Billion-dollar pictures

steve smyth — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:37:24 GMT

now that is a "Whirlygig in Space...no wonder there's so much concern RE space junk...can you say perfect target?
Gaia Two is one smooth surface...stuff will glance off the curves...one more reason, eh?
http://telecomsat.blogspot.com

Billion-dollar pictures

Evilbino, Plattsburgh, NY — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:33:12 GMT

100 billion, man we really skimped on that. Really, 100 billion over how many years? (I don't know, but its more than a few). Didn't we just drop like 600 billion to bail out people who collectively have more than that in their bank accounts? 100 billion over these past 10 or 12 years is only like 10 billion a year. We are throwing way more than that at a disturbance in the market. Heck if you wanna look at it in a Darwinian sense, it was the market selecting against unwieldy and deceitful corporate giants. Give that 600 billion to private corporations trying to develop cheep access to space (oh wait our government and powerful lobbies don't want that) ahem.. Lockheed-Martin.THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY IN ORBIT IS THE NEXT BIG INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. Why be short sighted get in on it now. The ISS is crucial to demonstrating the feasibility of these industries, and encouraging private investment in these sectors.
Seems to me 100 billion is a drop in a leaky bucket.

Billion-dollar pictures

Rakesh Sharma, San Mateo, CA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 02:15:25 GMT

Great pictures and a nice roundup Alan!

Is the Space Station worth it? Definitely. It's a great achievement by mankind, borne from scientific/technological innovation and international co-operation. It is our first human outpost beyond Earth and with time, maybe a stepping stone to other worlds. It's scientific and symbolic value cannot be overstressed.

$100bn over 15 years sounds okay to me. Naysayers will advise that $100bn can be better spent elsewhere (health, poverty eradication etc.). But we're already doing that and if we wait for everyone, we'll never get there. Imagine waiting for flight or the internet to be discovered until everyone is fed!

Billion-dollar pictures

Elk_hun10, Idaho — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:02:11 GMT

One hundred billion dollars for the space station. I wonder how much of that was spent on bonuses?

Billion-dollar pictures

Evilbino, Plattsburgh NY — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:47:47 GMT

Oh yeah, we could launch the Space Shuttle with a full payload one and a half times for the money paid out in bonuses to AIG, and the Shuttle is far from the most economical method of lifting stuff to orbit.

Billion-dollar pictures

anthony garzione, newburgh,new york — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:45:02 GMT

It is the core to the human condition to reach out to where we have not been - it is a must do endeavour to take the next step in exploration be it in space or under the earths seas and oceans - we grow as a species when one of us learns something new we all benefit and more importantly we do an injustice to our children and their children to stop looking ahead even in times of fiscal upheaval.
its worth every cent

Billion-dollar pictures

Eric, Salinas, CA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:14:10 GMT

Excellent video Alan! No single picture is worth $100 billion dollars but thankfully the ISS is about providing us with precious data on how to live and work in space and that knowledge is priceless. NASA's intrepid fleet of robotic explorers also have given us beautiful pictures along with a ton of useful data.

My big question is how much did NASA get from Microsoft for the space sky data? I'd like to know if NASA struck a good deal for us taxpayers.

I sure hope that NASA will fly another shuttle mission to deliver the origins of the universe experiment that is already complete and just collecting dust. It would be a shame to leave this billion dollar experiment sitting in storage or put it on the junk pile and if it costs a billion to get it up to the ISS then that is money well spent.

Billion-dollar pictures

Parder Dade, Fort Worth, Texas — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:39:25 GMT

It looks like a train wreck, an expensive train wreck! What ever happened to the torus shaped station that were proposed early on with rotation generated artificial gravity?
You should see the inside which looks like an explosion of a messy electronics lab. A jumble of cords and floating equipment. That thing is about as aesthetic as a rubble pile.
Now that it's finished maybe NASA can figure out what its mission is. Anybody know? I believe in and support space exploration but not NASA's poor choices and waste like the ISS. A $100 billion could have gotten us a long way toward a Mars mission.

Billion-dollar pictures

Franky Zhai — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:01:02 GMT

I love it

Billion-dollar pictures

ron danville ill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:44:15 GMT

to much money to spend daily 6months from space programs we could pay off china not stop program
but step back life here frist

Billion-dollar pictures

Mark Steingass Story, Wyoming — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:04:10 GMT

It appears to me that US citizens are not getting their money's worth out of the present space program. The US space program appears to be more geared torward the military than improving our own lives. The space program shuld be geared torward providing marketable worldwide commercial items or "gizmos" that no other country can provide to boost our own economy. The USA shoudld be reaping huge economic benefits from the space program since just about every other country in the world doesn't have the know how or the wealth to initiate such a program. This space program needs to start yielding visible results that will boost our own economy and keep our own country well ahead of all others into the distant future.

Billion-dollar pictures

Gabe, Point Reyes Station, CA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:14:38 GMT

I think this image of the ISS will ultimately prove to be the defining photo of the station program, and possibly one of the iconic photos from our manned space program this decade.

Billion-dollar pictures

Climbhighak Anchorage Alaska — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:15:20 GMT

What a huge waste of money.

Billion-dollar pictures

Wolfgang Dalichau — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:15:48 GMT

Your headline is wrong and misleading - apparently just to get attention - the picture does not cost $100 billion - that's the space station cost.

