Successful Landing on Mars!

[xFenrir]

I understand what some of the people here are trying to say. While we SPECULATE that Mars can/has supported life at one time, we KNOW that Earth can. It's a fact. So really, a LOT more effort should be expended using NASA's amazing accomplishments to fix what we KNOW we'll be able to live on, rather than keep exploring a hypothetical "what if we could" with Mars.

Then again, it's amazing that they're trying to understand our universe more. I'm sure it will benefit us somehow, I just wish people would be more interested in our OWN planet more. I mean, think of how much of the ocean is unexplored! Every time they do a deep dive, they discover something new. Or in the jungles. I personally find it more fascinating to see what lurks in the unknowns of our own planet.

[Don]

This landing is the one of the greatest scientific achievements in my life time. Landing a man on the moon was a cake walk compared to this. The planet Mars is 33,926,867 miles away from earth when it is at its closest. At their farthest, Mars is 249,169,848 miles away. Think about those distances. Watch the video of how precise the science has to be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2I8A...eature=related BTW, the moon is only about 238,000 miles away from the earth.

The fact that we are even having this discussion is proof to me that our school systems have lost focus on science. We spent $46.7 Billion on the department of Education in 2010. Much more than NASA, and from the sound of this conversation a real waste of money.

Upset about Tang not being a NASA invention? Really? That makes you question the validity of the contributions of the US space program? Yes, those $10 sunglasses with UVB protection are a spin off of a NASA invention. What a great example of helping man. It has been proven that wearing UVB protection reduces the incidents of cataracts when one ages. NASA is saving the eyesight of millions of people world-wide with that invention and it doesn't even cost a lot of money. I hope you never get cataracts, but live long enough to understand how serious they can be for those who develop them.

NASA is one of the few US government agencies that has moved forward science that has helped people all over the world. The money spent on NASA has not been wasted and has not prevented the oceans or other regions on earth from being explored. We aren't starving people because of money spent on NASA. The food stamp budget in the US for 2012 was $144 Billion. NASA's budget is still a drop in the bucket compared to that.

[loonunit]

Whoa. So I just discovered that the Summer Olympics of 2012 cost $14.5 billion to put on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Su...pics#Financing

That's 6 times the cost of sending that rover to Mars!

I think we can all agree that while some people feel the Olympics are a waste of money, other people definitely do not. Therefore we have the Olympics.

It's the same way with Mars: Some people don't want to waste money on it, but plenty of Americans think it's important, and would gladly pay $20 or $50 more with their annual tax return to fund it.

Surely that's fair? There are plenty of things that my tax money gets spent on that I think are a waste, but someone else thinks is very, very important. And this is just 1/6th the price of the Olympics.

[Don]

Whoa. So I just discovered that the Summer Olympics of 2012 cost $14.5 billion to put on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Su...pics#Financing

That's 6 times the cost of sending that rover to Mars!

I think we can all agree that while some people feel the Olympics are a waste of money, other people definitely do not. Therefore we have the Olympics.

It's the same way with Mars: Some people don't want to waste money on it, but plenty of Americans think it's important, and would gladly pay $20 or $50 more with their annual tax return to fund it.

Surely that's fair? There are plenty of things that my tax money gets spent on that I think are a waste, but someone else thinks is very, very important. And this is just 1/6th the price of the Olympics.

Actually, the funding of the Summer Olympics are paid for with sponsor donors and private money. The US Olympic Committee raises private funds for the Olympics. So, that really isn't an apples to apples comparison. If the Olympics is a waste of money, then it is not US tax money that is being wasted.

Here is an article on how the US Olympic Athletes are funded: http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-e...0.9387018.html

[Raptor]

Actually, the funding of the Summer Olympics are paid for with sponsor donors and private money. The US Olympic Committee raises private funds for the Olympics. So, that really isn't an apples to apples comparison. If the Olympics is a waste of money, then it is not US tax money that is being wasted.

Here is an article on how the US Olympic Athletes are funded: http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-e...0.9387018.html

Yet the host countries/cities usually end up going broke after the Olympics.