Mars Colonization AFF

Cross-x Space Affirmative
Lebowski
Space Affirmative
Space Affirmative....................................................................................................................................................................1
Inherency.................................................................................................................................................................................2
Plan..........................................................................................................................................................................................3
Space Race Adv. (1/3).............................................................................................................................................................4
Space Race Adv. (2/3).............................................................................................................................................................5
Space Race Adv. (3/3).............................................................................................................................................................6
Get off the Rock Adv. (1/3).....................................................................................................................................................7
Solvency (1/5).......................................................................................................................................................................10
Solvency (2/5).......................................................................................................................................................................11
Solvency (3/5).......................................................................................................................................................................12
Solvency (4/5).......................................................................................................................................................................13
Solvency (5/5).......................................................................................................................................................................14
**2AC Blocks**...................................................................................................................................................................15
Case OV 2AC (Inherency)....................................................................................................................................................16
Case OV 2AC (Space Race)..................................................................................................................................................17
Case OV 2AC (Get off the Rock)..........................................................................................................................................18
Case OV 2AC (Solvency).....................................................................................................................................................19
Case OV 2AC (Case Outweighs) .........................................................................................................................................20
**Case Ext.**........................................................................................................................................................................21
S&R Israel/Russia Uniqueness..............................................................................................................................................22
S&R Heg Link Ext................................................................................................................................................................23
S&R Econ Link Ext...............................................................................................................................................................24
Climate Change Inevitable Ext..............................................................................................................................................25
**AT: Disadvantages**.........................................................................................................................................................26
AT: Spending/Economy DA (1/3).........................................................................................................................................27
AT: Econ Decline = Cut Space Programs..............................................................................................................................29
**AT: Counterplans**...........................................................................................................................................................30
AT: Colonize X (Not Mars) CP.............................................................................................................................................31
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Inherency
Contention one is Inherency - (What’s happenin now dawg?)
A dwindling fund for NASA projects in the 2011 and 2012 budget makes a mission to Mars impossible.
Clive Cookson 3/18/11. “NASA’s trip to Mars is mission improbable”. URL: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/7ee442aa-4f6f-
11e0-8632-00144feab49a.html#axzz1H3WLeGIS. DA: 3/19/11. Clive is a board member at Financial Times, and holds a
First Class Honours degree at Oxford University.
Planetary scientists have issued their official wish list for unmanned space missions to explore the solar system over the next decade.
Top priority of the report from the US National Academy of Sciences is robotic exploration of Mars. The second mission on the list is a visit to
Jupiter’s icy moon Europa and its subsurface ocean – seen as one of the most promising environments in the solar system for supporting life. Third priority
would be a mission to investigate the interior structure, atmosphere and composition of the outer planet Uranus, one of the least understood large bodies in
the solar system. The 400-page report is the result of a thorough review of the options by 17 senior planetary scientists. It will carry great weight with its
sponsor, the US space agency Nasa. But whether it turns out to be a practical guide for Nasa to plan future missions – or a fantasy
list – depends on how much money the agency receives from the US Congress for space science. Latest signals from the
Washington budgetary process are not encouraging. The report was prepared on the basis of Nasa’s 2011 budget, which has
still not been enacted as a result of the Obama administration’s fiscal standoff with Congress. The proposed 2012 budget
gives considerably less money to space science. “Our recommendations are science-driven, and they offer a balanced mix of
missions – large, medium and small – that have the potential to greatly expand our knowledge of the solar system,” says Steven Squyres of Cornell
University, who chaired the academy’s review panel. “However, in these tough economic times, some difficult choices may have to be
made.” The report says that if Nasa does not have enough money to support its three big favoured missions, then one or
more of these should be delayed, scaled back or cancelled, so that the agency can continue to fund a steady stream of
smaller, less expensive missions. Candidates for these include returning a sample from a comet to earth, probing Saturn’s atmosphere, landing on
the surface of Venus, visiting more asteroids and putting a network of geophysical observatories on to the moon. The most expensive of the three top
priorities is the Jupiter Europa Orbiter, for which an independent estimate put the price at $4.7bn. Its cost needs to come down substantially, by reducing
the spacecraft’s capabilities and possibly getting the European Space Agency to contribute more, the review says. But the Planetary Society, a
leading lobby group for space science, fears that there will be no mission beyond Mars. “This is not just the loss of an
American flagship mission, it is a loss to planet Earth,” says Louis Friedman, the society’s former director.
2
Lebowski
Plan
Thus we offer the following plan: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase its exploration and
development of space by colonizing Mars in the order of robotic exploration and then humyn colonization using NASA.
3
Space Race Adv. (1/3)
Contention two is the space race –
1. China, Russia, and India will overthrow the US in space policy primacy in the status quo.
Amy Svitak 3/17/11. Svitak works for SPACE.com Inc, Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times, and Marine Corps
Times. “GOP Lawmakers Appeal for Manned Exploration Funds”. URL: http://www.spacenews.com/civil/110317gop-
lawmakers-appeal-for-manned-exploration-funds.html. DA: 3/19/11.
Two Republican lawmakers appealed to House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to spare NASA’s manned
space exploration programs from the budget axe next year while suggesting the agency’s roughly $1.6 billion request for climate-monitoring
initiatives is ripe for cuts. “The establishment of, and commitment to, human space exploration is critical to our country’s
national security and economy, and we respectfully ask that our Republican budget reflect this national priority,” Reps. Sandy
Adams (R-Fla.) and Pete Olson (R-Texas) said in a March 17 letter to Ryan, whose job as budget chief is to establish top-level spending allocations for the
coming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Adams and Olson, who represent states with a stake in NASA’s manned spaceflight program, said the current fiscal
situation is forcing hard choices as members of the GOP-led House seek to curb discretionary spending at federal agencies. “To be clear, we believe that
NASA’s budget can be reduced,” the lawmakers wrote, urging Ryan to take aim at climate-monitoring programs poised for a funding boost over the next
five years under the $18.72 billion budget blueprint U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled Feb. 14. “Within the NASA budget specifically, we believe
there is an opportunity to cut funding within the Earth Science account where an overabundance of climate change research is being conducted.” The
members lauded America’s history of global leadership in space exploration but criticized Obama for what they said was
undermining the nation’s leadership in space exploration. Obama’s plan also supports commercial astronaut transportation services and space
technology development over deep space exploration systems favored by Congress.“…[O]nce again, the Obama Administration’s budget
willingly cedes that leadership to China, Russia and India — countries that understand the importance of human space
exploration,” the letter states. “We cannot continue to accept this administration’s assault on American exceptionalism and
world leadership.”
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Lebowski

2. With the cancellation of the “Discovery”, there is an imminent defeat in the space race. And challenging space
missions are the key pivotal point of world leadership.
William R. Hawkins 3/7. Hawkins is a consultant specializing in international economic and national security issues. He is
a former economics professor and Republican Congressional staff member. “Forfeiting US Leadership in Space”. URL:
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.8906/pub_detail.asp. DA: 3/26/11.
The space shuttle "Discovery" is scheduled to complete its 13 day supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 9.
It is the 135th space shuttle mission since the "Columbia" first lifted off on April 12, 1981. There are only two missions left in the program,
one in April for the "Endeavor" and one in June for "Atlantis." The shuttles will have flown for over 30 years, during which time it should
have been expected that a replacement system would have been developed. But it has not been. Even the loss of "Challenger" in 1986 and "Columbia" in
2005 did not spark action. When the shuttles are retired this summer, there is nothing to replace them; indeed, there is not even
anything close to being ready. Presidents George W. Bush (2003) and Barack Obama (2010) cancelled shuttle replacement programs.
The great lead that the United States has enjoyed in space since the first Moon landing on July 20, 1969 has been thrown away due
to a lack of imagination in Washington. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has put out its 2011 Strategic Plan. Its first goal
is to "extend and sustain human activities across the solar system." As the lead civilization of the current era, it is America's duty to
advance human achievement. Yet, there is very little in the NASA plan or budget to fulfill this noble goal. The NASA plan relies
first and foremost on "expanding efforts to utilize the ISS as a National Laboratory for scientific, technological, diplomatic, and educational purposes and
for supporting future objectives in human space exploration." But without the shuttle or a replacement space vehicle, the U.S. will be
dependent on the Russians for access to the ISS. Yes, the Russians, who lost both the Space Race and the Cold War in the
last century, are now poised to control the ISS. The Russians, it should be remembered, were invited into the ISS because the U.S., even though
it was the richest nation on the planet and the world's most advanced scientific state, was looking for other countries to put up money for the ISS to
lighten its own "burden." It would be hard to find a better example of the old adage "penny wise, but pound foolish." NASA notes the danger. Its strategic
plan has as a goal "reducing the risk of relying exclusively on foreign crew transport capabilities." But the road to that goal will be a
long one. The report talks about creating" architectures" that will then lead to a "roadmap for affordable and sustainable human space exploration." So
after 30 years of relying on shuttles that were designed in the 1970s, NASA is back to square one. NASA knows, "The core elements to a successful
implementation are a space launch system and a multipurpose crew vehicle to serve as our national capability to conduct advanced missions beyond low
Earth orbit. Developing this combined system will enable us to reach cislunar space, near-Earth asteroids, Mars, and other celestial bodies." Tragically,
no one higher up in Washington, either at the White House or in Congress, has cared enough about the nation's future in
space to do anything about funding such a project. As long as there are still satellites that can beam down episodes of "American Idol" to a nation of
couch potatoes, who cares about achieving anything more? NASA is one of the few government programs than actually deserves to be called an
investment. Its 2012 request of $18 billion is only 0.4 percent of a $3.7 trillion Federal budget. The bailout money given to
the AIG insurance company would have funded NASA for a decade. Yet, the technology the space program has generated for
society has rewarded taxpayers many times over. And developing new generations of scientific breakthroughs will continue to be a major
strategic goal of the program. NASA's role extends beyond the agency's own work. It has served as a stimulus for education and industry.
