The space program.

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

Pakistan's space programme and missile programme are integrated, If they could do it they would have done it, the thing is, we need to do it before they do it.

They haven't done it because they signed the Outer Space Treaty. Even the North Koreans signed it.

Since when did Pakistan become capable enough for keeping its word, somebody would someday have to develop space weapons, it would give India the edge if it could do it

[Imperializt Russia]

I feel that we need to set up a base and perhaps even a colony on the moon, to collect He3 and set up a separate rocket industry with lunar resources. We could build much larger rockets on the moon, and escape the moon's gravity well with far more reaction mass left over. From there, we would have a launching platform into the rest of the system.

The moon would also be a good testbed for space colony tech, and one that could still be evacuated in the case of a catastrophe.

To build "larger rockets" on the moon, you still need to ship fuel and metal and electronics and equipment and personnel and manufacturing facilities (good luck building a 1/6g clean room) to the moon to do so.

At hideous cost.

[Novia Soviet Socialist Republic]

They haven't done it because they signed the Outer Space Treaty. Even the North Koreans signed it.

Since when did Pakistan become capable enough for keeping its word, somebody would someday have to develop space weapons, it would give India the edge if it could do it

But nobody's going to do it because it will probably shot down when someone figures out it's a WMD. Humanity needs to expand into outer space, not run the risks of obliterating ourselves because we wanted to put nukes in space or some other terrible weapon.

[Imperializt Russia]

Well unless you would find it acceptable for any other space capable nation to do the same then I see no problem. Then everyone would have to worry about getting hit by some horrible orbital weapon.

Pakistan's space programme and missile programme are integrated, If they could do it they would have done it, the thing is, we need to do it before they do it.

This is true of most countries with space programmes. ICBMs make good launcher stages, launcher stages make passable ICBMs.

It's just rocketry.
There's literally, and please do listen to me here (I bear no animosity with you on this topic) no point in siting WMDs in space. An ICBM can cross the globe and strike a target in half an hour. Or maybe even fifteen minutes, depending on the target. Why pointlessly sit it in space where it can be shot down with an F-15?

[The Romulan Republic]

I feel that we need to set up a base and perhaps even a colony on the moon, to collect He3 and set up a separate rocket industry with lunar resources. We could build much larger rockets on the moon, and escape the moon's gravity well with far more reaction mass left over. From there, we would have a launching platform into the rest of the system.

The moon would also be a good testbed for space colony tech, and one that could still be evacuated in the case of a catastrophe.

To build "larger rockets" on the moon, you still need to ship fuel and metal and electronics and equipment and personnel and manufacturing facilities (good luck building a 1/6g clean room) to the moon to do so.

At hideous cost.

Nice to see someone trying to bring a serious factual argument to this thread instead of dumb jokes or bigotry and warmongering. Thank you. And yes, I know I sounded like a snob then. Sorry about that.

[Imperializt Russia]

Since when did Pakistan become capable enough for keeping its word, somebody would someday have to develop space weapons, it would give India the edge if it could do it

But nobody's going to do it because it will probably shot down when someone figures out it's a WMD. Humanity needs to expand into outer space, not run the risks of obliterating ourselves because we wanted to put nukes in space or some other terrible weapon.

Nuclear devices would make great offworld mining charges.
There's no environment to upset off Earth.

[Novia Soviet Socialist Republic]

But nobody's going to do it because it will probably shot down when someone figures out it's a WMD. Humanity needs to expand into outer space, not run the risks of obliterating ourselves because we wanted to put nukes in space or some other terrible weapon.

Nuclear devices would make great offworld mining charges.
There's no environment to upset off Earth.

Oh they would be great for mining. Though as you just mentioned, they would be pretty useless pointed towards Earth if a fighter can knock it out.

[The Romulan Republic]

But nobody's going to do it because it will probably shot down when someone figures out it's a WMD. Humanity needs to expand into outer space, not run the risks of obliterating ourselves because we wanted to put nukes in space or some other terrible weapon.

Nuclear devices would make great offworld mining charges.
There's no environment to upset off Earth.

Space may be the one environment where nuclear explosions can be a good thing.

[Imperializt Russia]

Nuclear devices would make great offworld mining charges.
There's no environment to upset off Earth.

