Time to Reconsider the Entire Purpose of Nasa

Ground the Shuttle forever!


As of now the 'Nasa Dream', as envisioned by our
elected leaders, is a grand plan for colonizing Mars.

I would say most people would agree that such a vision is
well...nice. It'd be 'neat and all' they'd say.
But this lofty goal doesn't show the public much
tangible return for the enormous time and effort.
So it doesn't inspire and move the American people
since the idea is limited only to pure exploration, and
not balanced with real world needs.

I suggest an entirely different vision for Nasa.

The greatest threats to humanity in this century is energy, pollution
and climate change. Dependence on fossil fuels is the
elephant in the room.

Space Solar Power
http://spacesolarpower.nasa.gov/

But if the 'dream' were instead to turn America into the next
'Saudi Arabia' for the rest of this century, the public
would be galvanized. As such a goal would provide
clear benefits, it would be certain to immediately 'dazzle the eye'
of almost everyone. And this goal would be balanced with hope
and discovery as unlimited energy would dramatically
improve billions of lives, most yet to be born.

Nasa needs a reliable transportation system.

Nasa needs a large platform in space
..
Nasa needs to be able to build large structures in space.

So that solar power could ...RAIN DOWN...
from the sky as our tv signals do now.

Everything else Nasa does...everything... must be
considered a luxury only afforded after our future
has been secured. Colonizing Mars does NOT
secure our future. Even a child could tell you so.

I'd be content if this is the last shuttle flight so that
a replacement would become urgent. And so Nasa
has the time to think about something other than
....loose ground wires....


Jonathan


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