Pls correct.

[ALAN ADDS: The headline plays off the nickname that ground controllers jokingly gave to the picture - "the $100 billion photograph." This is the kind of picture that was put out as an artist's conception 12 years ago or so, when NASA was trying to get across the idea of what this "new star in the sky" would look like. And it turned out looking pretty much as promised, I should say. So it's not the photo itself that took billions of dollars to produce, of course. It's the concept and the reality behind it. And I tried to go with a somewhat poetic headline (OK, maybe not all that poetic) that reflects that idea. When you read a line saying, for instance, "All the world's a stage" ... you wouldn't complain that all the world is not really contained behind a proscenium, would you? So I hope you'll indulge me on the headline as well. ;-) ]

Billion-dollar pictures

janet kreider, cincinnati ohio — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:26:30 GMT

Yes, research is essential and recent political jeers at legitimate research are stupid --- though there are good reasons to question some expenditures and priorities. I have mixed feelings about the space station. thank you for bringing this topic to discussion.

Billion-dollar pictures

Suzanne Ellis, Okla. City, OK — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:30:37 GMT

NO, we have starving and homeless people that should be OUR first priorty.

Billion-dollar pictures

Donna Alexander/605-3 Archer Grove Rd/Athens, Ga, 30607 — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:34:48 GMT

You know this makes me just plain mad. I am out of work with no insurance fighting for my disability. I have transverse mylitis which is an inflamation of the spinal cord that causes paralysis. I am paralyzed from the waist down. Even if I get my disability I will have no health benifits for 2 years. I believe I am more important than that damm picture. Money could have gone to research or into health care or to the tax payyers out of work. Are the leaders of this country ever goning to wake up or is America going to just going to contiue to go down the drain because of sheer stupidity?

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Galen Thompson, King George, Virginia — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:40:48 GMT

There are 6 billion people on Earth today, mostly living in poverty, that need saving from a dozen different pending disasters - global warming, food, water, on-and-on. The NASA plan to send humans to another planet, yet discovered, to save humanity is just wonderful, but everything I have learned is that it won't be needed for millions of years. In the meantime, why not drop space exploration for a 100 years and concentrate their efforts and expertice on problems here and now?

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Tom Rice, Havana, Florida — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:48:22 GMT

From understanding weather (meterology), to advanced metallurgy, to the development of Intergrated Circuit Chips, to the development of the MRI; the Space Program has paid for itself over and over again. Exploration and discovery always lead to advances and the overall betterment of the human condition. Only the short-sighted don't understand that. Sadly starvation and homeless have always existed, and diverting our sight only inward would be endless and yet would never solve it.

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Jason, Greensboro, NC — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:54:56 GMT

Is the economy on the Space station any better than down here?

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Anamica, Atlanta, GA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:58:55 GMT

100 billion?!? That is just ridiculous, there are sick, hungry, homeless children and that's what we spend our money on? We have ONE Earth, it's precious and fragile...we need to fix it and appreciate it. Yes, research and exploration is good but NOT worth spending more than $50 million on. As for the pictures, there are MANY beautiful places on Earth and most pictures from space look the same. Really, they are just a bunch of starts, shiny dots randomly scattered. And Mars? Looks like a picture of a desert to me, definitely not worth the money.

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John Doe — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:01:07 GMT

$100 billion over the years is well worth it. Its part of furthering the human race, the exploration of space.

It is a small price to pay looking at the big picture. Sure it could have been used for medical research, homeless, care or any of the other things on the list.

However, if that was the case, would the human race ever really advance? Sometimes we need to forget the current problems and look at the future.

Billion-dollar pictures

steve smyth — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:02:22 GMT

don't feel badly Al...within a few years one pic from WalMart could cost $100 billion...where are those images of Italians with wheelbarrows full of Lira...standing in line to buy one loaf of bread?
those would be worth a few bucks right now, eh?
how do you know the world's not behind a proscenium...are you poetical writing, Science Geek, Illuminati in disguise?

Billion-dollar pictures

Chano, Portland, OR — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:10:28 GMT

So we are spending billions and billions of dollars in sending only a couple of people into space, while our economy is hurting. This is a waste of taxpayer's money. What are we going to do once we find another planet with life in it? Move the people that can afford it there, perhaps Buffet,Gates, P-Diddy, King Abdula, and Richard Simmons. This would be a great group to begin a new civilazation. My point is, give this s**t of sending people into space up! If we find life in another planet and move people there, we'll just f it up like we have with our planet. what a waste of money, I much rather give it to our troops families since they are they one's putting their heads on the line so we can see stupid people lauching things into space. Get a clue everyone.

Billion-dollar pictures

Manny, Florida — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:10:55 GMT

Donna Alexander

I'm not in agreement with you or disagree, it's hard having a sickness that causes you so much pain and unhappiness, but you must realize that there are benefits for the human race to advance beyond our planet, research for sickness being one of them, future mineing on other planets, and on and on. As for how the money is being spent you forget that our goverment along with the money hungry people in it are the one's that are hurting our country and the fault lies on every American citizen that sits at home being content with there little world. We all are to blame for the lack of research, better health progams, our kids growing up stupid (TV, Games,etc), there was once a time where Americans did not wait for a hand out, they rolled up there sleeves and took care of business. So as far as 100 billion over a 10 year period is concern I suggest that you write your congress and complain about the other monies that are being used from us tax payers to line the pockets of those that are in power and keeping you and many others at bay.

