Opinion by Brian Carrillo – Editor-but-not-Chief of Super Speed Train, Los Angeles CA

I have always loved space travel and to this day, next to the study of super high speed trains and rail, I spend as much time considering the idea of life in outerspace and the possibity that we will someday prove this. When I heard about NASA launching JUNO a few  weeks ago - the new solar powered super high speed rocket designed to study Jupiters composistion and magnetosphere I could not help but wonder how much the project cost and how it compared to the cost of building a high speed train and rail network in the United States.

Juno is a NASA New Frontiers mission to the planet Jupiter. It was originally proposed at a cost of approximately US$700 million for a June 2009 launch. NASA budgetary restrictions resulted in postponement until August 2011 on board an Atlas V rocket in the 551 configuration. As of June 2011, the mission was projected to cost $1.1 billion over its life. Juno was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on August 5, 2011; after several delays, including a hold at T-4 minutes, the spacecraft launched at 12:25 p.m. EDT.

The spacecraft will be placed in a polar orbit to study the planet’s composition, gravity field, magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere. Juno will also search for clues about how Jupiter formed, including whether the planet has a rocky core, the amount of water present within the deep atmosphere, and how the mass is distributed within the planet. Juno will also study Jupiter’s deep winds, which can reach speeds of 600 kilometers per hour (370 mph).

Juno’s name comes from Greek and Roman mythology, in which the god Jupiter drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief, and his wife, the goddess Juno, was able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter’s true nature.

Granted, Americans have always loved space travel and exploration – I do as well – but at what expense and what cost to other key projects? is the return on investment in space travel any better then developing better high speed train systems and rail?

After reaching Jupiter in 2016 and orbiting our Solar System’s largest planet 33 times, the JUNO probe will de-orbit and destroy itself by crashing into the planet. Would a High speed train ever be designed to do that? Probably not. Yes we all love space and I am sure great science comes from these projects but how much and why don’t we hear the same amount of resistance to these Spaceships “to nowhere”.

I am not suggesting we should put our space exploration projects on hold – God no. I love space and look forward to what we may someday discover and uncover within the rocks and gasses of our solar system and deeper space. I am only asking, why not take some of the money and invest into something like high speed trains that will have a long lasting value and which will help elevate our countries transportation train and freight systems to the level of Japan, China and other Europeon countries.

Why “dis” high speed trains – we know what they can do and we know we need them at least in certain parts of our country? They can take people places faster and more efficiently. The construction of high speed rail networks and stations will also put many people to work before, during and after construction.

There are plenty of ways to save money and reduce our national debt – let’s not do it at the expense of High Speed Rail or High Speed Rocket Ships to “somewhere”.

Update: September 14, 2011

NASA unveils giant new rocket design:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The design for NASA’s newest behemoth of a rocket harkens back to the giant workhorse liquid rockets that propelled men to the moon. But this time the destinations will be much farther and the rocket even more powerful.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and several members of Congress joined Wednesday in unveiling the Obama administration’s much-delayed general plans for its rocket design, called the Space Launch System. The multibillion-dollar program will carry astronauts in a capsule on top and start test launching from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in six years.

“This is a great day for NASA, I think, for NASA and the nation,” Bolden said.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., called it “a monster rocket.” He said the holdup in presenting the design was so all the details would be in order, before the program was presented and defended by the administration…

Seem like NASA is still spending money on things other than things that matter today!

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