It's 2011 report states, "One of NASA's top strategic goals is to Inspire students to be our future scientists, engineers,
explorers, and educators through interactions with NASA’s people, missions, research, and facilities." At a time when the
performance of American students in math and science has fallen behind that of most of the world, there needs to be a new
push to stimulate the public imagination and to provide rewarding careers for a new generation of innovative thinkers. But
with NASA doing less in space, from where is the inspiration to come? Designing more video games?The NASA report raises
concerns about how to keep even its current high-skilled workforce employed, noting. "The retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011 is
ushering in a transition period for the Nation’s human space flight workforce." New programs, such as "development of a
heavy-lift rocket and crew capsule to carry explorers beyond Earth’s orbit, including a mission to an asteroid next decade"
are supposed to provide some jobs, but not enough. Shifting work to "green technology" and the study of "global warming" will not lead
to new adventures in manned space exploration. Meanwhile, China is positioning itself to lead humankind' further into space. The state
news agency Xinhua reported Friday, "The world's largest design, production and testing base for rockets is being built in
Tianjin" as part of China's expanding space program. Twenty of the 22 plants have been completed, and some of are ready
for operation. The base is designed to meet China's growing demand for space technology for the next thirty years. By
integrating the industrial chain, the base will be able to produce the whole spectrum of rockets for China's lunar missions, its own space station and other
ambitious projects according to Liang Xiaohong, deputy head of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. China is still behind the United States,
having only sent its first multi-man orbital mission aloft in 2008, but it has big ideas. Beijing plans 20 space missions this year, and wants to land an
unmanned vehicle on the Moon in 2013. China sent a spacecraft to orbit the Moon last October. The stirring vision of giant space stations, commercial
shuttle flights and extensive moon bases given to the public in the classic 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey has become a sad testimony to three decades of
lost American opportunities. I have seen this once great American spirit of adventure reborn in China. I have been amazed (and alarmed) by displays of
5
Chinese plans to build bases on the Moon, then move farther into the solar system. I grew up in a confident America animated by futuristic thinking, but
that drive has faded. Beijing is now the home of energy and ambition. What happens in space is not divorced from what happens on Earth.
Though clearly helpful to military space projects, NASA is charted as a civilian organization in line with idealist notions about the heavens being a clean
slate free of power politics. There are no such illusions in China. Beijing's manned-space program is placed under the General Armament Department
within the Ministry of Defense. The Long March rockets used for space launches are similar in design to China's nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic
missiles. More important, is the spirit demonstrated in the space effort. History has not been kind to nations that stagnate in
the face of a rising competitor. The desire to succeed is the most important element in any strategy. The NASA strategic plan
claims, "Humanity’s interest in the heavens has been universal and enduring. Humans are driven to explore the unknown,
discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. NASA is tasked with
developing the capabilities that will support our country’s long-term human space flight and exploration efforts." But where is
the higher national leadership with the vision to back these efforts? The frontier spirit that built America has waned. Both political parties are
too busy looking at the mud around their feet to look up at the sky. So much for the "giant leap for mankind" so bravely stated over 40
years ago. But what can be expected in a country where Buzz Aldrin, who with Neil Armstrong were the first men to walk on the Moon, ends up on
"Dancing with the Stars" performing for an audience most of whom had never heard of him. Nothing could better portray the decline of
American civilization.
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Lebowski

3. The loss of US primacy is the root cause of major power and nuclear wars.
Stephen M. Walt 2. Walt has received a PhD in political science at the University of California; and also did undergrad
studies at Stanford University. “American primacy: its prospects and pitfalls.(prominence of United States in economic,
international affairs).” URL: http://find.galegroup.com/gps/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-
Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28ke
%2CNone%2C16%29American+primacy%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28AC%2CNone%2C8%29fulltext
%24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=BasicSearchForm&tabID=T002&prodI
d=IPS&searchId=R2&currentPosition=11&userGroupName=lom_birminghps&docId=A88174226&docType=IAC&
contentSet=IAC-Documents. DA: 3/24/11.
A second consequence of U.S. primacy is a decreased danger of great-power rivalry and a higher level of overall
international tranquility. Ironically, those who argue that primacy is no longer important, because the danger of war is slight,
overlook the fact that the extent of American primacy is one of the main reasons why the risk of great-power war is as low
as it is. For most of the past four centuries, relations among the major powers have been intensely competitive, often
punctuated by major wars and occasionally by all-out struggles for hegemony. In the first half of the twentieth century, for
example, great-power wars killed over eighty million people. Today, however, the dominant position of the United States
places significant limits on the possibility of great-power competition, for at least two reasons. One reason is that because the
United States is currently so far ahead, other major powers are not inclined to challenge its dominant position. Not only is there no possibility of a
"hegemonic war" (because there is no potential hegemon to mount a challenge), but the risk of war via miscalculation is reduced by the
overwhelming gap between the United States and the other major powers. Miscalculation is more likely to lead to war when
the balance of power is fairly even, because in this situation both sides can convince themselves that they might be able to
win. When the balance of power is heavily skewed, however, the leading state does not need to go to war and weaker states dare not try. (8) The second
reason is that the continued deployment of roughly two hundred thousand troops in Europe and in Asia provides a further barrier to conflict in each region.
So long as U.S. troops are committed abroad, regional powers know that launching a war is likely to lead to a confrontation with the United States. Thus,
states within these regions do not worry as much about each other, because the U.S. presence effectively prevents regional conflicts from breaking out.
What Joseph Joffe has termed the "American pacifier" is not the only barrier to conflict in Europe and Asia, but it is an important one. This tranquilizing
effect is not lost on America's allies in Europe and Asia. They resent U.S. dominance and dislike playing host to American troops, but they also do not want
"Uncle Sam" to leave. (9) Thus, U.S. primacy is of benefit to the United States, and to other countries as well, because it
dampens the overall level of international insecurity.
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Get off the Rock Adv. (1/3)
Contention three is to Get off the Rock –
First, the effects of global warming and climate change are inevitable
UCAR 05. UCAR stands for University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. “Climate Change Inevitable in 21st
Century Sea Level Rise to Outpace Temperature Increase”. URL:
http://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2005/change.shtml. DA: 3/20/11.
Even if all greenhouse gases had been stabilized in the year 2000, we would still be committed to a warmer Earth and
greater sea level rise in the present century, according to a new study by a team of climate modelers at the National Center for Atmospheric
Research (NCAR). The findings are published in this week's issue of the journal Science. The modeling study quantifies the relative rates of
sea level rise and global temperature increase that we are already committed to in the 21st century. Even if no more
greenhouse gases were added to the atmosphere, globally averaged surface air temperatures would rise about a half degree Celsius
(one degree Fahrenheit) and global sea levels would rise another 11 centimeters (4 inches) from thermal expansion alone by 2100. “Many
people don’t realize we are committed right now to a significant amount of global warming and sea level rise because of the
greenhouse gases we have already put into the atmosphere,” says lead author Gerald Meehl. “Even if we stabilize greenhouse gas
concentrations, the climate will continue to warm, and there will be proportionately even more sea level rise. The longer we
wait, the more climate change we are committed to in the future.”
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Lebowski

Second, global climate is the key internal link for multiple scenarios of extinction
National Voter 08. National voter is a quarterly magazine that discusses governmental politics. DA: 3/20/11. URL:
http://find.galegroup.com/gps/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale
%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C14%29global+warming%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28TX
%2CNone%2C15%29extinction+risk%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28TX%2CNone%2C16%29%22Climate+Change
%22%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28AC%2CNone%2C8%29fulltext
%24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=BasicSearchForm&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&
searchId=R3&currentPosition=7&userGroupName=lom_birminghps&docId=A187505769&docType=IAC&contentSet=IA
C-Documents. “Climate Change”.
Global climate change poses a major threat to public health, the environment, and U.S. and world economies. We already face
increasingly severe heat waves and droughts, intensifying hurricanes and floods, disappearing glaciers, and more wildfires.
If left unchecked, the effects could be catastrophic: millions of people displaced as rising sea levels flood coastal areas; many
regions devastated by reduced crop yields and shortages of drinking water; human health threatened by malaria and other
diseases; and numerous plant and animal species at risk of extinction. Climate change is happening now. According to the
World Meteorological Organization, the decade from 1998 to 2007 was the warmest on record. In addition, 2007 ranked among the
warmest seven years since record-keeping began in the mid-1800s. The other six warmest years all fell within the 1998-2007 period. Warmer
temperatures already are having alarming effects. Summer sea ice is disappearing in the Arctic; mountain glaciers are
retreating around the world; many species of plants and animals are responding to earlier spring warming; and climate change is taking
some species to the brink of extinction. Recent increases in the strength of tropical hurricanes have been linked to a rise in
ocean temperatures caused by global warming. Climate change is caused by human activity. There is no longer any doubt about it: Human
activities are the primary causes of global climate change. Burning fossil fuels--chiefly coal and oil--in our power plants, cars and trucks, and elsewhere
produces carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]), which works like a blanket to trap the sun's heat in the Earth's atmosphere, creating an enhanced greenhouse effect.
