4 ms·

Would the US even fight? We've lost the shipbuilding race, auto race, drone race, without anyone in DC actually noticing. Most Americans don't even realize Ch

Would the US even fight? We've lost the shipbuilding race, auto race, drone race, without anyone in DC actually noticing. Most Americans don't even realize China has a manned space station. If China had a presence on the moon, would that wake up congress, or would they just put out a few tweets and go back to cultural dramatics?

estimator7292 11mo ago
Honestly I doubt it. Current government doesn't really have the ability to get their shit together and compete with anyone in any capacity. As much as usgov would love another reason to clutch pearls and shriek about China, we simply don't have the industry or resources to compete without a federal investment so massive that we wouldn't have any tax money left to give to the already ludicrously wealthy. And we can't have that. But really american industry has been so thoroughly gutted that we can't compete anymore. Everyone else builds everything better and cheaper than we can. If there's a new space race to be had, we've already lost.
- bpodgursky 11mo ago
  I actually think the US industry is perfectly capable of competing in the space race if given regulatory streamlining, long-term consistent goals, and relatively modest funding by congress. But none of those are going to happen. I mean SpaceX was delayed to do an environmental impact statement to check whether their rockets would land on whales in the gulf of mexico. Nobody's serious.
  - Alive-in-2025 11mo ago
    Potentially destroying a significant amount of higher level mammals in the ocean is a real issue. Spacex managed to built their launch facility right on top of a formerly protected area I think they'll be fine
  - jltsiren 11mo ago
    Free countries do not have long-term consistent goals, almost by definition. They have elections instead, in which citizens indirectly determine the national goals and priorities for the next few years.
wombatpm 11mo ago
Congress will notice when old politburo members start living on the moon base healthy for another 20 years
- mcculley 11mo ago
  Will they live longer on the moon? (Maybe you are just joking, but I wonder about the idea.) When I was a kid, it was a general assumption in science fiction that living in zero-G or low-G would provide health/longevity benefits. Our experience with the ISS shows that microgravity is bad for health (muscle atrophy, bone loss, vision problems). It is not clear that low gravity would be much different.
  - wombatpm 11mo ago
    I don’t know. I have the same background. But I would think lack of falls and pressure on your heart would be a positive. My mother-in-law went down hill quickly after 80 when she fell and broke her leg. I would assume it was a one way trip, and the trick would be getting to orbit while you could still survive liftoff

estimator7292 11mo ago

Honestly I doubt it. Current government doesn't really have the ability to get their shit together and compete with anyone in any capacity. As much as usgov would love another reason to clutch pearls and shriek about China, we simply don't have the industry or resources to compete without a federal investment so massive that we wouldn't have any tax money left to give to the already ludicrously wealthy. And we can't have that. But really american industry has been so thoroughly gutted that we can't compete anymore. Everyone else builds everything better and cheaper than we can. If there's a new space race to be had, we've already lost.

bpodgursky 11mo ago
I actually think the US industry is perfectly capable of competing in the space race if given regulatory streamlining, long-term consistent goals, and relatively modest funding by congress. But none of those are going to happen. I mean SpaceX was delayed to do an environmental impact statement to check whether their rockets would land on whales in the gulf of mexico. Nobody's serious.
- Alive-in-2025 11mo ago
  Potentially destroying a significant amount of higher level mammals in the ocean is a real issue. Spacex managed to built their launch facility right on top of a formerly protected area I think they'll be fine
- jltsiren 11mo ago
  Free countries do not have long-term consistent goals, almost by definition. They have elections instead, in which citizens indirectly determine the national goals and priorities for the next few years.

wombatpm 11mo ago

Congress will notice when old politburo members start living on the moon base healthy for another 20 years

mcculley 11mo ago
Will they live longer on the moon? (Maybe you are just joking, but I wonder about the idea.) When I was a kid, it was a general assumption in science fiction that living in zero-G or low-G would provide health/longevity benefits. Our experience with the ISS shows that microgravity is bad for health (muscle atrophy, bone loss, vision problems). It is not clear that low gravity would be much different.
- wombatpm 11mo ago
  I don’t know. I have the same background. But I would think lack of falls and pressure on your heart would be a positive. My mother-in-law went down hill quickly after 80 when she fell and broke her leg. I would assume it was a one way trip, and the trick would be getting to orbit while you could still survive liftoff