A Space & astronomy forum. SpaceBanter.com

Go Back   Home » SpaceBanter.com forum » Astronomy and Astrophysics » Amateur Astronomy
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

NASA is robbing the Russians blind



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old April 25th 18, 11:44 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Quadibloc
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 7,018
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

A Verge article about delays in the publication of installments of _A
Song of Ice and Fire_ says Russia charges $80 million per astronaut
ferried to the Space Station.

While there are good reasons for the U.S. to have its own manned
spaceflight capability, if money were the only consideration, that is
immensely cheaper than actually having a space program.
  #2  
Old April 26th 18, 06:47 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris.B[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,001
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

On Thursday, 26 April 2018 00:44:07 UTC+2, Quadibloc wrote:
A Verge article about delays in the publication of installments of _A
Song of Ice and Fire_ says Russia charges $80 million per astronaut
ferried to the Space Station.

While there are good reasons for the U.S. to have its own manned
spaceflight capability, if money were the only consideration, that is
immensely cheaper than actually having a space program.


But at what cost? You provide increased wealth to a corrupt and authoritarian despot with known human rights abuses and who thrives on propaganda.

You fail to educate your scientists in the steadily advancing arts of rocketry. You are subject to their timetable and their industrial and scientific espionage.

Upside? They have to buy their own $0.25 million dollar screwdrivers.
  #3  
Old April 27th 18, 04:10 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
RichA[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,076
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

On Thursday, 26 April 2018 13:47:41 UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Thursday, 26 April 2018 00:44:07 UTC+2, Quadibloc wrote:
A Verge article about delays in the publication of installments of _A
Song of Ice and Fire_ says Russia charges $80 million per astronaut
ferried to the Space Station.

While there are good reasons for the U.S. to have its own manned
spaceflight capability, if money were the only consideration, that is
immensely cheaper than actually having a space program.


But at what cost? You provide increased wealth to a corrupt and authoritarian despot with known human rights abuses and who thrives on propaganda.

You fail to educate your scientists in the steadily advancing arts of rocketry. You are subject to their timetable and their industrial and scientific espionage.

Upside? They have to buy their own $0.25 million dollar screwdrivers.


Take the Chinese rare-earth industry. 95% of the world's supply controlled by them. Some of them strategic metals. Thankfully, the Chinese would sell their own mothers for a buck so there is still a steady supply, for a price. But that could change.
  #4  
Old April 27th 18, 05:34 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Quadibloc
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 7,018
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

Since rare-earth ores are as common as dirt, the Chinese monopoly is an
artifact of their willingness to refine them cheaper than anyone else,
so it's less serious than the news stories imply.
  #5  
Old April 27th 18, 06:48 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris.B[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,001
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

On Friday, 27 April 2018 18:35:00 UTC+2, Quadibloc wrote:
Since rare-earth ores are as common as dirt, the Chinese monopoly is an
artifact of their willingness to refine them cheaper than anyone else,
so it's less serious than the news stories imply.


How true! I found a rich seam of Unobtainium in my back yard, only today.
  #6  
Old April 28th 18, 01:45 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
RichA[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,076
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

On Friday, 27 April 2018 12:35:00 UTC-4, Quadibloc wrote:
Since rare-earth ores are as common as dirt, the Chinese monopoly is an
artifact of their willingness to refine them cheaper than anyone else,
so it's less serious than the news stories imply.


Yes, so common the U.S. moth-balled their mines in the 1960's. Lets just say the Chinese mines are to rare-earths what Shinkolobwe was to uranium.
  #7  
Old April 28th 18, 07:25 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris.B[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,001
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

On Saturday, 28 April 2018 02:45:11 UTC+2, RichA wrote:
On Friday, 27 April 2018 12:35:00 UTC-4, Quadibloc wrote:
Since rare-earth ores are as common as dirt, the Chinese monopoly is an
artifact of their willingness to refine them cheaper than anyone else,
so it's less serious than the news stories imply.


Yes, so common the U.S. moth-balled their mines in the 1960's. Lets just say the Chinese mines are to rare-earths what Shinkolobwe was to uranium.


The perceived dangers of mining are measured by a nation's leader's respect for basic human rights. Personal profit over worker's survival usually wins. All it takes is to mentally dehumanize the workers to slave status. Slavery by proxy is as common and unforgivable as scrambling over burnt and crippled bodies to snatch the loot with our own blood-stained hands.

Our obscene Western wealth is largely built on slavery. It continues to this very day as we grasp our new toys and labelled clothing in our brightly lit stores. As soon as China's child and slave-made products become too expensive for our tastes then Africa becomes the next Uranium boom economy.

Economic invasion and suppression is as old as history but without risk to our own [usually disposable] cannon fodder. No headlines of more losses to disturb the Pavlov election process. Nobody remembers the names of the foreign factory workers who died chained to their benches while stitching designer labels. If it occurred nearer home, in a conflict, it would be called a massacre.

Prestigious European building projects are routinely built with slave labour. Western children are routinely cared for and supervised by slaves. Smart Western homes and smart hotels are routinely cleaned by slaves. It just shows how we value our own safety and that of our [precious] children. Have you had your own children's, slave made toys checked for toxins?

In a time of acute vulnerability to online crime all it takes is for the lowest common denominator to open an email. The weakest link in any economic chain is the lowly slave which nobody ever values. Save a dollar on wages. Lose a vast empire overnight to ransomware.
  #8  
Old April 28th 18, 05:04 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
RichA[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,076
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

On Saturday, 28 April 2018 02:26:00 UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Saturday, 28 April 2018 02:45:11 UTC+2, RichA wrote:
On Friday, 27 April 2018 12:35:00 UTC-4, Quadibloc wrote:
Since rare-earth ores are as common as dirt, the Chinese monopoly is an
artifact of their willingness to refine them cheaper than anyone else,
so it's less serious than the news stories imply.


Yes, so common the U.S. moth-balled their mines in the 1960's. Lets just say the Chinese mines are to rare-earths what Shinkolobwe was to uranium..


The perceived dangers of mining are measured by a nation's leader's respect for basic human rights. Personal profit over worker's survival usually wins. All it takes is to mentally dehumanize the workers to slave status. Slavery by proxy is as common and unforgivable as scrambling over burnt and crippled bodies to snatch the loot with our own blood-stained hands.


Time to get rid of your smartphone, you flat-screen TV, any hard drives you have, none of which can exist without rare-earths.
  #9  
Old April 29th 18, 07:07 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris.B[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,001
Default NASA is robbing the Russians blind

On Saturday, 28 April 2018 18:04:47 UTC+2, RichA wrote:

Time to get rid of your smartphone, you flat-screen TV, any hard drives you have, none of which can exist without rare-earths.


My equipment is quite modest and kept in use for years until it dies.
By that token any blood or tears spilled by slaves is diluted.
I also drink [organic, Fair Trade] tea but water that down to dilute other's guilt for drinking slave-picked tea.
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Has NASA's MESSENGER gone color blind? BradGuth Policy 56 February 5th 08 06:32 AM
Has NASA's MESSENGER gone color blind? BradGuth History 62 February 5th 08 06:32 AM
GLOBAL WARMING DRAMA or THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND Av Gel Astronomy Misc 1 January 22nd 08 07:25 PM
Nasa invites Russians to the moon.. Ray Vingnutte Misc 0 July 18th 05 08:57 PM
It's robbing me blind! Martin R. Howell Amateur Astronomy 3 March 10th 04 01:15 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SpaceBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.