Other human sources of "greenhouse gases" (GHGs) include deforestation, agriculture and industrial processes. In its latest Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, the
World Meteorological Organization states that average global concentrations of the three main GHGs--carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide--reached
new highs in 2006. Compared to pre-industrial levels, C[O.sub.2] levels in the atmosphere have surged by 36 percent. Scientists say current levels of
atmospheric C[O.sub.2] are unprecedented in human history. Climate change will get worse. In the absence of substantial reductions in worldwide
emissions of C[O.sub.2] and other GHGs, climate change will accelerate in the decades to come. The Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change projects that global temperatures will increase between 2.0[degrees] and 11.5[degrees] F by 2100. Sea levels will rise by 1-1.5
feet or more. In addition, there's a 90 percent or greater chance that the world will see more extreme weather, heat waves and
heavy precipitation events, more droughts and more intense hurricanes. (1) Developing countries, which lack the resources
needed to protect their residents and their economies, will be among the hardest hit by the effects of catastrophic climate
change. What's in It for Us: Everyone on Earth is affected by climate change in multiple ways: Climate change affects our health and
safety. Heat waves and extreme temperatures pose obvious health risks to all people, especially the elderly and those living in poverty. Scientists also
say climate change will accelerate the spread of infectious disease and pose serious threats to food and water supplies, while
increasing the threat to humans from wildfires, hurricanes and other severe-weather events. Climate change affects
our security. A June 2008 report by the National Intelligence Council documented how increased temperatures,
changes in rainfall, rising sea levels and other changes could threaten U.S. security in the next 20 years. Among the
potential problems: political instability, mass movements of refugees, and conflicts over water and other resources.
Addressing climate change in a serious way also will reduce the United States' reliance on oil from unstable regions of the world. Climate change
affects our wallets. Numerous studies have shown that the costs of not addressing climate change (from increased
emergency room admissions to food and crop losses, lost infrastructure, and increased storm and flood cleanup) will
be considerably higher than the costs of reducing emissions.
9
Third will be the impacts
A. Resource wars lead to nuclear war, ending in extinction.

Frosty Wooldridge 09. Wooldridge is an American journalist, writer, environmentalist, traveler, figure in the anti-
illegal immigration movement in the United States, and works for the examiner. “America galloping toward its
greatest crisis in the 21st century”. URL: http://www.examiner.com/immigration-reform-in-denver/america-galloping-
toward-its-greatest-crisis-the-21st-century. DA: 3/20/11.
It is clear that most politicians and most citizens do not recognize that returning to “more of the same” is a recipe for promoting the first collapse of a
global civilization. The required changes in energy technology, which would benefit not only the environment but also national
security, public health, and the economy, would demand a World War II type mobilization -- and even that might not prevent
a global climate disaster. Without transitioning away from use of fossil fuels, humanity will move further into an era of resource wars
(remember, Africom has been added to the Pentagon’s structure -- and China has noticed), clearly with intent to protect US “interests” in petroleum
reserves. The consequences of more resource wars, many likely triggered over water supplies stressed by climate disruption,
are likely to include increased unrest in poor nations, a proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, widening inequity within and
between nations, and in the worst (and not unlikely) case, a nuclear war ending civilization.
B. Disease leads to extinction

South China Morning Post 96. Avi Mensa. “Leading the way to a cure for AIDS”.
Despite the importance of the discovery of the "facilitating" cell, it is not what Dr Ben-Abraham wants to talk about. There is a much more pressing
medical crisis at hand - one he believes the world must be alerted to: the possibility of a virus deadlier than HIV. If this makes Dr Ben-Abraham sound like
a prophet of doom, then he makes no apology for it. AIDS, the Ebola outbreak which killed more than 100 people in Africa last year, the flu epidemic that
has now affected 200,000 in the former Soviet Union - they are all, according to Dr Ben-Abraham, the "tip of the iceberg". Two decades of intensive
study and research in the field of virology have convinced him of one thing: in place of natural and man-made disasters or
nuclear warfare, humanity could face extinction because of a single virus, deadlier than HIV. "An airborne virus is a lively,
complex and dangerous organism," he said. "It can come from a rare animal or from anywhere and can mutate constantly. If
there is no cure, it affects one person and then there is a chain reaction and it is unstoppable. It is a tragedy waiting to happen."That
may sound like a far-fetched plot for a Hollywood film, but Dr Ben -Abraham said history has already proven his theory. Fifteen years ago, few could
have predicted the impact of AIDS on the world. Ebola has had sporadic outbreaks over the past 20 years and the only way the deadly virus -
which turns internal organs into liquid - could be contained was because it was killed before it had a chance to spread. Imagine, he says, if it was closer to
home: an outbreak of that scale in London, New York or Hong Kong. It could happen anytime in the next 20 years - theoretically, it could happen
tomorrow. The shock of the AIDS epidemic has prompted virus experts to admit "that something new is indeed happening
and that the threat of a deadly viral outbreak is imminent", said Joshua Lederberg of the Rockefeller University in New York, at a recent
conference. He added that the problem was "very serious and is getting worse". Dr Ben-Abraham said: "Nature isn't benign. The survival of the human
species is not a preordained evolutionary programme. Abundant sources of genetic variation exist for viruses to learn how to mutate
and evade the immune system." He cites the 1968 Hong Kong flu outbreak as an example of how viruses have outsmarted human intelligence. And
as new "mega-cities" are being developed in the Third World and rainforests are destroyed, disease-carrying animals and
insects are forced into areas of human habitation. "This raises the very real possibility that lethal, mysterious viruses would,
for the first time, infect humanity at a large scale and imperil the survival of the human race," he said.
And, even if climate change doesn’t kill us, staying on Earth inevitably leads to extinction
Dirk Schulze-Makuch 10. Dirk is an Associate professor of geology and astrobiology at Washington State University.
“To Boldly Go: A One-Way Human Mission to Mars”. URL: http://www.abadss.com/forum/1125-universe-
space/157531-journal-cosmology.html. DA: 3/22/11.
There are several reasons that motivate the establishment of a permanent Mars colony. We are a vulnerable species
living in a part of the galaxy where cosmic events such as major asteroid and comet impacts and supernova
explosions pose a significant threat to life on Earth, especially to human life. There are also more immediate threats
to our culture, if not our survival as a species. These include global pandemics, nuclear or biological warfare, runaway
global warming, sudden ecological collapse and supervolcanoes.
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Lebowski
Solvency (1/5)
The last contention is Solvency –
1. Colonization of other inhabitable planets like Mars solves for an inevitable human extinction. The initiative to
leave NOW prevents any econ impact by stimulating the private sector.
Casey Kazan 10. Kazan was educated at Harvard University and currently owns Galaxy.com, a reputable website. “Is
Colonizing Mars an Imperative? Obama's New Space Strategy Says "Yes"”. URL:
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2010/02/s-colonizing-space-an-imperative-obamas-new-space-strategy-says-yes-
lays-groundwork-for-human-space-.html. DA: 3/21/11.
Obama is sensibly ceding space flight development to the private sector, with new ventures such as SpaceX who will be will
be ferrying astronauts to the ISS, and other aerospace companies who are very close to launching humans into orbit. So the
government would be partnering with private industry to send astronauts to space. Buzz Aldrin, often an outspoken critic of the
space program, said: "I also believe the steps we will be taking following the President's direction will best position NASA and other
space agencies to send humans to Mars and other exciting destinations as quickly as possible. To do that, we will need to support
many types of game-changing technologies NASA and its partners will be developing." Hawking said that any long-term site for a human base should have
a significant gravity field, because long missions in microgravity lead to health issues such as bone loss. Hawking favors human space exploration, rather
than just sending robots to explore space, a position taken by Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg, among others. Eventually, Hawking said, humanity should
try to expand to Earth-like planets around other stars. If only 1% of the 1000 or so stars within 30 light years of Earth has an Earth-size planet at the right
distance from its star for liquid water to exist, that would make for 10 such planets in our solar system's neighbourhood, he said. "We cannot envision
visiting them with current technology, but we should make interstellar travel a long-term aim," he said. "By long term, I mean over the next 200 to 500
years." Humanity can afford to battle earthly problems like climate change and still have plenty of resources left over for colonizing space, he said. "Even
if we were to increase the international [space exploration] budget 20 times to make a serious effort to go into space, it
would only be a small fraction of world GDP," he said. GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, is a measure of a country's economic activity.
Hawking believes that traveling into space is the only way humans will be able to survive in the long-term. "Life on Earth,"
Hawking has said, "is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a
genetically engineered virus or other dangers ... I think the human race has no future if it doesn't go into space." The problems
with Hawking’s solution is that while it may save a “seed” of human life- a few lucky specimens- it won’t save Earth’s inhabitants. The majority of
Earthlings would surely be left behind on a planet increasingly unfit for life. Hawking argued that the world can afford 0.25% of its
collective GDP to devote to space colonization. "Isn't our future worth a quarter of a percent?"
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Solvency (2/5)
2. Going to Mars now would solve for our Resource impact scenario.
“To Boldly Go: A One-Way Human Mission to Mars”. URL: http://www.abadss.com/forum/1125-universe-space/157531-
journal-cosmology.html. DA: 3/22/11.
The first colonists to Mars wouldn’t go in "cold." Robotic probes sent on ahead would establish necessities such as an
energy source (such as a small nuclear reactor augmented by solar panels), enough food for two years, the basics for creating home-
grown agriculture, one or more rover vehicles and a tool-kit for carrying out essential engineering and maintenance work. In addition, the
scientific equipment needed for the colonists to do important research work should be part of the preceding unmanned
mission. All this equipment could easily be put into place using current technology before the astronauts set out. The first
human contingent would rely heavily on resources that can be produced from Mars such as water, nutrients, and shelter (such as in form of
lava tube caves). They also would be continuously resupplied from Earth with necessities that could not be produced from the resources available on Mars.
This semi-autonomous phase might last for decades, perhaps even centuries before the size and sophistication of the Mars colony enabled it to be self-
sustaining. The first human contingent would consist of a crew of four, ideally (and if the budget permits) distributed between two two-man space craft to
allow for some mission redundancy such as in the Viking mission or for the Mars Exploration Rovers. Also, if any technical malfunction occurs on one
space craft, the other craft could come to the rescue. Further, any critical part of equipment after landing would be available in duplicate in case of an
emergency. A one-way human mission to Mars would not be a one-time commitment as was the case with the Apollo program. More than 40 years after the
last Apollo mission, no human has set foot on a planetary body beyond Earth. Such a hiatus cannot be afforded if humanity is to commit to a grander vision
of space exploration (Davies and Schulze-Makuch 2008; Schulze-Makuch and Irwin 2008). No base on the Moon is needed to launch a one-
way human mission to Mars. Given the broad variety of resources available on Mars, the long-term survival of the first
colonists is much more feasible than it would be on the Moon.
