Re: NASA gets SGI 2048-core Itanium 2 supercomputer

On Nov 30, 3:14 am, JF Mezei <jfmezei.spam...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dr. Dweeb wrote:
[...snip...]

When Christopher Columbus set out, he was hoping to find a way to india
by going west. He didn't find what he was looking for. But he found
something totally unexpected.


I Agree. However, the same thing happened while preparing for Apollo.
Preparing to go to the moon led to development of better on-board
computer systems.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/docs/recommended_books.html#journey

What many anti-poverty groups viewed as a 25 billion dollar waste was
really the trigger event which kicked off the microcomputer and
internet businesses. (ps: Technological developments under NASA are
mandated to go into the public domain; Military developments are not
and tend to be locked away as defense secrets; so one type of
investment has an economic ROI while the other type of investment does
not)

Mankind is compelled to explore. From a kid wanting to take things
apart to see what is inside, or adults wanting to see new lands and
explore, it is a built-in need.

Going to other planets and possibly finding other life forms is not an
economic activity, it is a humankind activity. It is money spent to make
us feel good, give us a feeling that mankind is evolving positively and
possibly might find something terribly exciting. And even if we don't
going to mars and coming back will be quite the accomplishement.


I agree but see my previous comment. During the 1960s while planning
for Apollo, no one forsaw the invention of related technologies like
the microprocessor, etc.


Humans need challenges. Whether it is climbing everest, cycling across
australia or going to mars, it is a challenge.

Going to mars is a difficult challenge because we don't quite yet have
the technology to go there and must develop and test it. The space
station is one such test. In and by itself, the station isn't going to
yield any fanstastic discoveries, but it will teach us how to build a
long term vehicle, how to live in such etc etc. If your goal is to climb
everest, you will likely start by climbing smaller mountains to test
your equipment and know yoru capabilities.

Apollo (and the CEV/Constallation) will just be weekend camping trips to
the Moon. Humankind has been there, done that. Nothing new.


I'm not so sure I agree with this point of view. Mars missions are
only possible every 22 months which a rescue mission impossible. On
the flip side, the moon is only 3 days away so a rescue mission is
always possible. (We need to learn how to swim in a pool before we
attempt a lake crossing). Also, the moon offers so other interesting
possibilities. For example, apparently China has an eye on the moon's
supply of Helium-3.

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/10/chinas-new-moon.html

<quote>
Earlier this year, shortly after Russia claimed a vast portion of the
Arctic sea floor, accelerating an international race for the natural
resources as global warming opens polar access, China has announced
plans to map "every inch" of the surface of the Moon and exploit the
vast quantities of Helium-3 thought to lie buried in lunar rocks as
part of its ambitious space-exploration program.
</quote>

[...snip...]

NSR
.

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