Manned space flights: a giant leap too far?

Launching a new space strategy today, the Government announced a review of Margaret Thatcher's 1986 decision not to spend taxpayers' money on manned space missions. An expert working group has already given their backing to the idea, despite the huge cost.

But what do you think?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Comments

[Peter]

If the first flight could be one way, crewed by the whole of this wasteful and extravagant government - I'm all for it.

[PeterUK]

Could we have something more mundane? A functioning government,perhaps? Education ,Health and Immigration run properly? Control of the economy,reliable energy and food supplies?

[simon]

Whatever the potential of space it is unlikely to be unlocked by man but instead by machine. A man in space is populist nonsence and a waste of money but presumably this is part of some grubby public relations onslaught by Brown

[Christine Armstrong]

Why not spend the money - (has Gordon Brown secretly sold more gold and assets of this country?)
- on finding an alternative energy source that won't harm the planet? Then we won't need to abandon earth when we run out of air and oil.

[DickW]

The spin off benefits from the US space programme have spawned entire industries. Of course we should be much more active in this sector but the City will hate it.. They might have to cough up some investment for new companies.

[Jeremy Poynton]

We can't afford to run our schools properly, we can't afford the NHS, we can't afford pensions, we CAN afford to put someone into space.

Quite so. Alice in Spaceland

[E]

Another ridiculous suggestion from governments who would rather spend money on populist pipe-dreams than tackle the real challenges facing the UK and the world. Why spend billions of pounds trying to reach other planets when we cannot even save this one? It's shameful.

[Jim Wills]

The benefits and negatives of sending a British astronaut into space should be viewed against other priorities such as the environmental issues facing Britain. For example, the CO2 foot print of such a program should be considered. Infact all projects should be subjected to an environmental impact study. When the issue is fully presented the public should vote on the matter. Nothing should be left to MPs to decide as they always get it wrong due to their limited understanding of the publics needs and wants.

[l j stewart]

Will Britain finally drag itself out of the 19th century and start catching up with India and Japan ??
We must start looking forward and now back. As a 50 year old engineer, I doubt if I will ever see a Brit stand on the Moon, let alone Mars in my life time.

[Tim]

The great Victorians who ran the Empire would be ashamed that Britain was not taking part in the great adventure of the 21st century.

[Sisyphus]

It's a good idea. May I suggest a few politicians ti be the first passengers?