3. Mars colonization IS possible, it’s technologically feasible, become efficient in harvesting and utilizing
necessitated resources and keep costs low.
A human mission to Mars is technologically feasible, but hugely expensive requiring enormous financial and political commitments. A
creative solution to this dilemma would be a one-way human mission to Mars in place of the manned return mission that
remains stuck on the drawing board. Our proposal would cut the costs several fold but ensure at the same time a continuous
commitment to the exploration of Mars in particular and space in general. It would also obviate the need for years of
rehabilitation for returning astronauts, which would not be an issue if the astronauts were to remain in the low-gravity
environment of Mars. We envision that Mars exploration would begin and proceed for a long time on the basis of outbound journeys only. A
mission to Mars could use some of the hardware that has been developed for the Moon program. One approach could be to send
four astronauts initially, two on each of two space craft, each with a lander and sufficient supplies, to stake a single outpost on Mars. A one-way
human mission to Mars would not be a fixed duration project as in the Apollo program, but the first step in establishing a
permanent human presence on the planet. The astronauts would be re-supplied on a periodic basis from Earth with basic
necessities, but otherwise would be expected to become increasingly proficient at harvesting and utilizing resources
available on Mars. Eventually the outpost would reach self-sufficiency, and then it could serve as a hub for a greatly
expanded colonization program. There are many reasons why a human colony on Mars is a desirable goal, scientifically and politically. The
strategy of one-way missions brings this goal within technological and financial feasibility. Nevertheless, to attain it would require
not only major international cooperation, but a return to the exploration spirit and risk-taking ethos of the great period of Earth exploration, from Columbus
to Amundsen, but which has nowadays been replaced with a culture of safety and political correctness.
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4. We have the technology and the resources now. (The one way trip to Mars avoids their
spending impacts)
Nicholas K. Geranios 10. Nick works for the Associated Press and is an intelligence officer in Seattle. “Scientists
propose one-way trips to Mars”. URL:
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2010/11/15/scientists_propose_one_way_trips_to_mars/?
p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed6. DA: 3/26/11.
It's usually cheaper to fly one way, even to Mars. Two

scientists are suggesting that colonization of the red planet could happen
faster and more economically if astronauts behaved like the first settlers to come to North America - not expecting to
go home. "The main point is to get Mars exploration moving," said Dirk Schulze-Makuch, a Washington State University professor who
co-authored an article that seriously proposes what sounds like a preposterous idea. At least one moonwalking astronaut was not impressed. "This is
premature," Ed Mitchell of Apollo 14 wrote in an email. "We aren't ready for this yet." Also cool to the idea was NASA. President Barack
Obama has already outlined a plan to go to Mars by the mid-2030s, but he never suggested these space travellers
wouldn't come home. "We want our people back," NASA spokesperson Michael Braukus said. The article titled To Boldly Go appears in the latest
issue of the Journal of Cosmology, which featured more than 50 articles and essays on Mars exploration. Schulze-Makuch and Paul Davies, a physicist at
Arizona State University, argue that humans must begin colonizing another planet as a hedge against a catastrophe on Earth. They believe the one-way trips
could start in two decades. "You would send a little bit older folks, around 60 or something like that," Schulze-Makuch said, bringing to mind the aging
heroes who saved the day in the movie Space Cowboys. That's because the mission would undoubtedly reduce a person's lifespan, from a lack of medical
care and exposure to radiation. Radiation could also damage reproductive organs, so sending people of child-bearing age is not a good idea, Schulze-
Makuch said. Mars is a six-month flight away, and it has surface gravity, a thin atmosphere, frozen water, carbon
dioxide and essential minerals. The two scientists propose the missions begin with two two-person teams, in separate ships that would serve as
living quarters on the planet. More colonists and regular supply ships would follow. The technology already exists, or is
within easy reach, they wrote. By not taking the extra fuel and provisions necessary for a return trip to Earth,
the mission could cut costs by 80 per cent. Davies and Schulze-Makuch say it's important to realize they're not proposing a "suicide
mission." "The astronauts would go to Mars with the intention of staying for the rest of their lives, as trailblazers of a
permanent human Mars colony," they wrote. They acknowledge the proposal is a tough sell for NASA, with its focus on safety, and
suggest the private sector might be more fertile ground. "What we would need is an eccentric billionaire," Schulze-Makuch said. "There
are people who have the money to put this into reality." Indeed, British tycoon Richard Branson, PayPal founder Elon Musk and
Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos are among the rich who are already involved in private space ventures.
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Solvency (4/5)
5. Using a water-powered spaceship, we avoid the resource impact (AND spending impacts)
Mike Wall 3/27/11. Mike is a senior writer for SPACE.com, has a PhD in evolutionary biology from University of Sydney,
Australia, and possesses a bachelor’s degree from Arizona University. “Water-Powered Spaceship Could Make Mars Trip on
the Cheap”. URL: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/25/water-powered-spaceship-make-mars-trip-cheap/. DA:
3/27/11.
Spaceships powered primarily by water could open up the solar system to exploration, making flights to Mars and other far-flung locales
far cheaper, a recent study has found. A journey to Mars and back in a water-fueled vehicle could cost as little as one space
shuttle launch costs today, researchers said. And the idea is to keep these "space coaches" in orbit between trips, so their relative
value would grow over time, as the vehicles reduce the need for expensive one-off missions that launch from Earth. The
water-powered space coach is just a concept at the moment, but it could become a reality soon enough, researchers said. [Video: Space
Engines: The New Generation] "It's really a systems integration challenge," said study lead author Brian McConnell, a software engineer and technology
entrepreneur. "The fundamental technology is already there." Space coach: The basics The space coach concept vehicle is water-
driven and water-centric, starting with its solar-powered electrothermal engines. These engines would super-heat water, and
the resulting steam would then be vented out of a nozzle, producing the necessary amount of thrust. Electrothermal engines are
very efficient, and they're well-suited for sustained, low-thrust travel, researchers said. This mode of propulsion would do the lion's share of
the work, pushing the space coach from Earth orbit to Mars. Smaller chemical rockets could be called into service from time to time when a
rapid change in velocity is needed, McConnell said. The space coach's living quarters would be composed of a series of interconnected
habitat modules. These would be expandable and made of fabric, researchers said — much like Bigelow Aerospace's inflatable modules,
which have already been deployed and tested in low-Earth orbit. Water would be a big part of the space coach's body, too, according to
the study. Packed along the habitat modules, it would provide good radiation shielding. It could also be incorporated into the fabric walls
themselves, freezing into a strong, rigid debris shield when the structure is exposed to the extreme cold of space. Rotating the craft could also
generate artificial gravity approximating that of Earth in certain parts of the ship, researchers said. Slashing the cost of space travel
The dependence on water as the chief propellant would make the space coach a relatively cheap vehicle to operate, researchers
said. That's partly because electrothermal engines are so efficient, and partly because the use of water as fuel makes most of the ship consumable, or
recyclable. Because there are fewer single-use materials, there's much less dead weight. Water first used for radiation shielding, for
example, could later be shunted off to the engines. Combined, these factors would translate into huge savings over a more
"traditional" spacecraft mission to Mars using chemical rockets, according to the study."Altogether, this reduces costs by a factor
of 30 times or better," McConnell told SPACE.com. He estimates a roundtrip mission to the Martian moon Phobos, for example, could be
made for less than $1 billion. A space coach journey would also be more comfortable, McConnell added. The ship would carry large
quantities of water, so astronauts could conceivably grow some food crops and — luxury of luxuries — even take hot baths now and again.
McConnell and co-author Alexander Tolley published their study last March in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. A fleet of space coaches?
McConnell envisions space coaches cruising around the solar system, each individual vehicle fueling up with water in low-Earth orbit when the need
arises. In the future, fuel could be sourced along a space coach's travels — for example, water could be mined from an asteroid or a Martian moon. Parts
could be swapped out and upgraded on orbit as well, helping to keep the space coaches in good operating condition for several decades, McConnell said.
Each mission undertaken from low-Earth orbit would be far cheaper than anything launching from the ground. McConnell thinks an entire fleet of space
coaches could one day populate the heavens, flying a variety of different flags — as long as somebody takes the initial plunge. "If one party decides to do
this, I think it would spur a lot of other activity," McConnell said. "I think countries wouldn't want to get left behind." From vision to reality No huge
technological leaps are required to make the space coach a reality, McConnell said. Bigelow's expandable habitats are already space-tested,
for example, as are several varieties of electrothermal engine. "There's not a lot of new technology that needs to be built," McConnell said. Electrothermal
engines that use water as fuel, however, have not been flight-tested, so some work needs to be done on the propulsion system. McConnell envisions
holding a design competition for the engines, as well as one for the overall ship design — cash-reward contests that would be like smaller versions of the
Google Lunar X Prize, which is a $30 million private race to the moon. Once winners of these competitions emerge, ground-testing and, eventually, flight-
testing would follow. McConnell declined to put forth any specific timelines, but he's optimistic about the possibilities. "I think things could happen
very quickly," he said. "It's really just a matter of convincing decision-makers that this is worth getting into."
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Solvency (5/5)
6. And empirically, the nations that expand mankind’s reach of colonization can maintain or gain unipolar hegemonic
status. In order to maintain leadership the US must take action now.
