Decades ago, didn't you envision NASA would be further along in its space program by now?

Question

Like we'd have cities on the moon by now, for example.

Answer 1

Since I can relate to the decades bit and I am a huge fan of all things NASA, I can only imagine that as public interest faded, post Apollo missions, a lot of that technology had been put on dusty shelves.

We need a goal for space exploration to tweak the scattered and attention deficit interests of the public. A mission to Mars may not be the tweaker. Should we set our sights on mining for new fuel sources then maybe a new generation of explorers emerge. But we will need more than NASA and other countries space programs. We need private enterprise.

Answer 2

Maybe not cities, but at least permanent outposts on the Moon.

Unfortunately, the space program has been gutted time after time, or forced down dead ends by politicians and special interests. In the process, they sacrificed the enormous economic benefits that we would already be realizing from space manufacturing. The refusal to commit the funds to produce reliable spacecraft killed private sector plans in the 1980s to start space-based manufacturing. Now it's 20 years later and still nothing.

Not to mention that there is a new space race on--to develop that low cost spa craft technology and orbital manufacturing capacity.  We are falling so far behind that NASA isnow forced to negotiate with Japan to buy launch rockets to supply the Space Station after the Shuttles retire.

How pathetic is that?

Answer 3

Google/youtube: "Dark Mission"

Answer 4

Maybe not 'cities' on the moon, but certainly a research facility.  But...people don't really care about funding for science...they'd rather have thier tax dollars go toward building sports stadiums and other nonsense.

Answer 5

I was hoping we would be as far along as what was portrayed in 2001 A Space Odyssey.  At least I thought we would have had a space station with its own artificial gravity (Hey!  The ISS is a great accomplishment...guess I wanted more).  I was a member of the L5 Society and thought back then we would have mass drivers stationed on the moon and huge space habitats spinning in space and solar power satellites beaming energy to Earth by this time.  Seems we are still quite a ways from that.

From the books by C. J. Cherryh....I would have wished we would have at least launched our first interstellar probe; Voyagers 1 & 2 count, but I am thinking something along the lines of the first mission which purpose is to visit Alpha Centauri.  I would still be at the age to see colonist heading out to the Hinder Stars and maybe even Pell (Tau Ceti).

Shoot, not even a Moonbase Alpha yet.

Guess I will have to settle to having my ashes scattered light stardust.

Answer 6

If NASA had been funded the way it was in the 1960s, it would be further along. But after we won the Cold-War race to the moon, NASA funding, and ambitions, were gutted.  

Answer 7

Yes, I did. NASA has been used as a tool for political grandstanding, especially during the Cold War with the Soviet Union, and as a result NASA's achievements, while spectacular, were standalone deals that didn't prep for greater achievements in the future. Poor judgment and bad administrative habits have abounded, such as NASA's failure to put every single one of the shuttle's main external tanks into orbit--something that could have been done for just a little extra cost in rocket fuel, and which would have saved billions of dollars in the long run. In other words, NASA administrators and their political bosses have been very penny wise but pound foolish, and they've been working their projects piecemeal, without a grand plan in which each success would eased the way for the more ambitious projects that could have come later.

Answer 8

no i am a nasa agent i should no

Answer 9

Since the '60s, NASA's budget has been cut.  Should NASA have continued getting the same amount of money, we would certainly be farther along.

NASA has not stopped operating though.  They are soon sending up a space telescope called the James Webb telescope to replace the Hubble telescope, and it's supposed to be much, much better.

Here's a link to an article discussing the James Webb telescope:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6645...

NASA also plans to send a space mission to Mars.  There should be men on Mars, similar to how we sent men to the moon.

Hope this helped.  

Answer 10

40 years ago I thought we might, but then I came to realize how our government works.  When the Apollo program was running back in the 1960s, President Johnson made sure every state and congressional district got some of the work (well, nearly every congressional district), so it was partly pork barrel politics, that kept support up for the program.

These days we'd rather have spent our money on other things, like bridges that go nowhere!

Answer 11

Yes, unfortunately, the benefits of space program is something we take for granted. Global communications, weather prediction, MRIs, microchips, even smoke detectors. The list goes on and on. They all directly or indirectly came about due to the space program and affect almost every part of our lives.

It really irks me when I see opinion pages or blogs complaining about the 'huge' cost of space exploration. The entire NASA budget is less than one half of one percent on all Federal spending. For the benefits we get out of it, I would say that it is one of the few areas where the government throws money at that it is well spent. To bad public opinion doesn't see it that way.

Having said that, the only way we will have cities on the Moon is when space is opened to privatization and people start making money. We have already seen the communications revolution brought about by privately own satellites. Imagine what would happen with competitive launch vehicles, power production and hotels in space!

Answer 12

In the 1970s, following the success of Apollo and the announcement of the space shuttle, I had great expectations for NASA and for the future of manned space exploration.  Yes, I thought we'd be farther along than we are.

Now after having worked in engineering for quite a number of years, I realize that we're in a period of sort of catching up to ourselves.  Landing on the Moon was a triumph, but accomplished essentially by the skin of our teeth and not by techniques that will necessarily work for us in the long run.

It's harder to have vision these days.  It's even harder since the general public seems less excited about it.  But there is a point in the climb, after which you obtain a toehold, where you work to strengthen your grip -- during which you don't ascend much.  I feel that's where we are now.

Answer 13

Absolutely "yes" but like everyone else in this world it does what its told & consequently the space program was altered by who ever is in "control" !