What is Digg?46 Comments
- sockpuppets, on 04/16/2008, -2/+16I always wonder why these things aren't infinitely funded anyway. Isn't most of the expense building the hardware and putting it in orbit? Why not just do the science until the hardware fails?
- fakekevinrose, on 04/16/2008, -0/+10These international collaborations on various space exploration projects fill me with optimism for the human race.
- eliztown, on 04/16/2008, -2/+10go nasa!! hope it stays funded!
- Gameflyer, on 04/16/2008, -0/+6Anyone else look at the title and wonder 'what the hell is nasa'? The acronym doesn't look right if you don't capitalize it, NASA.
- pak314, on 04/16/2008, -0/+6In most big organizations, everything has to be budgeted otherwise expenses will go out of control. Not to say that our government still manages to overspend every year.
- culbeda, on 04/16/2008, -0/+4Nasa? I think he helped me with a Microsoft support ticket. Of course, he said his name was "Josh".
- BossKey, on 04/16/2008, -0/+4That's like saying that Spain should not have funded the Columbus expeditions until they had cleaned up their various economic, social, and geopolitical issues.
Yet if you are an American of European descent, YOU can only live where you do because a government funded exploration as a core part of the national budget. Otherwise, you might still be living where your ancestors did. - Zihuatanejo, on 04/16/2008, -6/+9Why are we citing to a British source on a story about NASA? Probably because all the American journalists are concentrating on Britney Spears' latest fender bender.
- edwartica, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3This is my biggest hopes for the international space station. That cooperating in space will cause cooperation on earth.
- dartmanx, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3If you were to totally shut down NASA and various other agencies you consider "unnecessary", taxes would not be reduced (that doesn't happen, Congress just sees more being added to the trough and we end up with the " Institute of ".
Everyone would just happen to "forget" to send that money to the troops, or to allocate it to New Orleans, or the NIH, etc. Again, you're talking the "Senator So-And-So Institute of Whatever".
So rather than spend the money on that institute, I'd rather know about the universe around me. There will always be something else to spend the money on, but we'd be kicking ourselves if all we knew about the solar system was that Saturn has rings, and the sun is hot. - bravo1995, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2Buried for lack of vision and historical context.
Space exploration is one of the things we can't afford NOT to do. - techweenie1, on 04/16/2008, -3/+5or how Obama is really the 2nd Comming of Christ...oh wait that's digg too...nevermind, by the way all the ***** who complained about Ron Paul attention here can suck my big fat balls.
- UmpUmp, on 04/16/2008, -1/+3"Extend"? "Probe"?...oh man..i cant.
- BossKey, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2You have X number of people and X dollars. If you're going to support future missions, you typically have three choices:
1. Roll your best minds off of stable projects that are well past their main objectives, and put those people on the latest, greatest projects that are reaching their peak now.
2. Make those same people work a whole lot more hours.
3. Expand your budget and personnel to match the infinite, endless funding you desire. (Oh wait...that means infinite budget and personnel!)
Option 1 is the most realistic, most of the time. - mahdaeng, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2Dugg for importance, not for relevance.
- BossKey, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2I was going to add this but editing time expired...you have to remember that your ancestors decided that wherever they were living sucked enough that they were motivated to leave for America. Without exploration, your ancestors would have had significantly fewer options. In some cases it might mean that they would be persecuted or killed before reaching your generation. This is one reason societies value exploration. It preserves our options, whether that has to do with national resources, technological superiority...or your personal freedom.
- Subliminational, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2I sympathize with that statement, but I feel that this is one of the few things we should spend tax money on. Many other gov't programs I say we cut. Space exploration is one of those things that to me transcends national boundaries. Or maybe I just think its neat.
- novenator, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2The Cassini mission has been a huge success. From the discovery of H2O geysers on encaladus fueling Saturns outer rings, to the Huygens probe parachuting down and sending images of the largest moon in our solar system Titan, to learning about dynamic weather systems on the Jovian giant, this entire mission has been stupendous. Congrats on the mission extension!
- mizarone, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2But they are just laser beams. Look, I can walk through them!
- CaptainCool53, on 04/19/2008, -0/+1That's a pretty grim statement. I believe that as humans we can pull together and figure out how to do what we've already done for hundreds of thousands of years -- live on this planet without devouring it.