Michael Griffin 05. Michael Griffin is the former administrator of NASA, an American physicist, and aerospace
engineer. URL: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=18901. DA: 3/20/11.
it is important for the United States to be a leader among the nations of the world, and
I'm certain that most of us here will agree that
that such leadership has many dimensions. Economic, cultural, diplomatic, moral and educational leadership are certainly
major components of world leadership, and clearly we still live in a time when any wealthy and prominent nation must have the ability to
defend itself and its allies. But true leadership also involves defining, and then pursuing, the frontiers that expand mankind's
reach. It means occupying the cutting edge of science and technology. It means establishing world technical standards - as
we have done in the computing and aviation industries - not through coercion but because we have developed a capability
that others wish to use. It also means having the ability and determination to take the lead in building coalitions and
partnerships to do those things that fulfill the dreams of mankind. And those dreams have always included the desire to see
what lies beyond the known world. To journey beyond the known world today, we must leave Earth entirely. That is the long-
held dream that has actively engaged our country and others for nearly 50 years, since our first primitive steps in the exploration of space became possible.
And I firmly believe that in the 21st Century world that is taking shape as we speak, a vital part of world leadership will be
leadership in the exploration and development of the space frontier. For many years, our country has been rightly recognized as the world
leader in the exploration and use of space, and in developing and deploying the technologies that make space leadership possible. Our determination
to be first on the Moon and preeminent in other space activities resulted in some of the iconic moments of the 20th Century, and helped to
solidify American leadership in the generation after World War II. But, as they say, that was then and this is now. We cannot rest on
nor be satisfied with past accomplishments. The true space age, in which humans will explore the worlds beyond our own, is just getting
underway. Leadership in establishing a human presence in the Solar System will, in my judgment, be a key factor in defining
world leadership back home on Earth for generations to come. Throughout history, the great civilizations have always
extended the frontiers of their times. Indeed, this is almost a tautology; we define as "great" only those civilizations which
did explore and expand their frontiers, thereby ultimately influencing world culture. And when, inevitably, some societies
retreated from the frontiers they had pioneered, their greatness subsided as well. Today, other nations besides our own aspire
to leadership on the space frontier. These nations are making progress, and they will undoubtedly utilize their advancements
in space to influence world affairs. Their activities will earn them the respect, which is both sincere and automatic, that is
accorded to nations and societies engaged in pioneering activities. These things are not in doubt, and so the question before
us is this: when other nations reach the Moon, or Mars, or the worlds beyond, will they be standing with the United States, or will
we be watching their exploits on television? The President has given us his answer. America will lead. Nearly two years ago, the President said,
"We have undertaken space travel because the desire to explore and understand is part of our character. And that quest has brought tangible benefits that
improve our lives in countless ways." He also said our Vision for Space exploration is a "journey, not a race." These words are unambiguous. They chart a
course for action that is unmistakable. It is imperative that this commitment transcend any given Administration and any given
Congress. Today, as other countries renew their commitment to space, America has the opportunity, and I would argue the
obligation, to maintain our leadership role in space exploration. As we watch other countries commit to developing new
exploration systems and technologies to expand into space, we too must remain committed to new advancements, lest we
fall behind. In that regard, it may be significant to note that, of today's major spacefaring powers only Russia and China have spacecraft - Soyuz and
Shenzhou - that are capable of returning crews from a trip to the Moon. Through the Vision for Space Exploration however, this country
has a renewed commitment to maintain our leadership and restore the capabilities we set aside many years ago. The vote by
two successive Congresses to support the Vision for Space Exploration outlined by President Bush two years ago offers wonderful evidence of national
determination to regain lost ground in space. But beyond those very important congressional votes, there are some very serious challenges that we must
face as a nation. We must think carefully about what the world of tomorrow will look like if the United States is not the
preeminent spacefaring nation. And if we don't like that picture, if we truly want the United States to be the world leader in
space now and in the future, there are a number of critical things we simply must decide to do. The Vision gives us the opportunity
to take on the leading role in the exploration of space, not just for this century, but for centuries to come. But we have to seize that opportunity, and make it
a reality. The first essential step is that American leadership in the exploration and development of the space frontier must be
an explicit national goal. There must be continued and sustained bipartisan cooperation and agreement on the importance and necessity of American
leadership in space, just as we are determined to be leaders in other areas such as defense, education, and scientific research. There need not, indeed there
must not, be partisan debates over whether to have a vibrant space program or not. And we must get beyond revisiting this determination each year, or after
an accident, or after a technical problem. In addition to needing national agreement on the importance of American leadership in space, we need to make
this a commitment from generation to generation. Space exploration by its very nature requires the planning and implementation of missions and projects
over decades, not years. Decades of commitment were required to build up our network of transcontinental railroads and highways, as well as our systems
for maritime and aeronautical commerce. It will be no quicker or easier to build our highways to space, and the commitment to do it must be clear and
15
sustaining. To ensure the success of the space program across a wide spectrum of political thought and down the generations, it is essential to have simple
but compelling goals. The space community has an obligation to communicate to the country our plans to ensure America's leadership in space exploration.
The President's Exploration Vision has established goals that people can understand and support - moving our space exploration activities beyond low
Earth orbit, and returning to the Moon as a stepping-stone to Mars and other destinations beyond, such as the near-Earth asteroids. Broad support for these
goals is certainly there. A recent Gallup poll indicated that, with funding levels at or below 1% of the Federal budget, three-quarters of Americans are
supportive of our plans to return to the Moon and voyage to Mars. This is amazingly strong support for any government initiative, and I believe it provides
a firm foundation upon which to build in the years ahead. The first step might be to explain that, actually, we're spending only 0.7% of the Federal budget!
Still another key requirement for long-term leadership in space is the ability to build and maintain a strong international
coalition of spacefaring nations. A critical component of this ability will always be our credibility in making agreements,
and honoring them. In any partnership, the most critical commitments fall upon the senior partner. Since that, of course, is
the role we wish to play, we must be thoughtful, deliberate and sure about any commitments we make. But once made, we need to keep them. I think
we can all agree that one of the best results of the International Space Station program is the cooperation it has fostered among the participating nations. A
prime goal of the President's Vision for Space Exploration is to continue and expand this cooperation as we plan for human lunar return. These are
some of the key things we need to do if we Americans are indeed serious about being a leader on the space frontier. As we lift
our eyes to the future, I see a space program that will bring hope, opportunity, and tangible benefits as we renew our commitment to lead in these
endeavors. While we cannot predict today at what pace others will venture beyond Earth orbit and establish the first outposts on distant worlds, I earnestly
believe those nations that are the most adept at reading the lessons of history will be taking the lead. I have mused often upon these
lessons, looking for the patterns that can provide guidance for our own time. Indeed, if we were alive 500 years ago, or thereabouts, and a
candlelight conference were held in Lisbon by the Portuguese Oceans Authority, no doubt we would be listening to such
giants of exploration as Vasco da Gama and Pedro Alvares Cabral, the explorer who claimed Brazil for Portugal, explain
how their activities would bring about Portugal's rise to global influence. Perhaps all of us would be speaking Portuguese
today had not first Spain, and then later England, made a greater commitment to the discovery, exploration, and settlement
of new territories. As an example of how the choices that nations make matter, not only for themselves, but also for the
future of humanity, let us consider the case of John Cabot. Cabot, whose true name was Giovanni Caboto, was an Italian who sailed
for the English government and with private merchants, after Spain and Portugal expressed no interest in his ideas on
finding a westward passage to Asia. While exploring the coastal regions of North American in Newfoundland, he
established the basis for England's claim to North America, and was the first to bring our language to the shores we now
live. There are more recent examples of similar pivotal crossroads in our history. While American ingenuity, in the form of those
quintessentially American inventors, Wilbur and Orville Wright, did lead the way into the era of powered flight, we tend to forget
that we squandered our initial leadership in aviation. And so, ninety years ago, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, NASA's
major predecessor, was founded precisely because our nation's leaders feared the European nations already had a significant
advantage in the development of strategically important aviation systems and technologies, just one decade into the age of
flight. This was in fact true, and as a consequence, the air war of World War I was fought with European airplanes. But
because we made a strong commitment at that time to this emerging field, the influence of American air power and aviation
technology can, today, be seen in everything from the fact that we live in a world not dominated by fascism or communism,
to the fact that when you fly anywhere in the world, say from Bangalore to Bangkok, the International Civil Aviation Organization dictates that pilots and
air traffic controllers speak English. This is a lesson that cannot be learned too thoroughly: if we become complacent, other nations
can and will surpass our achievements. As we look forward to the events that will define the 21st Century, as viewed by the
historians of yet future centuries, there is no doubt that the expansion of human civilization into space will be among the
great achievements of this era. We have the opportunity, and I would say the obligation, to lead this enterprise, to explore
worlds beyond our own, and to help shape the destiny of this world for centuries to come. I am convinced that leadership in the
world of the 21st Century and beyond will go to the nation that seeks to fulfill the dreams of mankind. We know what motivates
those dreams. Exploring new territory when it becomes possible to do so has defined human striving ever since our remote ancestors migrated out of the
east African plains. The human imperative to explore new territories, and to exploit the resources of these territories, will surely
be satisfied, by others if not by us. What the United States gains from a robust, focused program of human and robotic space
exploration is the opportunity to define the course along which this human imperative will carry us. The Vision for Space
Exploration affords the United States nothing less than the opportunity to take the lead, not only in this century but in the centuries to follow, in advancing
those interests of our nation that are very much in harmony with the interests of people throughout the world. Space will be explored and
exploited by humans. The question is: which humans, from where, and what language will they speak? It is my goal that
Americans will be always among them. If this is the future we wish to see, we have a lot of work to do to sustain the Vision which takes us there. To me,
the choice could not be more compelling.
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Lebowski
**2AC Blocks**
17
Case OV 2AC (Inherency)
On Inherency –
1. Extend that a dwindling fund from the government makes challenging missions from NASA impossible that’s
Cookson in 3/18. The funds would have directly been given to the Mars Mission, and the rest of the current money is
allocated to fund less expensive missions. Experts say it’s impossible without more money in the 2011 and 2012 budget.
2. You should prefer our author; he is a board member of Financial Times and has an education at Oxford University.
3. Even if you don’t like that card, here is updated evidence:
A.
