Both Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain claim they want change and that they will
look at every part of the US government and find the proper solution
for the future of America. That sounds real good and it it makes a nice
sound bit for the rockheaded media that still play NASA's Disney styled
propaganda films as if they were the innocuous words from the Great Rig
Veda texts. The only problem is that both of these candidates are saying
that they want to soon see a manned American spacecraft land on Mars.
It has been shown over and over again that the cost and risk of a manned
Mars landing is not feasible. Growth in technology is touted as the prime reason for such a Manned Mars venture, but that growth would come with a permanent base on the Moon just as easily. Alan Stern, NASA head of mission planning, gave the new flight and safety rules and directives to Congress after the disaster of the Challenger explosion, and for a Manned Mars flight to take place every one of those rules would have to be compromised. When the protective shielding of the crew is not feasible,
when the required spares and stores are not feasible, when the dynamic
breaking and return fuel systems are not feasible, when the chance of
crew mortality is over 70%, and when the likelihood that a Manned Mars
Mission will be a one-off trip not to be retried, Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain should include this NASA foolishness in their review. If everything is on the table for review except the "safety net" for the
children, the jobless, the sick and the elderly then why should Manned
Mars be allowed to get by without review just because the large aerospace companies want the Manned Mars program? When a permanent base on the Moon
would likely cost much less and produce much more in raw science,
in electronic advancement, in data transmission, and in co-op investment
it seems criminal to choose a one-off Manned Mars Mission without
a proper review. Will the next President be working for the people of America or for the Aerospace Industries?