30 Year Anniversary of Apollo 11: Was it worth it?

  Alpha Centauri Forums
  Non-SMAC related
  30 Year Anniversary of Apollo 11: Was it worth it?

profile | register | prefs | faq | search

Author Topic:   30 Year Anniversary of Apollo 11: Was it worth it?

SnowFire posted 06-18-99 01:40 PM ET
Actually, it won't be until July 20th, but details.
To answer my own question- yes! Dollar for dollar, that's been one of the most efficient programs ever done by our government and it's impact in making us a world power and advancing our economy have paid its expense many times over. Not to mention the scientific advancement, which surely counts for something.
The computers we're working on today wouldn't exist for 4 or 5 more years into the future from now, at least. Why? Because the Space Program required a huge amount of research into computers, and more importantly, miniaturization (to cram them into those tight capsules).
There's more I could say, but first, what do y'all think?
Hugo Rune posted 06-18-99 01:57 PM ET
Depends in what context. The real reason behind the Space Race was superpower prestige, and in that context it definately was. The moon landing marked the first great achievment in Space Race history that the americans had reached first- The USSR was ahead with everything else. First orbiting spacecraft, first living creature in space, first human in space, first spacewalk, first moon orbit, first unmanned moon landing, etc.
But the Moon Landing meant something different. For the first time, the americans were ahead. The USSR abandoned their moon landing program. The whole thing was, as had been the ICBM 15 years earlier, a symbol of which superpower was the strongest.
Trappist posted 06-18-99 02:59 PM ET
Yes. If only for the photos brought back from the moon's surface. Worth billions of anyone's money. Book me a ticket on the next flight.
OhWell posted 06-18-99 03:00 PM ET
Absolutely! I think that the major reason that there has been so much technological �progress� in the 20th century is a change in attitude. In the 19th century everyone knew that �man would never fly�. After the Wright brothers, the attitude shifted from �man cannot do X� to �well, maybe we can do X�. (Ok, so it wasn�t like that one event threw a switch and everyone changed, but it was part of a trend). After man went to the Moon it seemed like the attitude was now like �if we can go to the Moon, we can do anything�. I�ll admit that this is highly debatable, but it is how I �feel�.
To close this thread, click here (moderator or admin only).


Hop to:

Contact Us | Alpha Centauri Home

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.18
© Madrona Park, Inc., 1998.

Author	Topic: 30 Year Anniversary of Apollo 11: Was it worth it?
SnowFire	posted 06-18-99 01:40 PM ET Actually, it won't be until July 20th, but details. To answer my own question- yes! Dollar for dollar, that's been one of the most efficient programs ever done by our government and it's impact in making us a world power and advancing our economy have paid its expense many times over. Not to mention the scientific advancement, which surely counts for something. The computers we're working on today wouldn't exist for 4 or 5 more years into the future from now, at least. Why? Because the Space Program required a huge amount of research into computers, and more importantly, miniaturization (to cram them into those tight capsules). There's more I could say, but first, what do y'all think?
Hugo Rune	posted 06-18-99 01:57 PM ET Depends in what context. The real reason behind the Space Race was superpower prestige, and in that context it definately was. The moon landing marked the first great achievment in Space Race history that the americans had reached first- The USSR was ahead with everything else. First orbiting spacecraft, first living creature in space, first human in space, first spacewalk, first moon orbit, first unmanned moon landing, etc. But the Moon Landing meant something different. For the first time, the americans were ahead. The USSR abandoned their moon landing program. The whole thing was, as had been the ICBM 15 years earlier, a symbol of which superpower was the strongest.
Trappist	posted 06-18-99 02:59 PM ET Yes. If only for the photos brought back from the moon's surface. Worth billions of anyone's money. Book me a ticket on the next flight.
OhWell	posted 06-18-99 03:00 PM ET Absolutely! I think that the major reason that there has been so much technological �progress� in the 20th century is a change in attitude. In the 19th century everyone knew that �man would never fly�. After the Wright brothers, the attitude shifted from �man cannot do X� to �well, maybe we can do X�. (Ok, so it wasn�t like that one event threw a switch and everyone changed, but it was part of a trend). After man went to the Moon it seemed like the attitude was now like �if we can go to the Moon, we can do anything�. I�ll admit that this is highly debatable, but it is how I �feel�.