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Lebowski
Case OV 2AC (Space Race)

1. First, extend that China, Russia, and India are all spending money to surpass the US in space policy that’s Svitak in
3/1. The cancellation of the “Discovery” was the end of challenging missions in the US, and there are none to be made soon,
that’s Hawkins in 3/7.
2. Second, we’ll isolate 5 internal links to Heg because of challenging Mars Mission -
A. To make basic missions to places like the ISS we are dependent on the Russians which only injures the image of
US space policy
B. NASA keeps US students under inspiration to further the limits in space. That aspires students to do better in
school, and promote international competitiveness which ensures sustained Hegemonic control.
C. NASA creates a substantial amount of jobs when doing space missions. Engineers, accountants, biologists,
astrophysicists, and an increasing number of doctors are all involved when making a flight to Mars (and prevents
your spending impact).
D. In the status quo, Russia is expanding their space system and China is creating the largest Space engineering center
in the world. Both are on the verge of surpassing the US.
E. Empirically, other nations look to the US to expand humanities reach. The lack of effort loses any credibility and
faith in the US and cedes the hegemonic status to China and Russia.
3. And, on the Impact Debate (Only if you are not doing the Case o/w block) – We access all of their war Impact
cards, there has not been a major power war since World War 2 because that’s when the US became the World Hegemon,
that’s Walt in 02. The imbalance of power prevents any miscalculation, and the power dampens other countries anxiety.
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Case OV 2AC (Get off the Rock)
First, the effects of global climate change are irreversible, that’s UCAR in 05. The study showed that even if we had
stabilized greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2000, we would still be doomed to the effects. Climate change will only
grow worse, that’s National Voter in 08. And according to the World Meteorologist Organization, we are continuing to get
warmer. In the status quo there are increased heat waves and droughts, food and water shortages, and more rampant disease.
Climate change worsens the spread of disease and political instability.
Second, on the Impact Debate – Our case infinitely outweighs any DA impacts; extinction is inevitable if we stay on Earth.
A. As water and other resources begin to become scarcer, Nations will become increasingly alarmed and wage wars to
contain their share, that’s Wooldridge in 09. Nations will feel safer if they are able to proliferate and destroy other
countries first. This ideology will culminate in extinction.
B. As new cities are built in third world countries, and the rainforest is destroyed, new diseases become more rampant
and exposed to the world, that’s South China Morning Post in 96. Research and experts in the field show that there is an
ever-increasing risk of an airborne disease that is infinitely mutating and incurable. Any disease like this will lead to
extinction.
C. Even if you didn’t like the other scenarios for extinction, Hawking believes that a supernova, asteroids, super
volcanoes, nuclear war, and biological warfare are all reasons to colonize Mars, that’s Schulze-Makuch in 10.
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Lebowski
Case OV 2AC (Solvency)

1. First, we solve for the Space Race Advantage –
A. China, Russia, and India cannot surpass us in primacy unless we don’t do challenging missions like explore and
colonize Mars. Our Griffin in 05 card indicates that space exploration and
21
Case OV 2AC (Case Outweighs)
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Lebowski
**Case Ext.**
23
S&R Israel/Russia Uniqueness
Russia and Israel cooperation ensures that space policy primacy will be taken
Channel 6 News 3/27/11. “Israel, Russia sign space cooperation agreement.” URL:
http://channel6newsonline.com/2011/03/israel-russia-sign-space-cooperation-agreement/. DA: 3/27/11.
The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and the Israel Space Agency on Sunday signed an agreement to increase cooperation in
space exploration. "The agreement, which was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, enhances cooperation between
the Israeli and Russian space agencies in the fields of space research, observation, navigation, medicine and biology in space,
research in advanced materials and launchings," said a press release from the Israeli prime minister's office. The head of Roscosmos, Anatoly
Perminov, said that bilateral cooperation in space is at the initial stage, and required efforts to establish contacts between Russian and Israeli organizations
in the space-missile industry. "Our countries already have a positive experience of mutually advantageous partnership in the space
sphere. It will suffice to say that five Israeli spacecrafts have been put into orbit with Russian launch vehicles," Perminov said, as cited by the ITAR-
TASS news agency. He also said that Russia now produces the telecom spacecraft Amos-5 for an Israeli customer. According to Roscosmos, the agreement
will allow to create organizational and legal grounds for the development of mutually advantageous cooperation connected with research and the use of
space technologies for peaceful purposes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the combination of Russia's developed industry and
his country's advanced technology "could provide major benefits to both countries." "One year ago, I told him [Technology Minister
Daniel Hershovitz] that I thought that Israel's most natural partner for cooperation is Russia, which has a major infrastructure for space operations," he said.
"We have focused technology, including - I believe - six satellites in space. Soon we will have a dozen," Netanyahu added. The Israeli Space Agency
already has cooperation agreements with space agencies of the US, France, Germany, Canada, India, Ukraine, the Netherlands and the European Union and
also prepares for signing agreements with Brazil and South Korea. The Israeli government adopted a five-year programme last year for
the development of civil space.
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S&R Heg Link Ext.

The development and colonization of space is key to maintain hegemony, free states and prevent space power wars.
Luis. A. Loureiro 10. Loureiro is a retired Military Major. "The Free World Is Losing NASA's Space Leadership."
URL: http://find.galegroup.com/gps/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-
Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28KE
%2CNone%2C23%29Nasa+%22world+leadership%22%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28AC%2CNone
%2C8%29fulltext
d=IPS&searchId=R1&currentPosition=2&userGroupName=lom_birminghps&docId=A220036864&docType=IAC
&contentSet=IAC-Documents. DA: 3/23/11.
Nevertheless, NASA is much more than an American tradition and patrimonial treasure; it is the world's hope for better
space exploration and understanding. As a consequence of the international financial crisis many countries around the world have decided to
drastically reduce their budgets, cutting spending in a myriad of programs from small private activities to large public projects. In the United States, to
the astonishment of the world, NASA's budget has been "redirected" to simple LEO applications and some inexpensive
research programs. Can this be true? This is the agency that has contributed most to America's prestige with its innovative and
extraordinary achievements in space, from the time of early explorations of the universe to today's highly advanced
technological achievements. Is prestige important? Not only is prestige important, it is part of the American tradition, part of
American life and by extension, America's preeminence lights the free world and provides hope and support that other
nations, too, can shine and succeed. The budget is important for any administration. Traditionally, most countries around the
world wait for a signal from America - the scientific and technological leader - and rely upon America to protect their
freedoms. Until now, countries pursuing space programs have not competed against America or against each other, but they
will now have to continue alone or somehow partner with other countries. Without NASA's leadership, who will guide the
world in peaceful space applications? Without NASA there is a void of experienced leaders well grounded in science.
Indeed, we are approaching a new era in which space will be exploited by private, political, economic and military interests - not
only in LEO, but also in deep space exploration. Will countries continue along the moral high ground of benefiting all mankind with
the fruits of exploration and innovation or will space become a battleground for national greed and gain? America should not
decide NASA's future merely on the basis of budgetary expedience. Space exploration is a matter that affects the rights and
freedoms of people around the world. The rights and the dreams of many countries are closely tied to NASA, ESA and other
recognized space agencies. The rich history of NASA brought the world Voyager 1, Apollo, robots on Mars, Kepler, Cassini-Huygens, Curiosity and so
many more. Citizens of foreign countries around the globe hope and pray for a changed view of NASA among America's
political leaders. NASA's successes and legacy are not only America's heritage, but that of all free countries. We long to
discover new scientific horizons in space that will improve our lives and allow our countries to succeed and to live in a
peaceful future.
25
S&R Econ Link Ext.
Challenging space exploration missions are key to fueling the economy and sustaining hegemony.
Charles F. Bolden Jr. 3/15/11. Charles is the current Administrator of NASA, a retired United States Marine Corps major
general, and former NASA astronaut. “Statement of NASA Administrator Bolden: Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation”. URL: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=36425.
DA: 3/19/11.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement for the record as part of the Committee's hearing today
entitled Realizing NASA's Potential: Programmatic Challenges in the 21st Century. I want to thank you and all the Members of the Committee for the
longstanding support that you have given to NASA. These are exciting and dynamic times for NASA. The challenges ahead are significant, but
so are the opportunities we have to achieve big things that will create a measurable impact on our economy, our world, and our
way of life. The President's FY 2012 budget request of $18.7 billion for NASA continues the Agency's focus on a reinvigorated path of
innovation and technological discovery leading to an array of challenging destinations and missions that increases our
knowledge, develop technologies to improve life, to expand our presence in space for knowledge and commerce, and that
will engage the public. With the President's signing of the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267) on October 11, 2010, NASA has a clear
direction and is moving forward. NASA appreciates the significant effort that advanced this important bipartisan legislation,
particularly efforts by the leadership and Members of this Committee. This is a time of opportunity for NASA to shape a promising future
for the Nation's space program. Because these are tough fiscal times, tough choices had to be made. But the proposed FY 2012 budget funds all major
elements of the Authorization Act, supporting a diverse portfolio of programs, while making difficult choices to fund key priorities and reduce other areas
in order to invest in the future. A chart summarizing the President's FY 2012 budget request for NASA is enclosed as Enclosure 1. We have an
incredible balance of human space flight, science, aeronautics and technology development. Within the human space flight arena,
our foremost priority is our current human spaceflight endeavor - the International Space Station - and the safety and viability of the astronauts aboard it.
