Replacing the ISS

[Our Constitution]

Well America, we've forgone Space Station Freedom and created this International Space Station instead. Its an orbiting laboratory that showed us that internationalizing the project only succeeding in making its construction more expensive, not less, and it is wholly unsuitable for our needs.

The problem? Its too small.

Our next Space Station should be bigger, better, and completely American.

I'm personally of the opinion that we should mass-produce the inflatable Bigelow Modules and construct a veritable space-based metropolis many orders of magnitude larger and at a fraction of the cost of the ISS.

Its purpose, to mirror that of Utopia Planitia, the Starship Construction facility from Star Trek, to provide a base of operations for SpaceGuard (to deflect incoming asteroids), and a staging ground for the construction of space-based solar power and the construction at Lagrangian Points for O'Neil Space Colonies.

Discuss.

[Tubbsalot]

I'm thinking you are being a bit optimistic about the cost-cutting power of unilateral construction.

edit: by the way - "Space Station Freedom"? Seriously?

[Karsol]

Plus Nationalism and Patriotism tend to cock everything up by making safety, construction quality and reliability a hindsight.

[Brogavia]

Tell hell with that. Lets get started on the death star.

[Buffett and Colbert]

Seriously, who are you? You're funny. Come on Hammy...

[Our Constitution]

I'm thinking you are being a bit optimistic about the cost-cutting power of unilateral construction.

edit: by the way - "Space Station Freedom"? Seriously?

Bill Clinton is to blame. He sacrificed science & progression in space for international friendship.

The ISS has utterly failed in its purpose to bring the world together in common pursuit of the American Dream and we as Americans shouldn't allow ourselves to continue to be dragged through the mud of Earthly politics. Time for us to break free of these shackles and utilize our newest technologies towards the colonization of the Final Frontier. >.<

Just imho. With 7 billion people quickly approaching on this planet, Americans should begin immediately on helping humanity expand into the solar system to relax the strain on planetary resources. A huge increase for Fusion research is also needed.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well America, we've forgone Space Station Freedom and created this International Space Station instead. Its an orbiting laboratory that showed us that internationalizing the project only succeeding in making its construction more expensive, not less, and it is wholly unsuitable for our needs.

I don't know if the problem is that its international. If anything, you'd think that would drive the cost down. But there's not denying that its overbudget, overschedual, and a massive floating embaresment.

Our next Space Station should be bigger, better, and completely American.

While I see no reason to oppose international programs, and a lot of reasons to support them, I would also be quite happy if we built two space stations: one American and one International. Also, I'll second bigger and better with enthusiasm.

I'm personally of the opinion that we should mass-produce the inflatable Bigelow Modules and construct a veritable space-based metropolis many orders of magnitude larger and at a fraction of the cost of the ISS.

Source? I'm not very familiar with this particular technology and its benefits.

Its purpose, to mirror that of Utopia Planitia, the Starship Construction facility from Star Trek, to provide a base of operations for SpaceGuard (to deflect incoming asteroids), and a staging ground for the construction of space-based solar power and the construction at Lagrangian Points for O'Neil Space Colonies.

Discuss.

We are simply not at the point where we require orbital space ship construction facilities. For Mars, I favor the Mars Direct* plan, which cuts costs by avoiding the whole "build ships in orbit" stage. We won't need an orbital assembly facility for a while yet, not until we're going to move out to the Outer Solar system or other star systems. And even with a well-funded and well-managed space program, those objectives will likely be decades away at best. Of course, and orbital station could be expanded to fulfill such functions at a later date, but its not needed at the moment.

Basically, I see two main uses for such a station (discounting military applications): research and tourism. Which the ISS has done, just not on as large a scale as some might like.


* http://www.nss.org/settlement/mars/zubrin-promise.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Direct

[Our Constitution]

I'm thinking you are being a bit optimistic about the cost-cutting power of unilateral construction.

edit: by the way - "Space Station Freedom"? Seriously?

Not at all. It works on the same principle as what we should be doing on Mars.

Whats cheaper? Making 50 different types of Mars Rovers or mass producing Spirit & Opportunity from a single factory?

[Tubbsalot]

Bill Clinton is to blame. He sacrificed science & progression in space for international friendship.

