My personal reason for thinking the reign of the USA is over. From a Canadian.

Robotics Offer Newfound Surgical Capabilities

In-Line Filtration Improves Hygiene and Reduces Expense

LED Device Illuminates New Path to Healing

Polymer Coats Leads on Implantable Medical Device

Lockable Knee Brace Speeds Rehabilitation

Robotic Joints Support Horses and Humans

Photorefraction Screens Millions for Vision Disorders

Periodontal Probe Improves Exams, Alleviates Pain

Magnetic Separator Enhances Treatment Possibilities

Transportation

Lithium Battery Power Delivers Electric Vehicles to Market

Advanced Control System Increases Helicopter Safety

Aerodynamics Research Revolutionizes Truck Design

Engineering Models Ease and Speed Prototyping

Software Performs Complex Design Analysis

Public Safety

Space Suit Technologies Protect Deep-Sea Divers

Fiber Optic Sensing Monitors Strain and Reduces Costs

Polymer Fabric Protects Firefighters, Military, and Civilians

Advanced X-Ray Sources Ensure Safe Environments

Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Wireless Fluid-Level Measurement System Equips Boat Owners

Mars Cameras Make Panoramic Photography a Snap

Experiments Advance Gardening at Home and in Space

Space Age Swimsuit Reduces Drag, Breaks Records

Immersive Photography Renders 360° Views

Historic Partnership Captures Our Imagination

Outboard Motor Maximizes Power and Dependability

Space Research Fortifies Nutrition Worldwide

Aerogels Insulate Missions and Consumer Products

Environmental and Agricultural Resources

Computer Model Locates Environmental Hazards

Battery Technology Stores Clean Energy

Robots Explore the Farthest Reaches of Earth and Space

Portable Nanomesh Creates Safer Drinking Water

Innovative Stemless Valve Eliminates Emissions

Web-Based Mapping Puts the World at Your Fingertips

Program Assists Satellite Designers

Water-Based Coating Simplifies Circuit Board Manufacturing

Software Schedules Missions, Aids Project Management

Software Analyzes Complex Systems in Real Time

Wireless Sensor Network Handles Image Data

Virtual Reality System Offers a Wide Perspective

Software Simulates Sight: Flat Panel Mura Detection

Inductive System Monitors Tasks

Mars Mapping Technology Brings Main Street to Life

Intelligent Memory Module Overcomes Harsh Environments

Integrated Circuit Chip Improves Network Efficiency

Industrial Productivity

Novel Process Revolutionizes Welding Industry

Sensors Increase Productivity in Harsh Environments

Portable Device Analyzes Rocks and Minerals

NASA Design Strengthens Welds

Polyimide Boosts High-Temperature Performance

NASA Innovation Builds Better Nanotubes

That's all a product of the space program^^^ can't really read it.

now youre getting butthurt over a joke? one that wasnt even mean? Damn, get off your high horse.

ITT: Science nerds that are fucked off because an insignificant component of an insignificant agency is being shut down.

God dammit fujarome I thought we were going to have a discussion

I hope to everything you're trolling

It's not cynical at all. I completley agree with this though. During the past there always has been a goal which helped progression. The whole Cold War era caused many changes with technology advancements, social change etc. At the moment there is absolutley nothing that one strives for to achieve... excpet for money of course. Yay capitalism. I really do think that China may become the world's next superpower be it a good or bad thing.

I dont think it's that far off, the USA has no one to compete with anymore, however China has the US to compete with

sorry i had to go out drinking. I'm back now...


I'd actually like to go ahead and turn the op's point around on him. The fact that the government is no longer doing manned launches is a sign of progress. How? Because we've reached the point at which private companies and citizens are able to undertake space endeavours on their own. SpaceX and other companies are filling the void, and since they are companies (IE money is their prime concern) they will do it in a more efficient manner, with more direct goals, and better publicity. What other country in the world has reached the level where the government can say "you know what, our citizens and companies seem to have a pretty solid grasp on space travel by now. I think it's safe to leave the future to them."

NASA isn't dead, nor will it be, and it was never killed by vietnam or nixon or obama. It was killed by it's own lack of PR. We were walking on the goddamn moon, and nasa assumed no one cared after the first time. No tv, no press...ridiculous.




and claiming the russians are ahead of us in space is a bit nonsense. They use the soyuz rockets still. Same type as they used in 1967. We abandoned our (glorious, technologically unbelievable) Saturn V because we wanted to do more than just go into space. We wanted to bring shit up...move it around with an arm to build stuff(thanks canada) and even bring shit BACK to earth which was previously 100% impossible, and is once again.

I would argue that private sector will not and cannot fill the void. There is not enough demand in the private sector for space exploration so I cant see the bar being raised very far. Private companies are more interested in "space tourism", something which you can essentially do as of now(if you have deep enough pockets).

space tourism is a step to build finances. Just like suborbital flights are a way to build experience. Charge people a few million to go into orbit...then over time, a few billion to go to the moon.


Vietnam wasn't as big a killer as i think you're making it out to be. You have to keep in mind that the moon missions all occurred between 68 and 72. (moon mission doesn't necessarily mean landing on it.) Right in the thick of the war.

The problem was that people didn't see beyond the present. They were on the moon, and already had been, so why continue doing it when it cost billions per mission? Of course had they continued, the price would have gone down until we decided to make more progress. But nixon did not want kennedy's legacy to outdo his own, so von braun got moved to a desk, all his ideas were killed, and they stopped using his rocket.

