Hi Retroman, Well said. Our presents in space should mainly be as a robotic state. We have the shuttle and perhaps will build a refined flight p;atfor with
as good or better reliability for servicing our orbital inventions. These are the reasonable jobs and rational envelope of our need to go into space.
The esoteric concept of solar and extra solar exploration in the interest of expensive gravel ignores the pressing problems here on earth.
Imagine the monorail we could build for those billions? Imagine the whole new alternative energy industry that we can put online 20 years ahead of it's time , saving oil for airtravel where it is needed? I could go on and on.
To waste money on Mars when our rivers go un cleaned and our fisheries disappear is fool hardy. Fix the earth before you scratch the stars.
This is, in fact, the best thing in the solar system.
" Oh...the grass is always greener...in the other lellow's yard.
A little row....we have to hoe..... oh boy, that's hard!
Now, you always see the fine clothes..that the folks have on their backs.
But...you never see the mortgages that are hanging on their shacks!
You used to like our little roadter...till the days got dearsey Dan.
And now you say our roadster's just 'An old tomato can' .
But if we all could wear green glasses now.... it wouldn't be so hard.....
To see how green that grass is in our own.......back........yard!
...........an old song for a new day.
Best regards, Dan Bessette