The ISS has utterly failed in its purpose to bring the world together in common pursuit of the American Dream and we as Americans shouldn't allow ourselves to continue to be dragged through the mud of Earthly politics. Time for us to break free of these shackles and utilize our newest technologies towards the colonization of the Final Frontier. >.<

Just imho. With 7 billion people quickly approaching on this planet, Americans should begin immediately on helping humanity expand into the solar system to relax the strain on planetary resources. A huge increase for Fusion research is also needed.

I can't tell if you're an ineffective troll, or just completely insane.

[Our Constitution]

al;ksjdfjadjf

you asked for Bigelow Source

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Aerospace
www.bigelowaerospace.com

The modules that NASA designed for Space Station Freedom. That NASA designer is now working with Bigelow Aerospace creating bigger & better. They have already made successful launch and proven that the technology works.

[Arumdaum]

Damn, another nationalist. They give us a bad name.

Why does everyone have to be American?

[The Romulan Republic]

Bill Clinton is to blame. He sacrificed science & progression in space for international friendship.

The ISS has utterly failed in its purpose to bring the world together in common pursuit of the American Dream and we as Americans shouldn't allow ourselves to continue to be dragged through the mud of Earthly politics. Time for us to break free of these shackles and utilize our newest technologies towards the colonization of the Final Frontier. >.<

Just imho. With 7 billion people quickly approaching on this planet, Americans should begin immediately on helping humanity expand into the solar system to relax the strain on planetary resources. A huge increase for Fusion research is also needed.

I can't tell if you're an ineffective troll, or just completely insane.

On the contrary, much of what he said is completely rational and reasonable, though I would not be so quick to bash a joint international space effort. There was nothing at all trollish about it, unless you define troll as not agreeing with your particular point of view or something. Your post was closer to trolling than his was.

[Antilon]

I think it would be for the best for the US to settle their debts and wars, while providing some funding for NASA. It's kind of pointless to get a space colonization program going if the US can't fully commit themselves to it.

[Our Constitution]

Damn, another nationalist. They give us a bad name.

Why does everyone have to be American?

Just because Bush was a dickhead doesn't mean I'm going to bow over and give up my national pride. I voted for Gore with every one else. Doesn't mean I'm going to give up on the ideals or dreams of our people or divorce my identity from our countrymen.

The Declaration of Independence, the drafting of the Bill of Rights, these things... not 9/11 are what define our nation. I don't allow that to be overridden by international opposition to a wholly good thing or to give up on our nation's dreams & aspirations just because there are individuals on a propaganda campaign to demoralize the fabric of our national spirit.

Sort of like how I have adamently defied efforts by "the right" to define "the left" or attempts by others to hijack terms like "liberal" or "progressive". I'm not going to allow the 'fads of the day' interfere with that which require a long view.

For instance:
www.longnow.org

[United Dependencies]

Why should we have a labratory? Lets just put a missle platform up there and be done with it.

[Our Constitution]

My main opposition to internationalizing the ISS has nothing to do with nationalism. Its about keeping valuable 21st century jobs here in the U.S. (a job that I would like to have.)

We've exported enough jobs overseas. NASA jobs shouldn't be among them and that is what is most infuriating about Clinton's ISS.

[Chrobalta]

I'm thinking you are being a bit optimistic about the cost-cutting power of unilateral construction.

edit: by the way - "Space Station Freedom"? Seriously?

Bill Clinton is to blame. He sacrificed science & progression in space for international friendship.

The ISS has utterly failed in its purpose to bring the world together in common pursuit of the American Dream and we as Americans shouldn't allow ourselves to continue to be dragged through the mud of Earthly politics. Time for us to break free of these shackles and utilize our newest technologies towards the colonization of the Final Frontier. >.<

Just imho. With 7 billion people quickly approaching on this planet, Americans should begin immediately on helping humanity expand into the solar system to relax the strain on planetary resources. A huge increase for Fusion research is also needed.

Yes, but this is the real world, not your fantasy.

Realistically you are asking for things that are going to cost ALOT of money with little benefit to society.