And by the way, technically speaking, saturn v is the only rocket to have ever left earth orbit. Even soyuz is still LEO. It makes sense to keep using them, but it also impedes progress. Much as i personally disliked the program and think it was a waste, had we not moved on to shuttle from saturn, odds are we wouldn't have nearly as many satellites, and definitely no ISS.


oh and to those who say space technology is useless...guarantee that if you look in almost any car, there's a GPS in there. Maybe not a huge advancement...but that's just one small one. I could go in depth as to how even just a gps is a huge leap.

I do believe you are correct in the assumption that private sector space exploration is now hitting its own golden age but like stated previously, its not space research as its just mearly a means to generate income from space tourist. While this is a giant leap forward in the progression of cheap space flight, in the long run it will not accomplish a thing for the prolonged survival, frontier and terraform possibility of the human race. These low orbit privateer rockets and shuttles will harbor no data that is not currently collected from iss or land based labs. I think space tourism will be an amazing thing in the future, but it will surely have its growing pains as the mighty shuttle program did have its own share of growing pain.

I do not believe that NASA is dying or will die but in a more dubious sense I believe NASA will fade away in to no substantial spiritual boosts for humanity. I stand 100 percent behind NASA in the current age of landers and rocket based probes but I do not share the same ocular and kin connections with a rocket launched robot/lander/probe as I do with seeing brave men and women board discovery or enterprise.

The space exploration programs after closure have been tallied up to be grossly expensive and over budget ( i dont know the exact number but I believe the shuttle program adjusted for inflation has cost of roughly 200 billion dollars ) but also have done more to connect humanity at a primal level than anything previously in history. The unthinkable was done in a time of strife and worry. The entire world knows of the men of apollo 11 which is not the same shared fate of the 37 year old voyager which has surrendered much more useful knowledge of the solar system than the apollo missions grouped together.

I dont think the point of this thread is to argue the validity of the space exploration/ shuttle program but more over an unbiased personal observation of a subtle indication of a fail from grace for a nation. The United States will be fine in the long run and maybe perhaps one day will bring a new era of manned space flight, nevertheless its still a very sad time to anyone who is interested in the human condition and the exploration of the final frontiers. It turns out as a child you can no longer wish to be an astronaut.

Any space exploration conversation is a good chance to whore out Carl Sagan aswell, so for people who do not like to read... here you go.

a sad picture for a person who shares the same curiosity for our place in the cosmos as i do.

It was meant to be a joke, but if you're going to take it seriously ask yourself this: How did Americans get this piece of land they live on now? I'll give you a hint, it wasn't R&D.

He obviously wanted to contribute to the thread. Insert favorite facepalm here.

I've never seen a comparison of the money spent on military and NASA, but that circle graph is pretty crazy, what a waste!

The only thing I have to add here is that the space program was a HUGE driver for scientific research as a whole in our country- not just space-related matter. There's justified concerns over how the end of the space program will negatively impact the future of science in schools and as a topic of interest for future generations.

youre a fucking idiot. how did anyone get the land they now live on? they fucking took it from another tribe...whether it was 300 years ago or a couple thousand.

So now you have me curious, who was here before the native americans? Where did they come from?

In the 60's when kids were growing up they dreamed of being an astronaut, now they dream of making millions of dollars working for some business. It's sad.

or being on the jersey shore.

who needs to worry about space any way. the earth is what, 75% water and we haven't even conquered that yet.

they stole land from other tribes. and those tribes fought wars, and stole land from yet other tribes. So if youre gonna play that game, all of the natives living in N America when white folks arrived had no more right to it than the white folks.

My understanding is its only the shuttle program being stopped. I am pretty sure american astronauts are still going to go to space but not on our shuttles. Also they will spend the money on more probes to explore the deeper parts of the universe. Hopefully they will use it on R&D for a long distance shuttle for mars

I'll give you a hint, stop spewing pseudo-intellectual bullshit in an attempt to seem clever. I was talking about technology, not land. Yes, everyone knows that we essentially stole this land from the Native Americans. I did not realize your original statement was a joke. I apologize. However, if you would like to start an all-out shitstorm, step at me bro.

i was gonna say exactly this

do you realize how many things we use in our everyday lives were developed by nasa or for space travel? waaay more than you would guess or even imagine.

if you ever get the chance to watch the modern marvels "it came from space", do it. it really shows how many things we use everyday were thought up and used for in the first place. before they became consumer products. fascinating really.

Bro they made it through the 30's give em ten years americans are stubbourn they'll pull through.

Hey 2nd or 3rd isn't so bad.  China can deal with the middle east and all of its fucking problems.  Plus if we don't have to play international policeman then we don't need such a huge defense budget. Pay off our debt. Redo our 40+ year old infrastructure. And Eventually we can retake that number one spot if we want.  Sounds spectacular to me. 

Oh dear christ...

US will not go out without a fight. I can see a war between china and u.s soon. Or at least a video game about it.

I dont see that happening at all right now...

That what it is at the moment. Wait maybe five years and more and more of China's production will stay in China as more and more people there can afford to buy stuff. China's rise is far from finished.

I have a feeling that theyre gonna grow too big for their shit, and then companies here are going to start sending their jobs to even poorer countries. just watch lol.