God Bless You and the USA

Sorry for the mispelled words.

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Rick Houlihan — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:11:05 GMT

Considering that we can drop a cool trillion dollars on a stupid war in Iraq in less time than it took to spend $100B on the ISS I think it's a bargain.

Maybe we ought to stop dropping bombs and shooting people and spend more money on stuff like this that will have immeasurable value for our children and our children's children.

Billion-dollar pictures

Dan, Lincoln, NE — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:14:34 GMT

Well, that is only about 1/4th of the amount that was spent on interest from the national debt. According to one source, us taxpayers (you and I) spent $412 billion on interest from the 2008 fiscal year. Fortunately, those of you that own government bonds (i.e. savings bonds, etc.), or your IRA/401(k) contains these bonds, you get some of this money back.

Billion-dollar pictures

Charles Briley, Coarsegold, California — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:14:39 GMT

To the foolish people who believe we should spend no money on space exploration until everyone on Earth is properly fed, clothed, housed, educated and healthy:

Humanity HAS to colonize other worlds if it is to survive. One day either human-caused global climate change or a mindless chunk of space rock will end life on the Earth. If humans only reside on the Earth, humanity will be gone forever. And that means all our accumulated wisdom, knowledge, art, and science. What good does it do to feed, clothe, house, etc, everyone - if ALL of us die to a lack of interest in exploring space and colonizing other worlds? Talk about the folly of keeping all your eggs in a single basket.

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Kyle Shurge — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:17:26 GMT

The money invested in the International Space Station would have been better spent on transporting a team of scientists to Mars.
Years ago a brilliant article was written in the Planetary Society's magazine about an inexpensive idea to send ten manned missions to Mars. The first mission would not have a crew, however. The unmanned mission would deploy a lander on Mars to manufacture the fuel for the first manned mission's return trip to Earth. Since the first manned mission would only carry enough fuel to arrive at Mars, the spacecraft would save weight and cost.
I hope that someone who has seen the Planetary Society's story could direct us to where it can be seen on the internet.

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alur — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:25:51 GMT

There are no starving people in the US. Homeless, maybe, but not starving.

Billion-dollar pictures

Joe Jon Jim Bob — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:26:34 GMT

What a load of crap. What a shameful waste of money. In fact, considering this type of waste, it's no wonder the Govt wastes hundreds of billions in bailouts.

(and people - forget about a few hundred million in bonuses - focus on the hundreds of BILLIONS of free handouts that enabled these bonuses. That's 1000 times more money...)

Billion-dollar pictures

Bill S. Conway, Ark. — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:27:56 GMT

The 'real final frontier' is as close as your next sleep. A vast world of weird characters, bizarre scenarios and the Director of Dreams who is attempting to 'weave together' your personality!! And we know next to nothing about this world; instead, like the egyptians before us, we have squandered our resources on a fool's mission.

For God's sake, when we will figure out that our psychological and spiritual condition is deplorable and needs $100 billion invested in it, so we can live together in some semblance of harmony and good will. By the way, dreams are "God's forgotten language" and the engine for healing of the soul and God's evolution to continue.

And, circling this globe is this monstrosity. Excuse me while I cry !

Billion-dollar pictures

kurt kiesz — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:30:00 GMT

it has been proven several times that private companies could do more for less when it comes to space exploration.
btw. why should we help the starving and homeless? most of them choose to be that way. gotta love our nanny goverment and "helping" everyone. i am all for helping people IF, AND ONLY IF, they have been productive members of our society! smurfing welfare people

Billion-dollar pictures

Time for change, Bend, Oregon — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:35:28 GMT

Looks like just another piece of floating space junk. How long until a rogue piece of space debris splits this thing in half? $100 billion and millions have lost their jobs and homes. What a waste! What a shame!

Billion-dollar pictures

Robert Barton Beaverton, OR — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:37:27 GMT

"Is one picture worth a hundred billion dollars?"
Of course not, I don't see how anyone can come to the conclusion that the Space Station cost of one billion results in only 1 picture. Of course the Space Station has results that equal more than just that.

I'm just not sure the ISS is worth the cost at all.

I feel our goal in space should be the colonization of other planets, namely at first, Mars. We all work best with goals and this would be what I call a hundred year plan.

Even Stephan Hawkins said it:

To ensure the survival of humans efforts must be made to colonize other planets.
S. Hawking

What the ISS does to help this goal is limited, but it can help us learn to live in weightless for a prolonged period of time. It can also teach us to live with each other in confined quarters for a prolonged period of time, which it already has done actually. We could use the ISS to test hardware that we plan on sending to the Moon and Mars as well. It’s also helping us learn to work with each other from different countries, as well as many things I don’t have room here to describe. But what it can’t do to help this goal is numerous as well, we will never use it as a stopping point before we head off to the Moon or Mars for example.
What the main benefit of the Space Station is maybe time will only tell.

Therefore as limited as it may be the Station IS a stepping stone for the human race to actually become a multi-planet society, if that is what we decide to do. If we do decide to do that then yea, the ISS is worth it, even in its limited role.

I just wish we would admit that is what we need to do, there really is no other need or use of space. Here on this planet we are limited, in space we are not.