[Buffett and Colbert]

My main opposition to internationalizing the ISS has nothing to do with nationalism. Its about keeping valuable 21st century jobs here in the U.S. (a job that I would like to have.)

We've exported enough jobs overseas. NASA jobs shouldn't be among them and that is what is most infuriating about Clinton's ISS.

Show me statistics, proof, whatever that shows a significant number of jobs would be brought to the USA if the ISS were converted to the ASS.

[L3 Communications]

The ISS isn't even finished yet. Why are we going to replace it? FYI OP, the ISS IS Space Station Freedom. And Mir-2. And a couple other space stations.

[Antilon]

My main opposition to internationalizing the ISS has nothing to do with nationalism. Its about keeping valuable 21st century jobs here in the U.S. (a job that I would like to have.)

We've exported enough jobs overseas. NASA jobs shouldn't be among them and that is what is most infuriating about Clinton's ISS.

Show me statistics, proof, whatever that shows a significant number of jobs would be brought to the USA if the ISS were converted to the ASS.

American ASS; made in China, launched from UranUS.

[Our Constitution]

My main opposition to internationalizing the ISS has nothing to do with nationalism. Its about keeping valuable 21st century jobs here in the U.S. (a job that I would like to have.)

We've exported enough jobs overseas. NASA jobs shouldn't be among them and that is what is most infuriating about Clinton's ISS.

Show me statistics, proof, whatever that shows a significant number of jobs would be brought to the USA if the ISS were converted to the ASS.

Who said anything about that? I am talking about jobs that were already exported. Science jobs, research posts on the ISS, module jobs that were contracted out to european and other foreign agencies.

1 job is a significant number too many.

[Chrobalta]

My main opposition to internationalizing the ISS has nothing to do with nationalism. Its about keeping valuable 21st century jobs here in the U.S. (a job that I would like to have.)

We've exported enough jobs overseas. NASA jobs shouldn't be among them and that is what is most infuriating about Clinton's ISS.

Show me statistics, proof, whatever that shows a significant number of jobs would be brought to the USA if the ISS were converted to the ASS.

Who said anything about that? I am talking about jobs that were already exported. Science jobs, research posts on the ISS, module jobs that were contracted out to european and other foreign agencies.

1 job is a significant number too many.

So what a dozen or so jobs? At the cost of several billion a piece? Sounds like a helluva plan!!!

A lot of high level science/tech related jobs in the US are given to foreigners because there are not enough qualified Americans to fill them. Indians are coming in on work visas to fill a lot of jobs like that. The US should put billions in education, not fantasy space stations that accomplish little.

[WhatchaTalkinBout]

Well America, we've forgone Space Station Freedom and created this International Space Station instead. Its an orbiting laboratory that showed us that internationalizing the project only succeeding in making its construction more expensive, not less, and it is wholly unsuitable for our needs.

The problem? Its too small.

Our next Space Station should be bigger, better, and completely American.

I'm personally of the opinion that we should mass-produce the inflatable Bigelow Modules and construct a veritable space-based metropolis many orders of magnitude larger and at a fraction of the cost of the ISS.

Its purpose, to mirror that of Utopia Planitia, the Starship Construction facility from Star Trek, to provide a base of operations for SpaceGuard (to deflect incoming asteroids), and a staging ground for the construction of space-based solar power and the construction at Lagrangian Points for O'Neil Space Colonies.

Discuss.

DOCTOR! DOCTOR! Its a severe case of Patriot Syndrome!

[Our Constitution]

Realistically you are asking for things that are going to cost ALOT of money with little benefit to society.

Little benefit to society? Are you insane?

[Buffett and Colbert]

My main opposition to internationalizing the ISS has nothing to do with nationalism. Its about keeping valuable 21st century jobs here in the U.S. (a job that I would like to have.)

We've exported enough jobs overseas. NASA jobs shouldn't be among them and that is what is most infuriating about Clinton's ISS.

Show me statistics, proof, whatever that shows a significant number of jobs would be brought to the USA if the ISS were converted to the ASS.

Who said anything about that? I am talking about jobs that were already exported. Science jobs, research posts on the ISS, module jobs that were contracted out to european and other foreign agencies.

1 job is a significant number too many.

Show the sources. It can't be that hard.