why do we need astronauts?what do they do for us?
126414
They explore an environment vastly different than the one that we currently live in and perform experiments on many different ideas and substances in a different environment that lead to conclusions that wouldn't otherwise be found.  Many things exist today that we take for granted that were discovered or developed specifically for the space program.
98787
there is a wonderful website that answers all your questoins and even gives link to NASA, good luck space man\nhttp://spaceflight.nasa.gov/outreach/jobsinfo/astronaut.html
577686
India has already taken giant strides in space technology. It has launched communication and remote sensing satellites which are operational. It has built excellent infrastructure in terms of launch facilities,test facilities,Research development organizations and excellent academic institutions. It has helped other countries in all such operations. Although Indian astronauts have flown with NASA it has not yet put astronauts in space on its own. Projects are at hand in this regard. India's priorities today are development of rural areas in terms of employment education and health as also agricultural growth which has go to 4% from the existing Hindu growth of 2%.The other thrust area is to boost manufacturing growth to 12% from the current9%. Hence not much attention/resources are presently allocated to space.It is only a matter of time when the dreams of founding fathers of space technology in India Pundit Nehru and Vikram Sarabhai will fully bear fruition when Indian space project to put astronauts in space on its own will become a reality.
420595
What would be the point?  Getting all the equipment up there for such a shield would require far more mass and effort than just throwing up some extra metal that would absorb the radiations.\n\nThe only time astronauts are at any serious level of risk is during an EVA -- so if there's a major flare, all they need do is scuttle back inside and wait it out.  Their typical exposure is not much more than you'd get from a medical X-ray . . .
589920
For human beings to fly solo? :)\nIt may seen very science-fictiony but hopefully, one day we will create a backpack-like device which will allow us to individually fly here and there.\n\nOn the other end of the scale, humans have yet to discover what is at the VERY deep end of the dark oceans...and I'm sure that there are many creatures there we have not discovered yet.
203147
Have you seen the movie, Apollo 13?  There's a part in the movie where they have no instruments to use but they want to make sure they're going the right direct.  They end up saying, "how about we just keep the earth in our window. Would that keep us on course?" \n\nSame idea holds true for us.  If we keep God, and everything he's done for us including his son, in the middle of our life's "window" then we can more easily stay going in the right direction.  Now, in order to do this you have to know who God is, you have to know what all he has done for you, and you have to know his word.  Once you know the basis of these things, always strive to learn more. The more we learn, the more we love and appreciate and will WANT to keep God in the middle of our life's "window."
420881
the international space station currently has three crewmembers in it should be completed by 2010 with the last missions of the space shuttles. next nasa will go back to the moon by 2020 and plans to leave men their for extended periods of time. after that would come manned missions to mars and then to other planets and moons. we could colonize more of our solar system in the not too distant future, but eventually we will learn the secrets of interstellar travel. Then we can go to other, more earthlike planets across the galaxy and accross the universe. at that point we might even find some other intelligent life. that would be cool.\ngo to nasa.gov, orion is the program that will get us back to the moon and then to mars.
244153
Good question!\n\nA there are two groups of people with different points of views. I will try to overview both of them.\n\nFirst, there are the people that are promoting space travel as a tourist approach.  They are basically in it for the money.  A new gimic to get money from people is always around the corner.  There idea is not too weird however, because people looked at each new mode of transportation as a weird idea.  As people used the new mode of transportation from boats, to horse and buggy, to trains, to automobile, and to airplanes; each of these was improved to accomadate and make that particular mode better and safer.  So, although, there are people in it for the money it would have the benefit of making space travel safer and better as it develops.\n\nSecond there are those in the scientific point of view.  They feel it somehow cheapens and degrades their efforts for true space exporation.  They want money from the government and donators to help fund their projects into outer space to discover new things in space and on other planets.\n\nActually, we need both types of ideas and the people that feel that way.  To keep most people interested in space efforts all the attention possible must be give to the effort.  So any thing that brings attention to the efforts of space is usually a good thing!\n\nRemember that creativity comes in many forms and it is the end results that counts.  We need more people to grown up wanting to explore space and going into college after those courses that will help them to become scientists, idealist, pilots, ground personell, and so forth.\n\nSpace tourism may never become an everyday event, but it will sure help get some attention to the space programs of today.
441004
Show the logistics of building a space station. i.e. First you would have to get a few modules built, then stock the modules with what you would need to continue. Figure in you are only allow to carry a limited amount of weight every time the shuttle leaves Earth. What would you bring first, second, third, etc. Who would you need to have up there? A pilot of the shuttle, some mechanics, maybe a physician - when would you be able to add solar panels for power? You can make it as involved as you want to.
