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lupus
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# Posted: 19 Feb 2004 07:25
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The actor who plays the captain on TV's Star Trek has said he thinks resources spent on sending people into space should be used on "getting this place right first".
Patrick Stewart said Earth should be our focus rather than other planets.
"I'm a bit of a wet blanket when it comes to the whole business of space travel," he said in a BBC interview.
As commander of the USS Enterprise on the show, his character Captain Jean-Luc Picard is an avid space traveller.
In an interview with BBC World Service radio, Stewart said he backed unmanned missions such as Nasa's Mars rover Opportunity and the UK's Beagle 2 mission.
But he said he did not believe the human race was ready to begin thinking about beaming down on other planets.
"As I get older my unease at the time and the money that has to be spent on projects putting human beings back to the moon, and on to another planet, is so enormous," he said.
"And it would take up so many resources, which I personally feel should be directed at our own planet."
Interviewed by the World Update programme, he added: "Humankind has just not simply become sufficiently evolved to now leave this planet, take itself out to space and began establishing more of us out there.
"I would like to see us get this place right first before we have the arrogance to put significantly flawed civilisations out on to other planets - even though they may be utterly uninhabited."
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3455463.stm
he has a point.
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babel
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# Posted: 19 Feb 2004 07:35
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Hear hear Patrick!
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rianne
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2004 06:35
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*nods* He´s not totally wrong... actually, although I´m very much interested in space myself, I have to admit I think he´s right...
I really don´t want to imagine mankinds reaction to a first contact!
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rag451
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2004 13:12
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I don't think Earth will ever be perfect. Apollo 13's accident brought the world together under such trying circumstances. The Challenger and Columbia accidents both brought the world together. We've seen, very recently, Spirit, Opportunity, and the Beagle II Mars Rovers all provide the world with a rallying point. While I don't disagree with Patrick Stewart whatsoever, I feel that what he says shouldn't negate the possibility of manned space flight to the moon and to Mars. We can do both if we manage our funds, our countries, and ourselves better... 's just a matter of setting the right priorities.
Robert Griffith
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timmy_sielu
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# Posted: 23 Feb 2004 00:43
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Yeah I agree, Patrick does have a point though we should put Earth as a priority though we can never get it perfect! Though yeah if we stopped spending so much on wars we could probably do both!
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