3 ms·

It is possible that this reflects the wishes of the voters and their desire to moderate federal spending, especially expensive outlays such as Mars Sample Retur

It is possible that this reflects the wishes of the voters and their desire to moderate federal spending, especially expensive outlays such as Mars Sample Return. Perhaps NASA can collaborate with the China National Space Agency instead.

cozzyd 3y ago
I'm pretty sure very few voters, perhaps save a few nihilists, are in favor of continual congressional dysfunction.
- jmalicki 3y ago
  "Starve the beast" [0] is the very popular strategy among conservatives to force spending cuts through such dysfunction... it is quite a few nihilists who feel that way. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast
idiotsecant 3y ago
It's also possible that what you're saying is complete b.s. and that voters just want a government that can put their insane political brinkmanship on the shelf for a minute and pass a spending package that lets us pretend we have a fully functioning first world society. It's not possible to know, since we don't get to vote on it.
NortySpock 3y ago
Frankly, the Mars Sample Return concept sounded long on optimism and short on simple solutions. "Hope Perseverance is still around to hand over samples in 6 years" or "send helicopters to retrieve sample containers" seems like less like a plan and more like a wish. https://www.space.com/nasa-troubled-mars-sample-return-mission-scientists-upset https://www.space.com/nasa-troubled-mars-sample-return-missi... JAXA's MMX Phobos mission seems more appropriately scoped. Phobos might have a few pebbles kicked up from Mars https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_Moons_eXploration https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_Moons_eXploration JAXA estimated mission cost: $417 million NASA estimated mission cost: $8 billion? https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13144292 https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13144292

cozzyd 3y ago

I'm pretty sure very few voters, perhaps save a few nihilists, are in favor of continual congressional dysfunction.

jmalicki 3y ago
"Starve the beast" [0] is the very popular strategy among conservatives to force spending cuts through such dysfunction... it is quite a few nihilists who feel that way. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast

idiotsecant 3y ago

It's also possible that what you're saying is complete b.s. and that voters just want a government that can put their insane political brinkmanship on the shelf for a minute and pass a spending package that lets us pretend we have a fully functioning first world society. It's not possible to know, since we don't get to vote on it.

NortySpock 3y ago

Frankly, the Mars Sample Return concept sounded long on optimism and short on simple solutions. "Hope Perseverance is still around to hand over samples in 6 years" or "send helicopters to retrieve sample containers" seems like less like a plan and more like a wish. https://www.space.com/nasa-troubled-mars-sample-return-mission-scientists-upset https://www.space.com/nasa-troubled-mars-sample-return-missi... JAXA's MMX Phobos mission seems more appropriately scoped. Phobos might have a few pebbles kicked up from Mars https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_Moons_eXploration https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_Moons_eXploration JAXA estimated mission cost: $417 million NASA estimated mission cost: $8 billion? https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13144292 https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13144292