132846
You would generate a ship capable of providing a mini-ecosystem capable of sustaining a self-replicating crew.  Astronauts have kids who become astronauts down the ages until the destination is reached.  \n\nAs far as drive mechanism, currently NASA is working on finalizing an ION drive that gets stuff to its destination faster than our current thruster tech by propelling them at an increasing rate of acceleration.
37941
It depends on your goal. From your extended question it sounds as if we should be terra-farming extra solar planets. i'm not sure we'll be at that point in another 1000 years, even if we put our minds to it.\n\nOne could argue quite reasonably that our CURRENT space program hasnt achieved much. the space shuttle never accomplished a fraction of what it was designed to do. The space station just kinda goes around and around. \n\nTo type out the statement  "All our efforts so far has yielded no result" on your hyper-fast micro computer connected to a planetary data network is a bit short sighted. Nearly 50 years of space exploration has produced a wealth of technological advancements. \n\nYou also have a few billion years to worry about a place to go when the sun and earth die out. Maybe less for the earth, that's probably addressed in another question.
33080
No oxygen in space. Need to bring or make your own.\nNo gravity or very weak affects the human body in many ways, one big is it weakens ones bones(and muscles).
325524
no, i haven't been to space or around the world. then again, not many people have.\n\nit would be ok and all but just thinking about being out there not knowing "exactly" where you're headed. i'll pass. what if you run out of gas and your ship is stuck out there? what if you lose contact with humans on earth, how will you let them know that you need help??? but then again on the other hand, you are in space seeing everything with your own eyes. nah, i'll stick to seeing space through internet and through my dreams..i'm a lot safer in my bed dreaming...
622443
The Space Shuttle Transportation System is pretty much overkill. It was built when the idea of transporting large amounts of equipment supervised by a human crew was the conventional wisdom. Part of the idea was that we would be constructing orbiting space stations on a regular basis, with shuttle flights happening on an almost weekly basis.\n\nAlas, funding for the project got diverted to other government programmes, and what was left was milked  by a few major contractors. As a result, the shuttle system never lived up to its promise. Instead, we keep launching an oversized rocket that is overly complex and thus more prone to danger.\n\nUnfortunately, NASA hasn't been able to leave the paradigm that has been in place for thiry years. What is needed is to develop a new manned launch vehicle that is used almost exclusively for manned travel and leave the transportation of materials to unmanned rockets. A smaller manned vehicle can have a simpler system for re-entry than the current shuttle system. (Remember, Apollo 13, which was rock with an onboard explosion, still had a successful re-entry.)\n\nI remember both shuttle disasters. Twenty years ago, the shuttle was still in the public's imagination as we gathered to watch STS-41A go into space, only to see it explode about a minute after launch. When STS-107 had its disaster, probably very few of us even knew it has been in orbit for two weeks. The old system has lost the attention of our nation as the space programme stagnated. A fresh system needs to be designed and built soon, or it may be delayed to the point that the manned programme will just cease to exist.
456230
life needs not only oxygen but othere conditions as well. Life needs essentailly he fore of gravity for the proceses of life to be active .It is graiy tha keeps the sir balanket over the surfaxce oif he earth . But for that , the air would vanish into thin air ! - would anish into space . Water would not flow and our food would not go doen  our throat and would not even be able to defecate . aain the climate is also imporant . We hae go to be at a distncefrom the dun hat would be expose us to a ligh and heat that is cinsucive to the development of live and tolerable to life .ALL  he planets around the sun are not locaed at a sistance very conducive to the deelopmemt of life like us .and all of hem dfo not hav a gaviy  tha is suitable for the fuctioning of our system . We are not independent of our great mother earth. We will not survive in any planet which dose not hae an amospher  and gavity like the earth. Oxygen alone won't  help us live .Since the building blocks of all elemens ar the same - electron and proton - we would be able create oxyen in any planet by a suiable process that man would be able to create by manipulaing the numbver of electrons in the aoms of any subasance aailable in any pkanet . We do not hae to transfer oxygen anywhere . we can create oxygen from   whatever is available anywhere.
637805
That is why we should TERRAFORM MARS!!!\n\nAs a jumping point and practice for moving out into the stars!!!
2632
The suits protect astronauts from UV radiation (their visors and suits), but they do NOT protect them from the radiation you are refering to.\n\nAstronauts are exposed to radiation.  NASA does everything it can to minimize that exposure.  They limit the time spent outside the spacecraft.  They carefully monitor the Sun for radiation bursts.  They also track and measure the radiation trapped in the radiation belts (which is the biggest threat to the astronauts), and they time space walks to minimize that exposure.\n\nA space walk is a big risk for an astronaut.  Besides radiation, meteoroids are a threat as well.  It is quite a feat of bravery to make a space walk.