a star. I've got a friend who works for NASA, and she asked me two questions: 1) What are comets made of 2) Can Jupiter become the second sun in our solar system She then said, "Mail me back after you stop laughing." I answered them, and then she told me that someone just told her comets are made of rocks and that Jupiter will become a sun for some reason... And everyone with her agreed. Luckily none of these people were also in NASA (otherwise I might agree with Steve's "overfunded" comment). She was dumbfounded. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin in Va Beach Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 NASA has given a ton back to humanity. Using a keybpard? Thank NASA for plastics. Know anyone with a pacemaker? Thank NASA. Smoke detector ever saved your house? Thank NASA. Using a computer? Thank NASA (for miniturization). I just did a quick search and found this: http://www.stars4space.org/Benefits.html So while landing on Titan probably won't directly affect your life any, the research that was done GETTING us to Titan will (and probably has). CW 205486[/snapback] Not only physical contributions, but I believe man as a species must explore or risk stagnation. Today's culture is a perfect example of what happens when mankind is not aspriring to greatness but rather contents itself with mediocrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin in Va Beach Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Freaky... You're the second person I've heard today mention that Jupiter could become a star. I've got a friend who works for NASA, and she asked me two questions: 1) What are comets made of 2) Can Jupiter become the second sun in our solar system She then said, "Mail me back after you stop laughing." I answered them, and then she told me that someone just told her comets are made of rocks and that Jupiter will become a sun for some reason... And everyone with her agreed. Luckily none of these people were also in NASA (otherwise I might agree with Steve's "overfunded" comment). She was dumbfounded. CW 205534[/snapback] Sounds like they took '2010' way too seriously... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 14, 2005 Author Share Posted January 14, 2005 Just a question, because I really don't know, but isn't there a better way we could be spending $3.3 billion? I mean, what would have happened if it hadn't worked or hadnt gone to plan? And even now that it has, are we going to gain "$3.3 Billion in new knowledge" that will be usable even in the next 100 years? Seriously, some of you seem excited, and I don't know much about this (except for a couple articles) and was wondering about it. Thanks. 205433[/snapback] Most of the devices you use every day are the direct result of the space program, so there is payoff in the end. It's a better investment than most our government makes. (FYI...the Europeans split the bill with us on this one.) PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 14, 2005 Author Share Posted January 14, 2005 OMG, now I remember that. Don't they realize that not only has it been done many times before, but it's not a bomb? Oh wait, they could crash it into Jupiter and the resulting atomic explosion could ignite it into a second star, erradicating all life on Earth. I think I read some such nonsense somewhere.... 205526[/snapback] It seems that most Jovian planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus, are like failed suns. But don't worry. The reason they failed is they lack mass. It's not like you drop a match on them, and they light up like a charcoal briquet! Judging by the extra-solar planet survey being done, it looks like such planets are extremely common. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 14, 2005 Author Share Posted January 14, 2005 ALERT!!! First pictures and data to be released at 2:45pm ET. Tune into NASA TV stream (link at top of this thread) to see it! PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomerjamhead Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I thought the equatorial ridge they found on Iapetus was a pretty cool find. Ridge shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadCap Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 It seems that most Jovian planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus, are like failed suns. But don't worry. The reason they failed is they lack mass. It's not like you drop a match on them, and they light up like a charcoal briquet! Judging by the extra-solar planet survey being done, it looks like such planets are extremely common. PTR 205552[/snapback] HAHAHA! A briquet indeed! In fact, this would not have been a binary system even if all the planets were combined, simply not enough mass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ1 Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Just a question, because I really don't know, but isn't there a better way we could be spending $3.3 billion? I mean, what would have happened if it hadn't worked or hadnt gone to plan? And even now that it has, are we going to gain "$3.3 Billion in new knowledge" that will be usable even in the next 100 years? Seriously, some of you seem excited, and I don't know much about this (except for a couple articles) and was wondering about it. Thanks. 205433[/snapback] [/quote Depends on what you mean by 'better' If a society ALWAYS chose to not spend resources on what could be called pure scientific research, that society would likely still be living in mudhuts. On a micro level, the purchase of a backyard telescope cannot be related to productivity. Presumeably one chooses discretionary spending on a well thought out basis. Increasing one's knowledge of the universe is its own reward for some. So it is with the collective choices of governments; what one budgets for pure research is question of choices. Does zeroing out one portion of the federal budget make sense because one can argue that it's resources can be better spent elsewhere? Maybe, but in a democracy the majority has already decideed the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomerjamhead Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 HAHAHA! A briquet indeed! In fact, this would not have been a binary system even if all the planets were combined, simply not enough mass. 205558[/snapback] This was a bad ass find too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB27 Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Freaky... You're the second person I've heard today mention that Jupiter could become a star. I've got a friend who works for NASA, and she asked me two questions: 1) What are comets made of 2) Can Jupiter become the second sun in our solar system She then said, "Mail me back after you stop laughing." I answered them, and then she told me that someone just told her comets are made of rocks and that Jupiter will become a sun for some reason... And everyone with her agreed. Luckily none of these people were also in NASA (otherwise I might agree with Steve's "overfunded" comment). She was dumbfounded. CW 205534[/snapback] Many scientists theorize that Jupiter is made up of the elements that created our sun. Jupiter is extremely large, and has the Mass many times that of earth. Theory's state that Jupiter was made up of all the things of the sun, but never reached the critical mass necessary to produce fusion. If you look out into space, most solar systems are two star systems. Would be different living in a world with two suns. Interestingly, the fact that are solar system has only one star may be the very reason that we exist. A second sun in our solar system would probably have ruined our planet for life....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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