Billion-dollar pictures

Tony Stephen. Las Vegas, NV — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:38:39 GMT

Why put money next to this historical achievement?From leaping from tree to tree, we now travel to outer space. I keep hearing about spending money on the chillun. They are being taken care of. Space programs and exploration must continue because we are "built" that way. I've worked with miserable "can't do's" but not for long. Print the money and spend it on these wonderful programs. Vasco da Gama would have loved to have been on the discovery. Keep going explorers!

Tony

Billion-dollar pictures

STEVE JOYNER,YORKTOWN,VA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:40:55 GMT

WITH THE MESS THE U.S. IS IN NOW...
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS....

Billion-dollar pictures

gloria ward — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:45:53 GMT

how can we even think of spending this kind of money on such a thing right now. when the economy is better maybe, but there are millions of families on the brink of living on the streets. come on people, lets get our priorities straight.

Billion-dollar pictures

jerry — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:47:22 GMT

Suzanne, Donna, do you think this station was made by elves at the North Pole.
People here on earth, were paid to make it.
Of course it was good for the ecomomy.
Probably 75% of all the advancement in medicine can be traced right back to this program.

Billion-dollar pictures

Jingwei Mai — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:50:09 GMT

That is a lot of money for sure. A price has to be paid for outter space research, and future development. People on earth need to realize that there are a lot of planets out there. Earth is only one of millions of them. Human kind need to unit and stay in peace. Look at the wars that are going on, what can the UN do? The wars can cost more money than the space center. I am not against the money that was paid for the space center, because it is for good. A way to change peoples' future. We always hope for good changes, not bad ones. Without money, nothing can be done much these days. Because Money control everything that's how things are function. So one way or the other, the space center is a done deal for human kind. It is a good thing that we all know about it. Not like aliens, it is still a myth question. 100 billions seem a lot, but look at the economy, it lost trillions of dollars. It is just a matter of numbers or figures. Don't just think about that, that will make you go crazy. Health, Love, and peace, that is that power. If human kind meaning everyone live on Earth united and donate one dollar a month to help research, education, medical research, improving enviroment, shouldn't things be easier. That will be 100 billion dollars every year to help our Earth? Think about that. One human is just too mall, but when all Unit, that is power behond imagination! I can only speak out, but what Can I do? It is a world, not just me. All I can say is, God will lead you if you believe him. Take care everyone! Love one another and peace.

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Fritz grupp Dewey AZ — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:03:28 GMT

Yes most of the cost goes to salerys spend on development . this pays taxes and gives poeple buying power it is all good for the economy

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Charles Lurio — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:06:59 GMT

Alan, On the whole I'd rather be seeing Space Station V spinning on orbit...but even I have to admit that the ISS shot is terrific.

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Jay, Kansas City, MO — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:08:29 GMT

It is amazing how many self centered ignorant people are around, that just want to make negative comments without doing any research how the money is spent, and what knowledge we are gaining from ISS.

Billion-dollar pictures

Robert Barton Beaverton, OR — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:08:35 GMT

<<NO, we have starving and homeless people that should be OUR first priority. >>

<<You know this makes me just plain mad. I am out of work with no insurance fighting for my disability. I have transverse mylitis which is an inflammation of the spinal cord that causes paralysis. I am paralyzed from the waist down. Even if I get my disability I will have no health benefits for 2 years. I believe I am more important than that damm picture. Money could have gone to research or into health care or to the tax payyers out of work. Are the leaders of this country ever going to wake up or is America going to just going to continue to go down the drain because of sheer stupidity? >>

I see comments like this and I am amazed.

1. We CANNOT just give money to homeless people (I never do) Giving them money, just handing it out, gives them no reason to go out and work for a home. I know this is only a generalization, but it is accurate, we can't just hand out money, that would be far more of a waste than any effort we make in space.
This is also why you see the signs at parks and such "Do not feed the animals" if you feed the wild animals they will not learn how to get the food for themselves, same thing with humans.

2. The space program CREATES JOBS, handing out money does not, now you tell me, which is the bigger waste, giving away money or creating jobs ??

3. The Space Station does do research into health care.

Billion-dollar pictures

Tom, Fullerton, CA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:09:12 GMT

100 Billion Dollars...for a space station that 99.99% of us will never see up close. Is that worth it?

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Los Angeles — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:10:57 GMT

Why spend $100 billion on something when we could have just handed it out? Just think of all the people that didn't have to work on the shuttle or space station. They could have just sat home on there rear and collected welfare. Of course it's a waste of money. In fact let's drop all defense programs to so all of those people working to make the country safe can also just stay home and collect welfare. Why is anyone going to work?

Billion-dollar pictures

John, Mineral Point, WI — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:15:18 GMT

I'm all for spending money on pure research in science and technology, but NASA's budget is extremely limited. For the price of the space station we could have robotic rovers exploring the surface of every planet and moon in our solar system. I wish we could do both, but someone needs to look at our broader goals. If the goal is continued human exploration of space, low earth orbit isn't the answer- the moon should be next, then Mars. What exactly is the purpose of the station?

