You Never Know?!
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Rob McCafferty" <rob_mccaffe...@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 7:54 PM
To: "E.P. Grondine" <epgrond...@yahoo.com>;
<meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Idle speculation on panspermia
I agree, at least in part.
Panspermia may not be the motivation to explore Europa and in truth, a
decent sub-surface examination of that world will require a far greater
commitment than $4Bn.
The NEO programme needs a far greater commitment, as does any programme to
counter such a threat that an NEO amy pose.
I suppose it's all a question of budget. I am angry at the money put in to
shoring up the banks that have put our economy on the verge of collapse,
particularly since they seem unrepentant and want to use the money we have
gifted them to return to earning more of the fat earnings they got before
the collapse.
The thought that the Constellation programme risks being shelved because
of the recent problems is abhorent. And in the UK we look at a terrible
situation for much of our future at the mercy of commerce.
As a child, I'd hoped that mankind would begin colonising the Solar
System. Thanks to recent events, I look like having ALL my dreams for the
future of humanity crushed. Not just for my lifetime but for the 2-3
generations to follow me. All because of the greed of a handful of people
who don't realise that a single rock from space could wipe out everything
they or their progeny could have.
And we seem powerless to do anything about it.
In 100Ma, some species will be wondering how we managed to end up extinct.
Rob McC
--- On Tue, 9/22/09, E.P. Grondine <epgrond...@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: E.P. Grondine <epgrond...@yahoo.com>
Subject: [meteorite-list] Idle speculation on panspermia
To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 12:30 AM
Hi all -
One of the reasons why panspermia etc. play such a role in
debate regards
some peoples' obsessions with manned flight to Mars, and
the problem of back-contamination.
Bottom line: we don't know. Other bottom line: it's not all
that important to know right now.
I read with frustration and anger reports of NASA proposing
to spend $4 billion on the question of life on Europa, while
spending as near $0 as they can get away with on finding the
next piece of space crud headed our way.
Could someone fire Weiler now? Tomorrow morning?
E.P.
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