[James]

This is going to be really interesting over Christmas.

It is only the fourth craft to investigate the surface of Mars, Pathfinder was the last in 1997 and it sent back amazing pictures.

http://www.beagle2.com/index.htm

[miss little glitzee]

as long as we beat the yanks

[Sticks]

How much does this cost ?

How does it feed the hungry

How does it help the poor

How can this be justified when we need spending on other more important priorities. I suppose if it were to crash and burn then no further money would be wasted on it

[bananarama]

How does it feed the hungry

Why pick on space research as a wast of money. At least it provides employment and technical spin offs from research done.

Why not get angry over the money wasted on. Sport,fags,booze,high on drugs,even pets and pet food,cosmetics,films,TV shows. the list is endless.

We all wast money that could be spent on the hungry. The fact is if all of the money saved on all of the above were to be given to poor countries it would only finish up in the hands of war mongers and corrupt polititions and the hungry would still be hungry.

If we all chose not to fritter money on none essentials we coud have a health service to be really proud of. The fact is we all fritter money and then complain if we are asked to pay more for something more essential. That is the way we are and we all have to live with the consequences.

To summarise my "rant"
We should not feel guilty about spending on space research while so much trivial spending could also be stopped instead of being accepted as norm.

[Sticks]

The list above certainly has items that can not be justified. However that is not a valid argument and is along the lines of

"Why pick on motorists for sppeding when there are so many other crimes being committed"

You can not use one abuse to justify and gloss over another.

In my above example, we know speed kills and I know from personal experience when I was hit by a car in 1995. I only survived because it was travelling slower than normal.

As it happens, it looks like Beagle 2 has crashed and burned.

One gets a feeling that this is a judgement

a herald of divine anger.

[Romantic Old Bird]

........or perhaps a tiny miscalculation due to the fact that we cannot know exactly what forces are brought to bear in (to us) a distant part of the universe.

Perhaps it would be useful to think of whaty we have also GAINED from the race for space exploration.

We have developed materials and technology which have been of great use in medical research and interventions. Computer technology has accelerated faster than we could ever have predicted.

Perhaps the greatest irony of all is that, in seeking to find out what is out there, we have probably learned more about what is here already. In trying to get bigger and better, we have discovered more about our infinitessimal reality.

Now I need to lie down, because it is all getting far too existential for my secondary modern school educated brain to cope with.........

[James]

Originally posted by Sticks
How much does this cost ?

According to this article the space industry in Britain is worth Ł2.9 billion based on Ł192 million spent.

So it pays for itself.

[Sticks]

That same article said that Beagle 2 cost Ł50m.

Lord Sainsbury has promisied government support for a Beagle 3 mission, if I heard correctly.

This prompts the question that proponents of another mission need to answer.

How would you justify the cost of a Mars mission to low income parents of a child dying because the local health authority has refused life saving treatment on grounds of cost

[BusyBee]

It such a shame nothing came of Beagle 2 there were such high hopes for it.

Yes I know its a lot of money, but as ROB says space exploration has resulted in many advances that would not otherwise have taken place.

Anyway on a lighter note, perhaps the Martians got hold of Beagle 2 and are carrying out experiments on it. You never know they might send a couple of ambassadors back in it.

[Sticks]

Sorry but there are no Martians.

Mars is a dead world. The soil analysed by the Viking landers showed there were no organic compounds whatsoever.

[BusyBee]

Sorry but there are no Martians.

Ah but Sticks depends on your definition of life. The Martians may have evolved to deal with the climatic conditions on the planet and may not exist in a solid form. Did you not see any Star Trek episodes?

Oh dear I'd better lie down - this is affecting my brain - perhaps I am being taken over.

[James]

You probably already know but the American craft Spirit has sent back it's first pictures from the Red Planet (though these early ones are black and white).

I was up in the middle of the night watching it! until I lost the live feed.

[img=700x206]http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040104a/PIA04980_br.jpg[/img]

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/galle...20040104a.html

[steve_o]

It's looking good, makes up for the disappointment about the one with the muts name, it's probably got it's leg cocked up on a rock somewhere. Nice to see Sticks is so optimistic as usual Funny really as I would have thought you'd have been Patrick Moor mark 2. Never Mind I still live in hope of them finding creepy crawlies in the soil.

[bananarama]

"Why pick on motorists for speeding when there are so many other crimes being committed"

Is this true. People who speed are "Criminals"

How many have done 31mph in a 30mph zone or 41mph in a 40mph zone. zone. Crimanals we nearly all are then. Build more jails for us all that's what i say.

Back to space and reality.

I bet you are chuffed at the "waste" in the eyes of some of Bush's new ambition to manned missions to Mars and beyond.

In the year 2030 I think it will be quicker to travel to Mars and back than drive through London.