Billion-dollar pictures

Stephanie Sizemore, Greenville, IL — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:15:24 GMT

I think this is an amazing way to spend money. We need to learn more about the surrounding planets through pictures and exploration. This will help future generations with the problems that we will hand down. We are destroying our planet, and i believe that researching and finding out as much about space is a must. The government gives organizations like the department of justice a whole lot more money than NASA. I truly believe that this amount of money is very resonable considering how profound this will help in America's technology advances.

Billion-dollar pictures

Joe Illinois — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:21:11 GMT

A 100 billion so what! They're coll pics!!!!!!I want one!

Billion-dollar pictures

Greg Paulus St. Louis, Mo. — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:21:16 GMT

No, I think the entire space program is a waste of money. I do not care about the stupid studies thy do like how concrete cures in space.

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John Joe, Seattle, Wash — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:21:49 GMT

Should've called it Trillion dollar pictures! Billion is so 20th century now.

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Brandon K., Seattle, WA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:23:37 GMT

I can only think how much farther we would be today if we didn't spend so much on arming small countries and then bombing them for taking it, and propping up giant corporations to make them fall and bailing them out when they do. To see NASA's budget cut for over a decade yet there's still a space station, it warms my heart and I still hope for mankind.

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Brian - Seattle, WA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:26:00 GMT

...to boldly go...

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wallace garrod albany ga — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:33:29 GMT

We have a wasteful government and what can we expect. THE SPACE IS A GIGANTIC WASTE OF MONEY. should have been shut down years ago

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John, Akron Ohio — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:35:33 GMT

I support our investment in space interests and exploration completely. Our technology has benefitted in so many ways - think of it as our investment in furthering our knowledge of science. For those who tend to be against it - think of how far behind other modern nations we will be if we do abandon our investments - now think of what predicament we will be in if China and Russia colonize and lay claim to the moon. It may not mean much now but for a lot of reasons, it will in the next two decades.

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JustAJoe, Pasadena, CA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:40:39 GMT

How much of the technology we use everyday was first developed at NASA? just asking...

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Wally Tampa FL — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:43:11 GMT

No NO No it is not we have to get the rest fixed first then OK It is like us spending money in every country of the world when our own people need it WRONG folks you have to take care of yourself before you can help others. Other wise there will be no help when they need it.

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D. Lee — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:43:21 GMT

A hundred billion could have gone a long way toward health care and employment opportunities. Pity our leaders are too greedy and stupid to see this.

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jack somolie, seatle washington. — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:50:29 GMT

Donna Alexander, i just love your reply,.....

Are the leaders of this country ever goning to wake up or is America going to just going to contiue to go down the drain because of sheer stupidity?

All i can add on to it is this,..

Hey your all yankees arent you,

just wait and see where your country
will be over 25 years from now,......

floatimg around in space,

perfect way to get rid of you all.

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D. Lee — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:50:50 GMT

A hundred billion could have gone a long way toward health care and employment opportunities. Pity our leaders are too greedy and stupid to see this.

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D. Lee, Baltimore MD — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:51:29 GMT

My god. In the same way we can't eat money, we can't eat photographs either. When will all those idiots begin to realize that the earth will have burned up or frozen long before we find out whatever it is the heck they think they want to know. Mankind isn't going to wind up in any of these spacey spaces and the pictures don't mean anything to a race on the way out.

Billion-dollar pictures

Mark L St Paul MN — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:52:41 GMT

I get a kick reading all these comments. People wake up you cant just pack a rocket and plan a trip to mars for the weekend. Everything going on daily on ISS we are learning from.Cant have too much knowledge for any other adventures in in the future of the human race. I mean really Humans have only been around for the blink of an eye and look at how much damage we have done to our planet already.

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boyyyyyyyyle — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:55:39 GMT

100 billion spent in space??? nobody has ever spent one single cent in space. it all gets spent right here in our own backyard for research, construction, and maintainance of cutting edge technology that is currently and will eventually be of inestimable value to ALL right here at home!

Billion-dollar pictures

Dave D. St. Louis MO — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:02:53 GMT

America and the entire world has reaped amazing benefits from the space program. You can trace the trail of technology from the space program through the aerospace industry to the computer, auto, material sciences, etc. and on and on. It accelerates the development of new technologies that lead to new and better products and industries for the U.S. economy to produce that helps keep us employed.

We can't and do not want to compete as the low cost producer of consumables. We need to be the world's engine of innovation and the challenge of space is one of the great ways to do this. We don't go to space because it's easy or necessary. We go becase it is HARD!

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Brandon, Tucson — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:03:31 GMT

Can you say giant waste of money??!!! Why not focus on getting to the bottom of the ocean reliably, and safely, we can do a lot more here, not to mention the BILLIONS/TRILLIONS we have wasted on blown up, lost, or non-responsive projects...Let's focus on learning EARTH first before we go into space more...

Billion-dollar pictures

Evilbino, Plattsburgh, NY — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:05:23 GMT

"Money could have gone to research or into health care or to the tax payyers out of work. Are the leaders of this country ever goning to wake up or is America going to just going to contiue to go down the drain because of sheer stupidity?":

Sorry to hear about your disability Donna, truly. However you are not the only one with problems, and who could have used that money. Fist of all who knows what advances in medicine could come out of this, second, Do you really think that just because money was not directly spent on you that is serves no purpose? Please. Space flight/exploration can lead to a better life for our decedents, us, and maybe even the Earth itself. Thank God, or whoever that our Government is not spending all of its money on Marxist social welfare projects ( Which I like, actually, as I am a SUNY student. I will admit they could spend the money less wastefully but, what are governments for after all?