Nothing is going to change if, somehow, we find another planet to live on. We'll destroy it just like we're destroying this one. We'll only have gained some time. I'd prefer to move the focus to preserving this planet. Less death and destruction that way. - heystoopid, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1So the down under Oz research scientists low cost fixes and extensive simple upgrades for NASA's old deep space network aerials are working at better then 110% efficiencies then the previously installed noisy and costly over priced US built equivalents !
- inactive, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Yup. Spending on a warrantless conflict is so much worth it over new discoveries - so says the government.
- edwartica, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1worst pun ever!
- CaptainCool53, on 04/19/2008, -0/+1I'm all for exploration, but I don't buy the mass exodus from Earth theory. We've got a planet already. Maybe if we channeled more of NASA's resources toward cleaning this one up, we wouldn't need to go searching for others to live on. As I said, I'm all for exploration, but the government cannot afford this. Open it up to the free market and it'll have gained a supporter in me.
- guymac, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1I firmly salute NASA's probe extension. Any more extensions to run up the flag pole?
- dagnome1984, on 04/16/2008, -6/+7I think we diggers can help this man out http://digg.com/world_news/Mentally_disabled_man_h ...
Some nasty woman took advantage of a mentally handicap man, and now the Texas community has setup up a fund to get him his retirement money back. - CaptainCool53, on 04/19/2008, -0/+1"transcends national boundaries." I agree with you there. Space exploration can bring nations together in the pursuit of knowledge. But I see that as all the more reason to open it up to the free market. To me, the true representation of a country is its citizens. Citizens from every country uniting with the common goal of space travel is much more valuable than governments colluding.
- CaptainCool53, on 04/19/2008, -0/+1I'm sure that if the US government monopoly on space travel were to be lifted, many industries would move in and produce even greater results.
My vision is one that empowers people to determine their own future. I'm choosing to stick with Earth. Others (possibly Richard Branson) would continue space exploration. - Subliminational, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I wonder if it would work to give control of NASA's second hand probes and rovers to universities once they are done with them. Might get some good science out of it. I guess the problem is most universities don't have antennas that can talk to the things?
- Sludgehammer, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Except the liquid in the lakes, rain, rivers, and clouds are liquid hydrocarbons (ethane I think?) Also its pretty likely that the dunes and mountains are made from water ice. I Dunno what the volcanoes are erupting though. Oh, and theres no oxygen, and you'd freeze solid if you were on the surface.
- mikegem, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Excellent! Gives me something to think about beyond the current festering pool of crap that comprises current events.
- CaptainCool53, on 04/19/2008, -0/+1OK, then I support reducing NASA's budget AND redirecting that money toward more deserving causes.
- Niightwitch, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Space exploration is the future of our race.
- hplasm, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1Otherwise, you might still be living where your ancestors did.
- probably still up a tree or in a cave. - the3rdkey, on 04/18/2008, -1/+1I heard they will extend their reach to Uranus next.
- Hypnotoader, on 04/17/2008, -0/+0I'm gonna have the greenest lawn on Titan.
- UrlorJkron, on 04/16/2008, -2/+2Inaccurate, it's Ford Probe not Saturn silly.
- leerayIG88, on 04/16/2008, -2/+1oh no! Look out for Saturn's rings of death! *bbzzzzppp*
- dsoltesz, on 04/16/2008, -3/+1Buried for soooo many reasons I can't choose just one - inaccuracies, duplicate story (this is like the fourth or fifth digg on this topic), not linking to original press release, linking to a poorly written article, etc. The following digg was probably the earliest, most accurate (i.e., linked to the NASA press release and correctly typed the acronym for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and regurgitated the more interesting text from the linked article:
http://digg.com/space/NASA_Extends_Cassini_s_Grand ... - lordewoks, on 04/16/2008, -4/+1"Cassini's observations of the moon from space have revealed Earth-like features such as lakes, rivers, channels, dunes, rain, snow, clouds, mountains and possibly volcanoes." Sweet, now we have yet another place to plan on colonizing :)
- CaptainCool53, on 04/16/2008, -6/+1It's a waste of money. Space exploration is a luxury our government cannot afford. Maybe when we stop sending troops to battle without adequate body armor, when New Orleans is fully rebuilt, when stem cells are able to cure diseases, and when 20 some-odd percent of my income isn't going to the federal government, I'll be able to support NASA's space adventures, but until then, it's a waste of money.
- inactive, on 04/16/2008, -10/+1Probe this NASA!
- plarp, on 04/16/2008, -15/+1man i was hoping they wore extending it to uranus
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