From: "Phil Payne" 

> Once we landed on the moon the goal that was set for nasa had been
attained.
> Nobody has set a new goal and a new goal date since then. This moon base
> mars thing is a joke, it's more of a hope than a goal. Did you notice the
> excitement when the public thought Bush was going to set a goal for nasa
> then he did nothing then a week or two later he announces the mars thing
> because his administration realized they failed to meet the public's
> expectations.

IMO the scientists have been doing very, very well indeed.

Goals have certainly been set and very seriously exceeded.

http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20061228a.html

Spirit and Opportunity are the greatest successes since the Voyagers -
themselves incredible achievements.  Even ancient Viking yielded unexpected
benefits.

But the rovers?  April 2004 for a three-month mission?  If the USA wants
something to be truly proud of ...

Keeping a small handful of carbon-based lifeforms alive against all odds
and at hideous expense in hard vacuum and high solar radiation levels with
a VAST public relations downside if things go wrong seems a complete waste
of time.  For me, Apollo 13 was the decisive mission.  Had they been three
robots, the answer would have been: "f*** it, crash them into the
moon".

It may be that we are not destined to go into space.  But our creations
will certainly go there, and within a couple of decades they will
comprehensively outperform us there, too.

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