4 ms·

The public has no appetite for dead astronauts. It's simply not workable to be so cavalier with astronaut lives, even if the astronauts themselves are willing.

matt-attack 7y ago
Why does the public get an opinion on an individual’s life when they know the risks? To me that’s the height of hubris and is something that needs to get corrected if we’re to move forward.
- dmitriid 7y ago
  The public is horrified at astronauts' death, politicians listen to public opinion, politicians cut budgets to "dangerous missions". PR for space is a very tricky affair.
  - bananabreakfast 7y ago
    The public is horrified at whatever the news tells them to be horrified about. Government employees getting killed in Iraq happens often enough that it doesn't get clicks. Government employees getting killed in Space happens so infrequently that it will get tons of clicks. Simple journalism economics.
- hootbootscoot 7y ago
  the self-referential irony here is astounding, my fellow member of the public showing your opinion.
- CydeWeys 7y ago
  Because the public is paying for it.
rmdashrfstar 7y ago
That's why a private company can, should, and probably will be so cavalier to launch the willing astronauts.
ehnto 7y ago
I think you are right, but there is something wrong if we can't handle an astronaut or two for scientific progress yet are more than happy to throw bodies into the middle-east. So I question whether or not it matters what the public thinks in this area. Maybe they can just do the work without making it a spectacle. Then an astronaut dies, it makes news for a bit, and the distracted populace moves on in a week.
- afterburner 7y ago
  Manned space flight (especially to the moon) is a stunt. Much easier and less risky to sent robots. Used to be the goal of the stunt was to stand up to the Soviets. Now it would be for... what? Even less. Definitely not worth lives.
  - hootbootscoot 7y ago
    Surely a courageous stable genius like Trump will be the first to volunteer. I think that it would be a lovely use of taxpayer funds to pay for the journey there. I'm less inclined to fund his return voyage, but surely he can crowdfund that from his massive support base er cult. It's surely growing in size, what with his purges and all. (pro tip: purge AFTER you consolidate power and win the war.)
  - unethical_ban 7y ago
    This is a common recurring argument I see regarding human flight. You say it's worthless for humans to leave Earth. I believe, in the long term, it is critical. And I agree it is a bit of a "stunt" in that exploration has been a human endeavor for thousands of years. It inspires new generations of scientists, and ideally provides a sense of shared national/global pride.
    - afterburner 7y ago
      > You say it's worthless for humans to leave Earth Woah, I didn't say that. But I agree with the rest of your comment.
  - 7y ago
nnq 7y ago
...then you should be thankful that you finally have people in charge that don't give a f about "what the public has appetite for"! And you can count on new-media's collaboration to change their tastes! There's clear advantages to US's current political tendencies, at least play those advantages to the max while you still can, and use this to force & catalyze science and technology progress that will benefit the entire human race ...before political tides change again and progress on this becomes harder again. We all know that in human history "two wrongs CAN make a right" if the cards are well played.

matt-attack 7y ago

Why does the public get an opinion on an individual’s life when they know the risks? To me that’s the height of hubris and is something that needs to get corrected if we’re to move forward.

dmitriid 7y ago
The public is horrified at astronauts' death, politicians listen to public opinion, politicians cut budgets to "dangerous missions". PR for space is a very tricky affair.
- bananabreakfast 7y ago
  The public is horrified at whatever the news tells them to be horrified about. Government employees getting killed in Iraq happens often enough that it doesn't get clicks. Government employees getting killed in Space happens so infrequently that it will get tons of clicks. Simple journalism economics.
hootbootscoot 7y ago
the self-referential irony here is astounding, my fellow member of the public showing your opinion.
CydeWeys 7y ago
Because the public is paying for it.

rmdashrfstar 7y ago

That's why a private company can, should, and probably will be so cavalier to launch the willing astronauts.

ehnto 7y ago

I think you are right, but there is something wrong if we can't handle an astronaut or two for scientific progress yet are more than happy to throw bodies into the middle-east. So I question whether or not it matters what the public thinks in this area. Maybe they can just do the work without making it a spectacle. Then an astronaut dies, it makes news for a bit, and the distracted populace moves on in a week.

afterburner 7y ago
Manned space flight (especially to the moon) is a stunt. Much easier and less risky to sent robots. Used to be the goal of the stunt was to stand up to the Soviets. Now it would be for... what? Even less. Definitely not worth lives.
- hootbootscoot 7y ago
  Surely a courageous stable genius like Trump will be the first to volunteer. I think that it would be a lovely use of taxpayer funds to pay for the journey there. I'm less inclined to fund his return voyage, but surely he can crowdfund that from his massive support base er cult. It's surely growing in size, what with his purges and all. (pro tip: purge AFTER you consolidate power and win the war.)
- unethical_ban 7y ago
  This is a common recurring argument I see regarding human flight. You say it's worthless for humans to leave Earth. I believe, in the long term, it is critical. And I agree it is a bit of a "stunt" in that exploration has been a human endeavor for thousands of years. It inspires new generations of scientists, and ideally provides a sense of shared national/global pride.
  - afterburner 7y ago
    > You say it's worthless for humans to leave Earth Woah, I didn't say that. But I agree with the rest of your comment.
- 7y ago

nnq 7y ago

...then you should be thankful that you finally have people in charge that don't give a f about "what the public has appetite for"! And you can count on new-media's collaboration to change their tastes! There's clear advantages to US's current political tendencies, at least play those advantages to the max while you still can, and use this to force & catalyze science and technology progress that will benefit the entire human race ...before political tides change again and progress on this becomes harder again. We all know that in human history "two wrongs CAN make a right" if the cards are well played.