Mars mission by Bush vs Mars Mission by Russia

[SensoVision]

Today I've heard in news statement of Bush who promised to launch mission to Mars and was a bit impressed since I wait for this thing to happen long time ago and thought that NASA already planning something but didn't reveal their plans as for now, while I start to look for resources about USA mission to Mars I've spot strange heading which tells that Russia also plan to launch manned ship in 2014 and with much lesser cost only $15 billions in comparing to $150 billions by USA Don't sure if they succeed although. Anyway if you interested check out this link.
BTW what do you think about this all, will some of this missions become truth in the dates which was named?

[12noon]

As far as i know it takes six months to get to Mars. Thats a long time and what with all the robot space craft that have tried to go to Mars and not survived. I'm not sure.
 
I would love to see a man or men or even woman on Mars, but i'm not sure if we have the ability to do it just yet.
Lets hope who ever does go will be safe anyway.

[SensoVision]

yeah, you right on this. hopefully techonology become more advanced till 2014 and people would be safe. BTW from what I understand NASA plan to land on the planet, Russians just be on the Mars's orbit and let robots land to surface and explore it... so it should be a bit safer probably... on the other hand if USA will invest so much they could get more safety measures probably...
BTW on BBC was said that Europe also prepearing similar mission to 2030, anyone have more info about this?

[Queen Bee]

only $15 billions in comparing to $150 billions by USA

That sounds about right... the American government loves spending more on less and less on more.

As far as whether they will ever succeed in this mission... So many things have happened, things that seemed impossible at the time-- I don't know.

[Jeanne]

I really dont see any sense in this.
It would make for sense to take this money for anything which could people the people on earth and to save the earth and not to produce more space trash..
I dont really know what people want to find at at Mars.
I think we have allready enough problems and Bush only want to take the attation from real problems with this bla bla.

[12noon]

If the money wasn't going to be spent on trying to get to Mars. Then it would be nice to think that the money would go to helping the less fortunate people of the Earth, but i don't think this money would be available to be spent on anything else other than the space program.
I'm sure if you asked president bush to give the money to some other project, he would tell you how much we need to explore space and that other funds are set aside for other projects.

[Queen Bee]

but i don't think this money would be available to be spent on anything else other than the space program.

Yes, and it seems to me that America's priorities need to be readjusted... make the money available for other projects.

I'm sure if you asked president bush to give the money to some other project, he would tell you how much we need to explore space and that other funds are set aside for other projects.

Apparently Bush seems to think that money set aside for the EPA is readily available for use with his campaign ads (Read about it here) so why not use the space funds elsewhere?

Not to get sidetracked here, I know this topic is about the space mission... FTR I'm not trying to start an argument, just voice my opinions. 

[Allin1Joe]

Space exploration is a must.  There is only so many resources, and so much space on this planet.  We need to expand if we plan to survive.

As for the differing price tag, the US plans to build an entire new fleet of ships to replace the shuttles AND build a permanent station on the moon too.  If done right, they can build everything they need for the Mars mission in space.

[Queen Bee]

There is only so many resources, and so much space on this planet.  We need to expand if we plan to survive.

I think we need to take care of what we have if we plan to survive. What are we running out of here that we plan on finding somewhere else? This is not a rhetorical question, I would like to know.

[12noon]

I think we need to take care of what we have if we plan to survive. What are we running out of here that we plan on finding somewhere else? This is not a rhetorical question, I would like to know.

I'll have a guess that we are running out of space. The worlds population is running out of control and more people are alive today than at any other point in history.
Finding ways to live on other planets will or might solve our over population problems of the future.

[Queen Bee]

Overpopulation is really a subjective standard... I could sit here and argue about it all day, and would still come to the same conclusion.

Finding ways to live on other planets will or might solve our over population problems of the future.

Maybe we could let the Russians go up there and find out, while we're busy trying to take care of what's still on Earth with us (There are too many poor, uneducated, and/or sick people running around in America to consume ourselves with this right now).

Bush is an idiot when it comes to economy.

I suppose it's pointless to babble on like this, especially seeing I have absolutely no say-so about what's going on up there.

[spherica]

Well I don't know much about Mission to Mars, but I truely did like the movie "The Red Planet" (not that this anything to do with this topic)

I also think space exploration is a must, lets face it its not just the over population, although that is a growing concern. Its also about natural resources, I know there are people that are trying to find alternative means. ie Wind Generators, Solar Panels, ect.

But we are always going to need other resources.

[Queen Bee]

Hmm... I could sit here and argue against the points made for the next several weeks (I even have book references), but it would get me no where-- We're obviously going to space whether I like it or not.

For the moment I will pretend that we really, really need to go to space right now-- The world is practically decaying around us (According to several users on this forum, as well as many other people on the web). So why is it that only North America and Russia care? Don't you think it would be in the best interest of the other countries to fund these missions, if it is this incredibly important?

[spherica]

Yes you possibly could argue, maybe I used the wrong words there.

As for about other countries, I really don't have much of a comment on this. I might jokingly say, do you really think the Taliban will back this   

[Queen Bee]

I might jokingly say, do you really think the Taliban will back this

Hahaha...

I'm sure it seems like I have some sort of peeve with space missions... But that's not it-- I just really feel like there are more important things America should be focusing on, that's all.