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Dennis Marks — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:06:46 GMT

How long will it be till this Boondoggle starts to make a profit? The govmint' has never done anything that has put money in the American tax payers pocket! They can't even run a Postal system!
Just more PORK AND WASTE!!!!

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Bob, New Jersey — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:11:57 GMT

All space exploration should be put on hold till there are no hungry children in America and the education system is revitalized. Somebody (Obama) needs to set our priorities to put our people first!
Who cares if there is water on Mars or what role a black hole plays in the universe when Americans are suffering.

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aliveinsd — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:15:08 GMT

The logic here is confused. The image did not cost $100B. The station is a platform for Humans to move out into space, and to there destiny.

The U.S. is baling banks to the tune of $3Trillion, and who is concerned about a useful piece of hardware for $100B? The Station has a useful purpose to Humankind. So much has been gleaned from space technology that is of useful purpose here on the Earth.

Does anybody grasp just how large $3T is? Example: It takes light 1-year to travel 6-trillion miles = 1-light year. Light travels at approx. 186,000 miles per SECOND.

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jesse mckay gerald mo — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:16:04 GMT

i think the money could be better spent here on earth helping the poor and homeless what they spend on their partys would go a long ways helping the homeless and poor

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Jo, Chicago — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:18:11 GMT

The purpose of the FEDERAL government, created by the STATES, is NOT to take care of individual persons and provide for their individual welfare, but to provide for the COMMON defense and GENERAL welfare of the UNION -- i.e. a UNION of INDEPENDENT and SOVEREIGN States bound by their own VOLUNTARY act. Yes, this is a CONFEDERATION of States -- NOT some kind of kingdom or empire with the States being its agents. So, for those disabled, homeless and poor people, you need to go to your STATE legislatures and keep your LAWLESS and REPUGNANT wining and complaining out of Washington and stop demanding that the FEDERAL government violate the Constitution and do, and involve itself in, that which it has NO constitutional lawful authority or business. Your personal welfare, medical problems, how much you get paid, whether or not you can afford a house, etc. is none of Washington's damn business.

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Blackbeered — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:41:19 GMT

That's all, $100 billion?

Compare that to the cost of pictures on C-SPAN.

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Nada King, Elliston, Va — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:07:28 GMT

Science is important, but concerning your question, are those pictures worth trillions?... NO THEY'RE NOT. There is so much imbalance in this present world. It's sickening the way those in powers play God, and use resources to their whims,and the rest of the people have to suffer. I gladly give up lots of the high tech conveniences of this day an time to see people living in dignity, being able to raise their children without struggling like many do today.

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Scott Watson, Torrance, CA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:24:19 GMT

Wow, I can't believe how short sighted people are. Of course it's worth it! Experiments aboard the ISS will benefit us all. Sure, there are hungry people, sure, there are people with medical conditions, but without the ISS there still would be. You want to talk money, talk about the wars. Big savings to be had there. Everyone uses Velcro. Where'd that come from? NASA. Let them do thier jobs, they are the finest minds on the planet, and the ISS is our first step into the great beyond. Americans should appreciate that more than anybody.

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Will Sullivan, Welaka, FL — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:28:47 GMT

Here is the link to the source image of the ISS at the top of the post:

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/
323162main_s119e010500_hires.jpg

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JB Wheeling OH — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:30:58 GMT

Lets see-- we got computers from the miiltary and the space program, GPS from the military, the internet from the military, Jet engines from the military, night vision from the military. Humm seems like a good investment to me. Seems like we can expect a lot more from this than anything else the government spends money on. We can not stay on this planet forever.

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Dave F. - Peotone, IL — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:35:12 GMT

I'm glad we are pushing the boundaries of human exploration. Sure, there are always some who will say, "Wah - I want money for XYZ instead!" Well, folks - it's not like the government and plenty of other agencies and organizations don't already make other people's lives better through other financial means. And the ISS is truly a great way for countries across the world to work together for a common goal.

Keep up the great stories Alan - it's great to read this, and this is merely a small investment in the technological feats that will benefit our educational system and citizens as a whole in the years to come. We should all remember that this is an investment in our future - not a "waste of money."

What would be a waste is if we COULD do this, and then didn't. THAT would be a waste - of time, talent, and in our ability to be creative, innovative, and exploratory.

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scott, LA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:22:20 GMT

I am not against this type of exploration...but I think we need to do some things locally first...work on pollution, energy, health care, waging peace, infrastructure, educaton...get things going more smooth on old planet Earth...then explore and play some..

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new mexico — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:55:59 GMT

hi res copy of that picture nao! you selfish man!

[ALAN ADDS: Oops, I should have linked to the high-res version. You'll find the link appended to the original item above.]

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Ryan, Orlando — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:01:54 GMT

$100 billion could be better spent on homeless and poor people ? are you crazy ? if you are homeless, it is your fault. get off your butt and find a job. yeah, yeah, yeah, I know all the excuses. it is hard... blah blah blah. whatever. Stop exploring space for 100 years and focus on problems here. You are about as ignorant as the guy that thinks that because a piece of space station is curved it will survive being hit by a piece of junk going 18000 mph.
A lot more than you know comes from the space program and its related programs. It helps people all over the world. Would you rather save the money and give it to a bank that screwed up ?

