NASA's Curious Curiosity | by Kevin W. Smith, August 5, 2012

Source: kevinsmithshow.com

NASA's Curious Curiosity
by Kevin W. Smith

At a time when most of the planet is of the opinion that NASA is pretty much out of the space exploration business these days, the successful landing of the Curiosity rover is especially significant.  Of course, this mission was started long before the Obama Administration canceled most of NASA's plans for manned spaceflight.  That this mission escaped the axe is curious in and of itself.

It is curious because of statements made by NASA's Deputy Administrator, Lori B. Garver, on the live video feed as Curiosity was racing into its final phase before actually landing.  She was being interviewed on air and said that part of the Curiosity mission includes some crucial tests (like radiation measurements) to help NASA know how to protect "our astronauts" when they are sent there.  She also mentioned that the landing of something as large as Curiosity helps NASA prepare for landing astronauts on Mars.

Did they not get the memo?  Or were we misinformed by the media?  Is it not the case that NASA announced the cancellation of their planned missions to the moon and to Mars?  At least, that is what the public was told.  Is it not a fact that NASA does not now have the capability of launching astronauts into space and are hitchhiking with the Russians on Soyuz? So far as the public has been advised by the media, NASA is pretty much out of the manned space exploration business. 

Yes, they still have astronauts hitch hiking up to the ISS. Their work on the ISS is manned space science.  However, it is not manned space exploration.  They are in low Earth orbit circling the Earth again and again and again. 

Curiosity's mission is, according to Garver, tied to stepping up into a manned mission to Mars.  Is there a sort of manned space exploration undercurrent at NASA even though they have publicly canceled manned space exploration? 

It is interesting to note that even as they cancelled their manned missions to return to the moon and then on to Mars, they have continued to develop and talk about a new super-lift system to take astronauts "farther and faster than ever before".  So, when?  To where? It is somewhat heartening to hear that Curiosity is playing a role in preparing for manned exploration of Mars, but curiously confusing as well.  What do they know that they are not telling us?  What they have told us is both that the missions are cancelled, and that they are preparing for missions to Mars.  Yes, it's a curiosity indeed.