Japan's 'Spaceguard' CentTo Track Celestial Clutter

I think you are basically saying that what NASA does that you can see
that you are interested in is good, and all else is pork. Most companies
keep their R & D close to their vests. Why you assume you know what is
possible on the ISS is interesting. I think the PR value of the ISS is also
worthy of more respect. Without a sustained program operating in space, I
submit many folks who might otherwise invest in space, would not believe
sustained programs there are possible. I can hear the argument now, "If we
can't operate a small space station in low Earth orbit, how could we operate
one bigger ..., or further away, or what-ever."
I basically agree with what I assume is your view of sending humans to
Mars, but we live in a democracy and what most folks want matters here.
NASA should pay attention. But so far we are not sending humans, but
probes. Also, life on Mars is not a trivial question, nor is why Mars lost
its atmosphere. Many sciences say humans continued existence on Earth is
not assured. We have a lot more to learn about that and it is useful to
study planets other than Earth. Had science not been done in the past,
humans would still believe Earth was the center of the universe, inside a
crystal sphere filled with air.
I have not responded about Russia because I don't have time to be
complete (I have to work), but developing commercial markets for its launch
services is a very useful thing for space commerce and colonizing space.
That is not a bad thing, but rather is wonderful. I didn't mention the
Space Shuttle because it is the way most humans and materials get to ISS,
which I assume readers of these e-mails know. Without the shuttles, there
is only Soyuz to take humans to orbit. There would be no ability to service
the Hubble, or send the probes to Saturn and Jupiter, for examples.
Jupiter and Saturn are most of the mass of the Solar System save the Sun,
and we would orbit them if there were no Sun. Their moons probably have
oceans and maybe life. All total, there are nearly 100 moons orbiting the
giant planets. And about sports stadiums, many are funded by tax dollars,
which I don't like, but maybe we could consider putting one on the Moon for
a future Olympics.
We agree on asteroids, but science like engineering and R & D is not 100
% efficient or successful. Was it NASA's fault the X-33, Delta-clipper and
Venture Star failed, or did private enterprise spend the money and come up
empty? Organizations are made up of humans, and I doubt that working for
the US government makes folks less productive than say working for Boeing or
a foreign government.
Sincerely, Jay Huebner