Pence promises missions to the moon and Mars during ceremony

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 3:44 pm CST, Thursday, February 7, 2019

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is honoring the nation's fallen astronauts during a NASA day of remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery.

Memorials at the cemetery honor those who perished when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on Jan. 28, 1986, and when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere on Feb. 1, 2003. Pence recalled both events, saying that when the Columbia broke up, so did the hearts of the American people.

Pence tells NASA staff and family members of fallen astronauts that President Donald Trump's administration is committed to the United States leading in space exploration.

Pence says the president has made it clear "we are going back to the moon, and once we're back on the moon, the United States is going to Mars."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Pence-promises-missions-to-the-moon-and-Mars-13598974.php

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[CatMor]

1. I'm all for sending trump and Pence to Mars.

[magicarpet]

2. Duck tape trDump & DensePence to the outside of the rocket.

[Clash City Rocker]

3. Gotta set up bases for the Space Force

[Dorn]

4. History Rhymes: AGNEW PROPOSES A MARS LANDING; Manned Mission by End of Century

Agnew resigned in disgrace, awaiting for Pence to do the same.

[Perseus]

5. Has anyone told Pence that we have already been there?

Hmmm, did he wake up saying "I think we need to do something no one has ever done, we shall go to the moon!"

[keithbvadu2]

6. Uncle Newt wanted to put colonies on the moon.

[ffr]

7. Why? You'll be behind bars by then.

[yaesu]

8. Manned space exploration is too expensive for a 3rd world country that claims it can't afford

universal health care, free community college, infrastructure spending and is fighting several wars.

[flibbitygiblets]

9. THIS!

[Cold War Spook]

10. We should be going to Mars, but not the Moon.

I have been watching the first season of Mars on Netflix. It is half a story of a first trip to Mars in 2033. The other half takes place in 2016 and is scientists explaining why we should go to Mars, like if humanity dies on Earth we would still be alive on Mars and how many things can go wrong. Lots of NASA scientists and of course Elon Musk. Both parts are interesting.

[appleannie1943]

11. I am all for it if he and his boss are the crew for a one way ride.

[RHMerriman]

12. Pence is an idiot.

There is a remote possibility that if the SLS launch vehicle AND the Orion spacecraft are both operational by 2022, the US could execute a HSF, free-return lunar flyby in that year; essentially, a near-repeat of the Apollo 8 mission from 1968.

Absent a lunar lander (LM, LESA, LSAM, or something equivalent), there will be no being "back on the moon," and there has been no funding for any lander design work for years, while HSF exploration of Mars is decades away.

Are the necessary technologies in place for an HSF return to the Moon, and following that, HSF exploration of the solar system in place? Nope.

There are mission design concepts, and a VERY limited amount of technology being designed and manufactured, but absent a massive increase in funding, an HSF return to the Moon is at least a decade away (2018-19), if not longer, and HSF to Mars or anywhere else in the solar system even farther.

Again, Pence is an idiot.

[murielm99]

13. Missions to the moon and Mars.

Will Pence be sending missionaries?

[GReedDiamond]

15. Yeah - they'll be burning crosses on the moon and mars...nt

[llmart]

16. Pence doesn't know a freakin' thing about science and space exploration.

After his potted plant impression during the Pelosi/Schumer/Orange Anus meeting, they just had to give him something to do to make it look like he actually is functional.

The GOP doesn't care one whit about anything having to do with science.