The request also maintains a strong commitment to human spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit. It establishes critical priorities and invests in the
technologies and excellent science, aeronautics research, and education programs that will help us win the future. The request
supports an aggressive launch rate over the next two years with about 40 US and international missions to the ISS, for science, and to support other
agencies. At its core, NASA's mission remains fundamentally the same as it always has been and supports our new vision: "To reach for new
heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind." This statement is from the new multi-year
2011 NASA Strategic Plan accompanying the FY 2012 budget request, which all of NASA's Mission Directorates, Mission Support Offices and Centers
helped to develop, and encapsulates in broad terms the very reason for NASA's existence and everything that the American public expects from its space
program. Just last week, we completed the Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission, one of the final three shuttle flights to the International Space
Station. Discovery delivered a robotic crewmember, Robonaut-2 (R2), and supplies that will support the station's scientific research and technology
demonstrations. We recently made some preliminary announcements about program offices to carry out our future work. And we plan to release three
additional high-priority solicitations spanning Space Technology's strategic investment areas. NASA brings good jobs and bolsters the
economy in communities across the nation. Our space program continues to venture in ways that will have long-term
benefits, and there are many more milestones in the very near term. Our human spaceflight priorities in the FY 2012 budget request are to:
* safely fly the last Space Shuttle flights this year and maintain safe access for humans to low-Earth orbit as we fully utilize the International Space
Station; * facilitate safe, reliable, and cost-effective U.S.-provided commercial access to low-Earth orbit first for cargo and then for crew as quickly as
possible; * begin to lay the ground work for expanding human presence into deep space--the Moon, asteroids, eventually Mars--through development of
a powerful heavy-lift rocket and multipurpose crew capsule; and * pursue technology development that is needed to carry humans farther into the solar
system. Taken together, these human spaceflight initiatives will enable America to retain its position as a leader in space exploration for generations to
come. At the same time, we will extend our reach with robots and scientific observatories to expand our knowledge of the universe beyond our own planet.
We will continue the vital work to expand our abilities to observe our planet Earth and make that data available for decision makers. We will also continue
our groundbreaking research into the next generation of aviation technologies. Finally, we will make the most of all of NASA's technological
breakthroughs to improve life here at home. With the FY 2012 budget, NASA will carry out research, technology and innovation
programs that support long-term job growth and economic competitiveness and build upon our Nation's position as a
technology leader. We will educate the next generation of technology leaders through vital programs in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics education. And we will build the future through those investments in American industry to
create a new job-producing engine for the U.S. economy. This year we honor the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, who 50 years ago, set
the United States on a path that resulted in a national effort to produce an unprecedented achievement. Now, we step forward along a similar path,
engaged in a wide range of activities in human spaceflight, technology development, science, and aeronautics - a path
characterized by engagement of an expanded commercial space sector and technology development to mature the
capabilities required by increasingly challenging missions designed to make discoveries and reach new destinations.
NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) continues to rewrite textbooks and make headlines around the world. Across
26
Lebowski
disciplines and geographic regions worldwide, NASA aims to achieve a deep scientific understanding of Earth, other planets and solar system bodies, our
star system in its entirety, and the universe beyond. The Agency is laying the foundation for the robotic and human expeditions of the
future while meeting today's needs for scientific information to address national concerns about global change, space
weather, and education.* The Mars Science Laboratory will launch later this year and arrive at Mars in August 2012. It will be the largest rover ever
to reach the Red Planet and will search for evidence of both past and present life. * The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission will
launch in early 2012 and become the first focusing hard X-ray telescope to orbit Earth.* Research and Analysis programs will use data from an array of
sources, including spacecraft, sounding rockets, balloons, and payloads on the ISS. We will continue to evaluate the vast amounts of data we receive from
dozens of ongoing missions supported by this budget.* A continued focus on Earth Science sees us continuing development of the Orbiting Carbon
Observatory-2 (OCO-2) for launch in 2013 and other initiatives to collect data about our home planet across the spectrum.* The budget reflects the
scientific priorities for astrophysics as expressed in the recent Decadal Survey of the National Academy of Sciences. The budget supports small-, medium-,
and large- scale activities recommended by the Decadal Survey.* The Radiation Belt Storm Probe mission will launch next year, and development of other
smaller missions and instruments to study the Sun will get underway here on the ground.With the appointment of a new Chief Scientist NASA will pursue
an integrated, strategic approach to its scientific work across Mission Directorates and programs. As we continue our work to consolidate the Exploration
Systems and Space Operations Mission Directorates (ESMD and SOMD), both groups will support our current human spaceflight programs and continue
work on technologies to expand our future capabilities.* We will fly out the Space Shuttle in 2011, including STS-135 if funds are available, and then
proceed with the disposition of most Space Shuttle assets after the retirement of the fleet. The Shuttle program accomplished many outstanding things for
this Nation, and in 2012 we look forward to moving our retired Orbiters to museums and science centers across the country to inspire the next generation
of explorers. * Completing assembly of the U.S. segment of the ISS will be the crowning achievement of the Space Shuttle's nearly 30-year history. The
ISS will serve as a fully functional and permanently crewed research laboratory and technology testbed, providing a critical stepping stone for exploration
and future international cooperation, as well as an invaluable National Laboratory for non-NASA and nongovernmental users. During FY 2011, NASA will
award a cooperative agreement to an independent non-profit organization (NPO) with responsibility to further develop national uses of the ISS. The NPO
will oversee all ISS research involving organizations other than NASA, and transfer current NASA biological and physical research to the NPO in future
years. * In 2012, we will make progress in developing a new Space Launch System (SLS), a heavy-lift rocket that will be the first step on our eventual
journeys to destinations beyond LEO.* We will continue work on a Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) that will build on the human safety features,
designs, and systems of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. As with the SLS, acquisition strategy decisions will be finalized by this summer.* NASA will
continue to expand commercial access to space and work with our partners to achieve milestones in the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
(COTS) Program, the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) effort, and an expanded Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program. As we direct
resources toward developing these capabilities, we not only create multiple means for accessing LEO, we also facilitate commercial uses of space, help
lower costs, and spark an engine for long-term job growth. While the request is above the authorized level for 2012, NASA believes the amount is critical,
combined with significant corporate investments, to ensure that we will have one or more companies that can transport American astronauts to the ISS.
With retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011, this is a top Agency priority.* Most importantly, NASA recognizes that these programmatic changes will
continue to personally affect thousands of NASA civil servants and contractors who have worked countless hours, often under difficult circumstances, to
make our human spaceflight, science, and aeronautics programs and projects successful. I commend the investment that these dedicated Americans have
made and will continue to make in our Nation's space and aeronautics programs. These are tremendously exciting and dynamic times for the U.S. space
program. NASA will strive to utilize our workforce in a manner that will ensure that the Nation maintains NASA's greatest asset - the skilled civil servants
and contractors - while working to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness in all of its operations.* The 21st Century Space Launch Complex
program will focus on upgrades to the Florida launch range, expanding capabilities to support SLS, MPCV, commercial cargo/launch services providers,
and transforming KSC into a modern facility that benefits all range users. The program will re-plan its activities based on available FY 2011 funding to
align with 2010 NASA Authorization's focus areas, including cross organizational coordination between 21stCSLC, Launch Services, and Commercial
Crew activities. NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) continues to improve the safety, efficiency and environmental friendliness of
air travel. * Our work continues to address the challenge of meeting the growing technology and capacity needs of the Next Generation air travel system,
or *NextGen,* in coordination with the FAA and other stakeholders in airspace efficiency. * NASA's work on green aviation technologies that improve
fuel efficiency and reduce noise continues apace.* We also continue to work with industry to develop the concepts and technologies for the aircraft of
tomorrow. The Agency's fundamental and integrated systems research and testing will continue to generate improvements and economic impacts felt by the
general flying public as well as the aeronautics community. The establishment last year of the Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT)
enabled NASA to begin moving toward the technological breakthroughs needed to meet our Nation's space exploration
goals, while building our Nation's global economic competitiveness through the creation of new products and services, new
business and industries, and high-quality, sustainable jobs. By investing in high payoff, disruptive technology that industry
cannot tackle today, NASA matures the technology required for our future missions in science and exploration while
improving the capabilities and lowering the cost of other government agencies and commercial activities. * In OCT's cross-
cutting role, NASA recently developed draft space technology roadmaps, which define pathways to advance the Nation's
capabilities in space and establish a foundation for the Agency's future investments in technology and innovation. NASA is
working collaboratively with the National Research Council (NRC) to refine these roadmaps. The final product will establish a mechanism for prioritizing
NASA's technology investments, and will support the initial Space Technology Policy Congress requested in the NASA Authorization Act. * As leader of
the Space Technology Program, OCT will sponsor a portfolio of both competitive and strategically-guided technology investments, bringing the agency a
wide range of mission- focused and transformative technologies that will enable revolutionary approaches to achieving NASA's current and future
missions. * In FY 2012, a significant portion of the Exploration Technology Development Program is moved from ESMD to Space Technology. These
efforts focus on developing the long-range, exploration- specific technologies to enable NASA's deep space human exploration future. The integration of
Exploration Technology activities with Space Technology creates one robust space technology budget line, and eliminates the potential for overlap had
NASA's space technology investments been split among two accounts. ESMD will continue to set the prioritized requirements for these efforts and
will serve as the primary customer of Space Technology's Exploration-specific activities. * OCT continues to manage SBIR and STTR, and integrates
technology transfer efforts ensure NASA technologies are infused into commercial applications, develops technology partnerships, and facilitates emerging
commercial space activities Recognizing that our work must continuously inspire not only the public at large but also students at
all levels, NASA's Education programs this year focus on widening the pipeline of students pursuing coursework in science,
27
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As President Obama has said, "Our future depends on reaffirming
America's role as the world's engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation. And that leadership tomorrow
depends on how we educate our students today, especially in math, science, technology, and engineering." * The FY 2012
request for NASA's Office of Education capitalizes on the excitement of NASA's mission through innovative approaches that inspire educator and student
interest and proficiency in STEM disciplines. NASA's education program in FY 2012 and beyond will focus and strengthen the Agency's tradition of
investing in the Nation's education programs and supporting the country's educators who play a key role in inspiring, encouraging, and nurturing the young
minds of today, who will manage and lead the Nation's laboratories and research centers of tomorrow.* Among NASA's Education activities will be a
continued Summer of Innovation, building on the successful model piloted with four states this past year. All of these activities place NASA in the
forefront of a bright future for America, where we challenge ourselves and create a global space enterprise with positive ramifications across the world.