Oh they would be great for mining. Though as you just mentioned, they would be pretty useless pointed towards Earth if a fighter can knock it out.

Now you know why I differentiate the terms nuclear device and nuclear weapon.

The Soviets demonstrated you could use nuclear devices to kill underground gas well fires; frack oil; excavate tunnels, reservoirs, harbours, canals; produce transuranic and transplutonic elements through irradiation...
Also as a space propulsion mechanism, per the American ORION project.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Non-P ... xplosions/

[Tsuken]

Space is a frontier we need to traverse in order to ensure our future survival. I am saddened and also optimistic when it comes to space exploration and space travel. Makes me wonder where humanity would be if those in power truly cared about space exploration and the future of humanity.

[Kaztropol]

Space is an insurance policy.

Survival of human civilisation in the face of the asteroid threat, and all that.

At the very least, putting a representative sample of human culture, onto the Moon, or onto other bodies, should be an objective.

Such that should any alien archaeologists happen by in the future, they would see it, and be amazed and moved by emotion and all that.

[Wisconsin9]

We need to get the hell off this rock.

They haven't done it because they signed the Outer Space Treaty. Even the North Koreans signed it.

Since when did Pakistan become capable enough for keeping its word, somebody would someday have to develop space weapons, it would give India the edge if it could do it

Until the sanctions kicked in, maybe.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

To build "larger rockets" on the moon, you still need to ship fuel and metal and electronics and equipment and personnel and manufacturing facilities (good luck building a 1/6g clean room) to the moon to do so.

At hideous cost.

The idea was to mostly mine local materials, and use the theoretically-plentiful He3 as fuel. The cost of getting a manufacturing base up there would probably still be pretty exorbitant, but I think it would be worth it in the long run.

[Imperializt Russia]

They haven't done it because they signed the Outer Space Treaty. Even the North Koreans signed it.

Since when did Pakistan become capable enough for keeping its word, somebody would someday have to develop space weapons, it would give India the edge if it could do it

"Space weapons" have been a thing for decades.
They're substantially less useful and/or cost-effective than ICBMs.

[United Russian Soviet States]

There should not be a space program. It is a waste.

[Novia Soviet Socialist Republic]

There should not be a space program. It is a waste.

Why do you hate humanity?

[United Russian Soviet States]

There should not be a space program. It is a waste.

Why do you hate humanity?

I just hate waste. I am a fiscal conservative. Fuck science!

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

I just hate waste. I am a fiscal conservative. Fuck science!

The hypocrisy of using your computer to deliver that message astounds me.

[Novia Soviet Socialist Republic]

Why do you hate humanity?

I just hate waste. I am a fiscal conservative. Fuck science!

Its not waste. The space program brought us advances in medical and satellite technology and its going to be a source of raw materials in the future. Also its our only way or surviving in the long term.

[Dooom35796821595]

Why do you hate humanity?

I just hate waste. I am a fiscal conservative. Fuck science!

How is the space program a waste?

What is a fiscal conservative, as it sounds illogical.

You have a weird fetish.

[United Russian Soviet States]

I just hate waste. I am a fiscal conservative. Fuck science!

How is the space program a waste?

What is a fiscal conservative, as it sounds illogical.

You have a weird fetish.

It is completely unnecessary. A fiscal conservative is someone with right-wing economic views. Not all science is a waste by the way.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

It is completely unnecessary. A fiscal conservative is someone with right-wing economic views. Not all science is a waste by the way.

Do you not understand the advances achieved while accomplishing the space race?

Do you not understand that many new advances likely await as engineers challenge themselves to do the improbable?

[United Russian Soviet States]

It is completely unnecessary. A fiscal conservative is someone with right-wing economic views. Not all science is a waste by the way.

Do you not understand the advances achieved while accomplishing the space race?

Do you not understand that many new advances likely await as engineers challenge themselves to do the improbable?

I don't.

[Dooom35796821595]

Do you not understand the advances achieved while accomplishing the space race?

Do you not understand that many new advances likely await as engineers challenge themselves to do the improbable?

I don't.

Then you have failed, Stalin would be ashamed!

[Aethrys]

Pretty comforting that the amount of those anti-space program nutters around here to more sensible types is fairly low.