Erm, and what exactly would the US govt DO with this Death Star, once it is completed? IIRC, it is only good for blowing up whole planets, so its military value is nil if the enemy happens to be on the same planet as the owner...
Quote from: aquanaut99 on 12/30/2012 06:59 pmErm, and what exactly would the US govt DO with this Death Star, once it is completed?Pulverize Earth-threatening astroids? Vaporize orbital debris? Cue space-based solar power fans...
Erm, and what exactly would the US govt DO with this Death Star, once it is completed?
The internet provides some of the best arguments against direct democracy as a form of government.
Quote from: joek on 12/30/2012 10:58 pmQuote from: aquanaut99 on 12/30/2012 06:59 pmErm, and what exactly would the US govt DO with this Death Star, once it is completed?Pulverize Earth-threatening astroids? Vaporize orbital debris? Cue space-based solar power fans...make really cool sci-fi movies?
Official White House Response to Secure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016.This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking ForBy Paul ShawcrossThe Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon. Here are a few reasons: * The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it. * The Administration does not support blowing up planets. * Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?However, look carefully (here's how) and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Moon, it's a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations. The Space Station has six astronauts -- American, Russian, and Canadian -- living in it right now, conducting research, learning how to live and work in space over long periods of time, routinely welcoming visiting spacecraft and repairing onboard garbage mashers, etc. We've also got two robot science labs -- one wielding a laser -- roving around Mars, looking at whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.Keep in mind, space is no longer just government-only. Private American companies, through NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office (C3PO), are ferrying cargo -- and soon, crew -- to space for NASA, and are pursuing human missions to the Moon this decade.Even though the United States doesn't have anything that can do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, we've got two spacecraft leaving the Solar System and we're building a probe that will fly to the exterior layers of the Sun. We are discovering hundreds of new planets in other star systems and building a much more powerful successor to the Hubble Space Telescope that will see back to the early days of the universe.We don't have a Death Star, but we do have floating robot assistants on the Space Station, a President who knows his way around a light saber and advanced (marshmallow) cannon, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is supporting research on building Luke's arm, floating droids, and quadruped walkers.We are living in the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field. The President has held the first-ever White House science fairs and Astronomy Night on the South Lawn because he knows these domains are critical to our country's future, and to ensuring the United States continues leading the world in doing big things.If you do pursue a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field, the Force will be with us! Remember, the Death Star's power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force.Paul Shawcross is Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget
However, look carefully (here's how) and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Moon, it's a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations.
Quote from: White House responseHowever, look carefully (here's how) and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Moon, it's a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations.However, look carefully and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Space Station, it's the Moon! Yes, we already have a giant moon larger than North America in orbit around the Earth that we should be exploring and learning how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations.cheers, Martin
How much to paint a big black line around its equator?
Quote from: KelvinZero on 01/12/2013 11:44 amHow much to paint a big black line around its equator?The hard part is getting a large enough asteroid to impact the northern hemiphere and make just the right-size crater.
“The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense,” writes Paul Shawcross, chief of the science and space branch of the White House’s budget office. But “the Administration does not support blowing up planets.”
Quote from: MP99 on 01/12/2013 07:03 amHowever, look carefully and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Space Station, it's the Moon! Yes, we already have a giant moon larger than North America in orbit around the Earth that we should be exploring and learning how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations.cheers, MartinIncidentally, that giant moon is considerably larger than both Death Star I and II (and without that famous fatal flaw). So instead of constructing such a huge object, why not just build a Superlaser directly on the Moon? It would fit the spirit (if not the letter) of the petition and still be much cheaper than $850 quadrillion... Of course, in order to begin construction, we'd actually have to go back to the moon first...
However, look carefully and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Space Station, it's the Moon! Yes, we already have a giant moon larger than North America in orbit around the Earth that we should be exploring and learning how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations.cheers, Martin