NASA is cutting its budget and cutting programs.\u00a0 In economic times like these it is not surprising.\u00a0 But I cannot help but wish we could do more solar system exploration.\u00a0 This is an area I have focused a lot of my effort on in my own research.\u00a0 NASA’s priorities are sometimes different than mine would be.\u00a0 I do not think that everything about solar system exploration should revolve around the search for life, or former life, on other planets or moons.\u00a0 So for instance in the several Mars missions of recent years, I’m more interested in Mars’ geology and its history whereas NASA is more interested in possible evidences of past life on Mars.<\/p>\n
NASA seems to think Mars and\u00a0Jupiter’s moon Europa are some of the most important science destinations in the solar system.\u00a0 Both of them have been the topic of speculation about life.\u00a0 In the discussions of possible life on other planets, it is never\u00a0admitted that there is no explanation for how life could arise on a planet that is ideally suited to life (our own planet).\u00a0 Scientists cannot explain how life could evolve from\u00a0chemicals on this planet or any other planet.\u00a0 Extraterrestrials are not going to be an\u00a0answer either,\u00a0though some might hope in that.\u00a0 Better to put hope in the God of the\u00a0Bible, who\u00a0has created for a purpose.\u00a0 He is the only possible First Cause of life.<\/p>\n
But where would I send new missions if\u00a0it were possible?\u00a0 I think there’s good reason to go back to our own Moon.\u00a0 There is a need to put newer technology to work in exploring the Moon.\u00a0 Some has been done but I think since several non-American nations\u00a0have plans to go to the Moon, the United States should make it a priority.\u00a0 Then I would also pick Mars for its geology, I’d also\u00a0pick Jupiter’s moon Ganymede (largest moon in our solar system), and Saturn’s moon Titan.\u00a0\u00a0I’m also interested in missions\u00a0to the asteroids (there\u00a0have been some and will be more soon).\u00a0 Mars has many interesting mysteries geologically and I suspect it will point to catastrophic processes.\u00a0 Ganymede has a\u00a0wide range of interesting geological structures and it is actually larger than the planet Mercury.\u00a0 It also is perhaps one of a few (or maybe the\u00a0only) moon in the solar system known to have a magnetic field.\u00a0 This is probably an indication of a young age (as in thousands not billions of years).\u00a0 Then Titan (Saturn’s moon with an atmosphere thicker than Earth) is very unique and interesting in its own ways.\u00a0 It’s thick atmosphere is largely Nitrogen and a mix of many organic compounds.\u00a0 There are issues scientists have with trying to explain how it could have methane left in its atmosphere after alleged billions of years of chemical reactions using it up.\u00a0 Carl Sagan actually did some research on Titan and scientists consider it a model of how they think Earth once was as Earth was forming.\u00a0 (I don’t believe this either.)<\/p>\n
Wayne Spencer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NASA is cutting its budget and cutting programs.\u00a0 In economic times like these it is not surprising.\u00a0 But I cannot help but wish we could do more solar system exploration.\u00a0 This is an area I have focused a lot of my effort on in my own research.\u00a0 NASA’s priorities are sometimes different than mine would … Continue reading Solar System Missions to Wish For<\/span>