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joel delgado cidra puerto rico — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:26:55 GMT

well nasa should start building a giant space ship and start using light and plasma ,magnetic energy tecnology or maybe work on a way to send things or objects from 1 place to onother by molecules . but everything has a price. one last thing why xplore our solar system? we already know theres no life here but us . so we should explore other galaxys and try to find our lifesaver or our doom i know for sure that we are not alone .come on all that infinite space for just 1 tiny planet with life called earth yeah right i know theres gotta be more than that im positive

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Greg NY — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:41:02 GMT

To the people who think the space program is a waste of money..Just look around your house and you will see thing's that are a direct result of needing something for the space program that has been adopted into the commercial market.. From your LCD TV's ,cell phones to your computers..So yes the space program is well worth the money..

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Edward Karcher — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:48:42 GMT

100 Billion is a cheap price. Once we screw up our planet so it is no longer habitable or is over populated, some of us will need some where else to go. This is the baby steps to achieving the goal of space travel. Maybe not Star Trek, but who knows? Keep up the good work!

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Not a first world country citenzen — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:02:28 GMT

So $100 billion...
The world cannot afford these luxuries, millions of lives could have been saved from extreme poverty for that amount.
Anyone here heard of africa?

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agsb — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 02:24:58 GMT

I still think "Earthrise" was a better picture, with a lot more science and a better "Bang" for the buck.

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Scott Shields, Pontiac, MI — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 02:55:27 GMT

"Multitude of moons: The Hubble Space Telescope's snapshot of four moons around Jupiter is one of my favorites. If you like the still image, you'll love the movie - as well as the behind-the-scenes story."

Uh, I believe that is Saturn.

[ALAN ADDS: Yoinks! Fingers were not attached to brain, or I don't know what brain was doing. Thanks for pointing that out!]

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Dave BC WA — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:54:22 GMT

As far as I know, the only money actually sent into space was in the early years of the Apollo program. An Astronaut took a roll of coins for a ride around the moon. I don’t remember the details but I think it had to do with giving his kids souvenirs. I’m not sure if they do that anymore.

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E. A. Nelson Ft. Wayne, indiana — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:41:00 GMT

The space station should have some purpose to exist besides just existing. If it is doing anything of importance it should be shown to the world rather than just have reports of problems and problems being repaired. Man kind needs to dream and explore but the space station doesn't inspire dreams and it doesn't explore, it just uses up resources without giving anything back to justify the expense.
It isn't needed to forward a trip to Mars or beyond anymore than a parking lot is needed as a place to design cars. It doesn't send us new views of what is going on in the universe, that is being done by telescopes. It hasn't given anyone one usefull thing that can be used here on earth. If the resources wasted on it had been used for a real preperation for a mission to mars we would probably be heading to mars in the next five years and would perhaps develop new techknowledgy that would help us conserve energy here, treat waste, conserve resuorces that are in short supply that are needed for the production of food for the world and last, but not least, technology for taking CO2 out of the air we breath (take that global warming!).

The space station is a total waste of time and money that should be abandoned and sent into a burnout orbit so that it is destroyed before ever hitting anything on the surface of earth. Lets face it, the space station is a overpriced piece of space junk that is doing little if anything that is productive, no new knowledge or technologies or techniques for doing things just a cosmic sponge soaking up money. Deep six it and find something we can do in space that will inspire mankind and improve his lot.

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Brandon, Elmer, NJ — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:48:38 GMT

Rakesh Sharma,
its not the first.
Skylab, Mir... nice thought though.

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John Q, Averagetown, USA — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:57:05 GMT

Wahh Wahhh wahh, you all are just a bunch of crying babies that the government spent all this money on a space program that IS R&D for just about everything we use today. If you are so worried about the poor or being poor, do something about it. [...]

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Karla Wynn — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:38:49 GMT

Now that we all have seen a nice photo perhaps it is time for the space project to be placed on "Ground Hold" where planning can continue but space exploration cannot.
We need to work on American "ON The Ground" with all the resources we can muster and that includes the space exploration budget.
How much fuel does it take to launch a spacecraft, how much money and how much polution does it create. Points to ponder.
Shouldn't we be worrying more about saving planet Earth.

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Frank Klepeiss Bethlehem Pa. — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:54:26 GMT

If we truly live in a democracy that is governed by the people than why not put it to a vote whether or not we as a society should continue with space exploration.

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Brian Fleming, Alaska — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:59:25 GMT

The official estimate is that if America hadn't done the Apollo program (cost roghly 300 billion in today's dollars) that our economy would be 2 trillion dollars smaller today. I would say thats all the reason we need to fund big space exploration projects. Make no mistake, we are where we are as a nation because of our technology development. There's a lot of other cool reasons to do it too.

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a p garcia — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:29:27 GMT

I still think "Earthrise" photo or M-16 (Eagle Nublea) photo produced more emotion than anything the ISS could produce and at a cheaper price.

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john doe seattle wash (liar) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:10:01 GMT

When I saw that 100 billion for one photo I immediately thought of 100 billion to kill one guy which refers to GW Bush gunning for Sadam Hussein. He got him but the cost has already well exceeded 100 billion. The space station is money well spent and I'm sure has ten times in value to the human race.

