Two Scotts among volunteers helping NASA to track Artemis mission

NASA has enlisted a cadre of volunteers to track the Artemis I mission, due to launch later this month. If successful, their efforts could help improve spacecraft tracking for future missions beyond the Moon. The group of 18 volunteers runs the gamut from five space agencies, a college, nine private businesses, and nonprofit. …

[Anonymous Coward]

waste of money

I know I'll get down voted so AC

I lost my mother to cancer. Father to Alzheimer's

I'd love all space funding to go on cures for such ailments instead. I think it would be more immediately beneficial.

[Pascal Monett]

Re: waste of money

Oh that stupid argument again.

I'm tired of posting links to the contrary. Go and educate yourself if you have the brains.

[GloriousVictoryForThePeople]

Re: waste of money

Much as rockets and space are very cool, I think we get little payback from it.

Compare spending just on the SLS with the total US spend on fusion power.

http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2021/ph241/margraf1/

One of these things pushes the boundaries of pure science and applied engineering to the very limits, so far we are not even certain of an outcome. It might give the whole planet a way out of existential threats.

The other retreads the 1960's, but even when/if it succeeds there is no significant payoff for the people who paid for it.

[Richard 12]

Re: waste of money

Space inspires many of the scientists and engineers who go on to work in medical and other pure and practical research.

It's worth it for that alone, even if you ignore all the medical and other innovations directly coming from space science and engineering.

And all that aside, space funding is a rounding error when compared to military spending, which has helped with trauma medicine but not much else.

[Ian Johnston]

Re: waste of money

Space inspires many of the scientists and engineers who go on to work in medical and other pure and practical research.

Evidence?

[AlanS]

Re: waste of money

NASA's entire budget is approximately what American citizens spend on cigarettes every year. Phasing out tobacco would be more immediately beneficial, and save people money.

[imanidiot]

That's... inaccurate?

"The third attempt in late September was also scrubbed, though through no fault of NASA's – Hurricane Ian made landfall just prior to the launch window and caused NASA to cautiously wheel the whole launch assembly back to its hangar for safekeeping."

The third attempt was scrubbed because the hydrogen leaks and engine chill issues hadn't been satisfactorily resolved and time ran out to fix the issues on the pad before the hurricane arrived, which then prompted the roll back, but the launch attempt being scrubbed is an extension of scrub #2, for which NASA can be argued to hold (some of) the blame.