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D Lee — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:04:55 GMT

It's so easy to tell the hard hearted space junkies from everyone else. Their brains don't seem to register when it comes to humans. This human race isn't going anywhere. Maybe one or two will make it somewhere to repopulate and never return, but all the rest of us will never know about it. The way the government works, I wouldn't put it past them to lie about it, just to make it seem like it's worth spending all this damn money (on a lost cause). Face it, we haven't found a habitable planet anywhere close enough to earth where we wouldn't die first before reaching it. Give it a damn rest. These space junkies are making great big bucks to continue this so-called research. Do you think they want to give that up? No way baby.

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tonyE — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:29:48 GMT

I think the upper left solar panel is out of whack tracking the sun, eh?

No engineer will agree with you about this picture. Until all panels are fixed, every engineer worth his/her salt will grimace with that picture.

Now, once that panel gets in sync with the rest, then we're talking.

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Tim Rommes, First World Country — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:59:09 GMT

"So $100 billion...
The world cannot afford these luxuries, millions of lives could have been saved from extreme poverty for that amount.
Anyone here heard of africa?"
Yes. Africa is that place where millions of lives *have* been saved as a result of our space program.

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boazjones — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:48:10 GMT

The Space Station is one of only several NASA projects that should be approved. Funding a deep space mission to drill a frozen ocean on Titan is an utter lack of priority - but a local space station is practical.

Perhaps the space station can be used to assist in the most practical space mission there is:

Shooting our waste into space. No, really...

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Dan the dirball called Earth — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:55:15 GMT

It's really redundant hearing about the poor and poverty of the world while we spend billions towards space. The poor are poor, if they really want to get a job they can take a shower and find work. I was poor once, I lived in a cheap motel for a few hundred a week and I still was able to find a job at McDonalds. The poor in Africa, I swear people just don't get it. Already we have thrown billions toward helping them out, but what happens? Another warlord with guns and troops, another civil war, so on and so forth. There are people that just wont allow stability, they wont allow the poverty filled villages to have education, they want their power and will do anything and everything to keep it. Its a lost cause.

Our miserable little rock is dying, we killed it. Our race is on the verge of self destruction at the same time of self rejuvenation amongst the stars. Mans destiny has always been to expand beyond the foreseeable horizon, space is that horizon and we will expand.

People complaining about all the spending of money on the ISS being a waste need to take a look at your home. How much crap do you have that you don't need? I have a computer, I have to for work just as my cell phone. But otherwise I have no TV because its a waste, I dont have high end appliances because they are a waste. I have what I need to survive and I pull everything into savings so that when it comes time for me to buy a home, I know I will be able to afford what I am buying instead of getting a mortgage for a house I can only pay part of.

Welfare and healthcare are not nObama's responsiblity, as someone smartly stated earlier it is actually against our Constitution for the government to give handouts like that and control all that. We are individuals under protection of the government, we control them because we vote. Now if everyone hates their policies so much, why are you on here when you should be writing letters to your state representative and legislature? Why are you not calling your politicans who you elected *if you didn't vote then you elected the guy in office* and tell him what YOU want, remember they work for us. The Fed'y government is supposed to defend the Constitution, not make new rules saying they are going to take care of everyone, cradle them in their arms and breast feed the weak. I'm sorry but you all need to wake up, read our Constitution again and get off that couch and see what the world is becoming.

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Jack, Austin, TX — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:46:12 GMT

It gives me a tingly feeling when I see photos like this. A billion here and there to inspire me and give me tingly feelings... it's worth the price.

A government that turns on the printing press to generate hundreds of billions out of thin air, wake me up when hyperinflation has come and gone. I want tingly feelings, not sheer terror.

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Joe Gibbs — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:28:25 GMT

We could have accomplished much more for much less in space with robotics. The huge cost of life support in my view is a waste. The advancement of robotics would have benefits here on earth. It is vanity to believe humans should be in space at our current level of technology.

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Torres, Morgantown, WV — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:22:56 GMT

Did I missed it or did everyone in this Post missed that the first I in ISS is for INTERNATIONAL? I don't agree with a lot of stuff about how NASA decides to spend its money, but I sure do prefer NASA to spend it (in paying thousands of high skill workers here in the USA) than most of the alternatives (e.g. bombs). This Program also kept a lot of ex-soviet-bloc scientist at work when the Soviet bloc collapsed. The alternative to that would've been unthinkable! I agree that we have to help the poor and all, but the total amount of what is spent on NASA, compared to the USA budget, it's a fraction of a penny per dollar. Indeed the real sad part if that we didn't spend the money _before_, when the shuttle was young and for the original reason, to have it as a stepping stone to the Solar System.

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Eric Russell, Dallas, TX — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:18:01 GMT

The ISS is a good source of revenue for the future due to scientific advancements and more experience in the next realm. To everyone who says feed poor and welfare people, you don't contribute enough to the federal tax system to make a big enough impact. For those who make enough to support all of the lazy and degraded people in this country, this is a good use of my money.

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Dino KZ — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:18:07 GMT

Think what a 100 Billion dollars would do to the needy childeren in the world and you want to spend it on a picture

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Dustin, San Antonio, TX — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:45:52 GMT

I wish someone would tell me how much it would be to make all you NEEDY adults be quiet and let NASA rock. you rock nasa