The FY 2012 budget request provides the resources for NASA to innovate and make discoveries on many fronts, and we look forward to implementing it.
See Enclosure 2 for a more detail summary of each activity. Conclusion As we enter the second half-century of human spaceflight, the Nation can look
back upon NASA's accomplishments with pride, but we can also look forward with anticipation to many more achievements to come. The NASA
Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267) has provided us with clear direction that enables the Agency to conduct important research on the ISS, develop
new launch vehicle and crew transportation capabilities to go beyond the bounds of LEO, utilize a dazzling array of spacecraft to study the depths of the
cosmos while taking the measure of our home planet, improve aviation systems and safety, develop new technologies that will have applications to both
space exploration and life on Earth, and inspire the teachers and students of our country. In developing and executing the challenging
missions that only NASA can do, we contribute new knowledge and technologies that enhance the nation's ability to
compete on the global stage and help to secure a more prosperous future.
28
Lebowski
Climate Change Inevitable Ext.

Here’s more evidence that the effects of climate change are inevitable, including rampant disease and resource wars –
several reputable sources agree that this will lead to extinction.
Brian Moench 10. Moench is a physicist that studies the effects of climate change and global warming. “Climate
change is inevitable”. URL: http://www.standard.net/topics/opinion/2010/02/11/climate-change-inevitable. DA:
3/26/11.
If someone out there has not made up their mind about whether the climate crisis is real or not you have a couple of starkly contrasting choices to bet on. In
one corner you have Rep. Kerry Gibson, a dairy and crop farmer from Ogden, who is so convinced that there is no climate crisis that he has sponsored a
resolution before the legislature insisting that the EPA cease any attempt to limit greenhouse gases. In the other corner you have 97 percent of all
climate scientists and virtually the entire world's scientific community, including 80 international scientific societies
representing the world's physicists, chemists, meteorologists, biologists, geologists, engineers, astronomers and now even the medical
profession, including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the World Medical Association (WMA). They all disagree with Rep.
Gibson. Recently the lead article in the Lancet, one of the world's most prestigious medical journals, written by 29
distinguished medical scientists called the climate consequences of the greenhouse gas phenomenon, "The biggest global health
threat of the 21st century," and will, "put the lives and wellbeing of billions of people at increased risk." The report goes on to
state that, "Even the most conservative estimates are profoundly disturbing and demand action. Less conservative climate scenarios are so
catastrophic that adaptation might be unachievable." The authors said that health professionals have come late to this debate, but what is
needed now is a public health movement that frames the threat of the climate crisis for humankind as a health issue. Note these words from the
president of the WMA. "Climate change represents an inevitable, massive threat to global health that will likely eclipse the
major known pandemics as the leading cause of death and disease in the 21st century." The number of scientific organizations whose
official position support Gibson's side is zero. Let me repeat that score -- 80 to 0. Yet Gibson wants the entire state to accept his scientific expertise.
Apparently he has better satellites than NASA, more accurate computers and thermometers than the World Meteorological Organization, and more public
health expertise than the world's doctors. Gibson must also believe that all the dramatic photos of the world's shrinking glaciers and polar ice caps are fake,
as are the photos of the massive die off the world's northern forests from pine beetle destruction. In another four years 80 percent of the
massive forests of British Columbia will have been destroyed by pine beetles, a direct consequence of warmer winters. He
must also believe that the huge swaths of pine beetle destroyed forests in the Western U.S., that you can see with your own eyes -- 25 million acres so far --
are just an optical illusion. Apparently the alarming increase in forest fires in Siberia, Canada, the U.S. and Australia isn't related to climate either,
according to Gibson. Biologists examining all the Earth's ecosystems, including our oceans, warn that the climate crisis and loss
of habitat is precipitating the largest and most rapid plant and animal species extinction in the history of the Earth. I guess
Gibson has the courage to not believe that either, even though human survival depends on the natural resources derived from intact
ecosystems. I wonder if Gibson thinks those photos of severely depleted reservoirs, lakes and streams throughout the Western United States are also
fake or have nothing to do with human-caused climate change either. Gibson's global warming denial is rich with irony because he is a farmer and the
worldwide droughts that are already underway because of climate change obviously threaten the livelihood of farmers more
than anyone else. The countries that provide two thirds of the world's agricultural output are already experiencing
consequences of the climate crisis. Drought, in many countries unprecedented drought, is creating millions of climate
refugees because of ruined crops, dead livestock, hopelessness, and emaciated and dying children. From reports published by the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences agricultural experts now warn that global agriculture, already stressed by climate change, could soon go
into steep decline in some regions. By mid-century, continuing temperature rises, 9 degrees F or more by then, are expected to start
adversely affecting crops worldwide, "tipping the whole world into a danger zone."To be fair a few "maverick" scientists have one
foot, or a couple of toes at least, in Rep. Gibson's corner. The most highly decorated is Richard Lindzen, professor of meteorology at MIT. His "maverick"
world view is not limited to climate science. He doesn't believe there is evidence that smoking causes lung cancer either.
29
**AT: Disadvantages**
30
Lebowski
AT: Spending/Economy DA (1/3)

1. Link Turn – The plan counteracts spending by building economic competitiveness through the creation of new
products and services, new business and industries, high-quality, sustainable jobs and engaging the private industry.
Charles F. Bolden Jr. 3/15/11. Charles is the current Administrator of NASA, a retired United States Marine Corps major
general, and former NASA astronaut. “Statement of NASA Administrator Bolden: Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation”. URL: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=36425.
DA: 3/19/11.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement for the record as part of the Committee's hearing today
entitled Realizing NASA's Potential: Programmatic Challenges in the 21st Century. I want to thank you and all the Members of the Committee for the
longstanding support that you have given to NASA. These are exciting and dynamic times for NASA. The challenges ahead are significant, but
so are the opportunities we have to achieve big things that will create a measurable impact on our economy, our world, and our
way of life. The President's FY 2012 budget request of $18.7 billion for NASA continues the Agency's focus on a reinvigorated path of
innovation and technological discovery leading to an array of challenging destinations and missions that increases our
knowledge, develop technologies to improve life, to expand our presence in space for knowledge and commerce, and that
will engage the public. With the President's signing of the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267) on October 11, 2010, NASA has a clear
direction and is moving forward. NASA appreciates the significant effort that advanced this important bipartisan legislation,
particularly efforts by the leadership and Members of this Committee. This is a time of opportunity for NASA to shape a promising future
for the Nation's space program. Because these are tough fiscal times, tough choices had to be made. But the proposed FY 2012 budget funds all major
elements of the Authorization Act, supporting a diverse portfolio of programs, while making difficult choices to fund key priorities and reduce other areas
in order to invest in the future. A chart summarizing the President's FY 2012 budget request for NASA is enclosed as Enclosure 1. We have an
incredible balance of human space flight, science, aeronautics and technology development. Within the human space flight arena,
our foremost priority is our current human spaceflight endeavor - the International Space Station - and the safety and viability of the astronauts aboard it.
The request also maintains a strong commitment to human spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit. It establishes critical priorities and invests in the
technologies and excellent science, aeronautics research, and education programs that will help us win the future. The request
supports an aggressive launch rate over the next two years with about 40 US and international missions to the ISS, for science, and to support other
agencies. At its core, NASA's mission remains fundamentally the same as it always has been and supports our new vision: "To reach for new
heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind." This statement is from the new multi-year
2011 NASA Strategic Plan accompanying the FY 2012 budget request, which all of NASA's Mission Directorates, Mission Support Offices and Centers
helped to develop, and encapsulates in broad terms the very reason for NASA's existence and everything that the American public expects from its space
program. Just last week, we completed the Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission, one of the final three shuttle flights to the International Space
Station. Discovery delivered a robotic crewmember, Robonaut-2 (R2), and supplies that will support the station's scientific research and technology
demonstrations. We recently made some preliminary announcements about program offices to carry out our future work. And we plan to release three
additional high-priority solicitations spanning Space Technology's strategic investment areas. NASA brings good jobs and bolsters the
economy in communities across the nation. Our space program continues to venture in ways that will have long-term
benefits, and there are many more milestones in the very near term. Our human spaceflight priorities in the FY 2012 budget request are to:
* safely fly the last Space Shuttle flights this year and maintain safe access for humans to low-Earth orbit as we fully utilize the International Space
Station; * facilitate safe, reliable, and cost-effective U.S.-provided commercial access to low-Earth orbit first for cargo and then for crew as quickly as
possible; * begin to lay the ground work for expanding human presence into deep space--the Moon, asteroids, eventually Mars--through development of
a powerful heavy-lift rocket and multipurpose crew capsule; and * pursue technology development that is needed to carry humans farther into the solar
system. Taken together, these human spaceflight initiatives will enable America to retain its position as a leader in space exploration for generations to
come. At the same time, we will extend our reach with robots and scientific observatories to expand our knowledge of the universe beyond our own planet.
We will continue the vital work to expand our abilities to observe our planet Earth and make that data available for decision makers. We will also continue
our groundbreaking research into the next generation of aviation technologies. Finally, we will make the most of all of NASA's technological
breakthroughs to improve life here at home. With the FY 2012 budget, NASA will carry out research, technology and innovation
programs that support long-term job growth and economic competitiveness and build upon our Nation's position as a
technology leader. We will educate the next generation of technology leaders through vital programs in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics education. And we will build the future through those investments in American industry to
create a new job-producing engine for the U.S. economy. This year we honor the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, who 50 years ago, set
the United States on a path that resulted in a national effort to produce an unprecedented achievement. Now, we step forward along a similar path,
engaged in a wide range of activities in human spaceflight, technology development, science, and aeronautics - a path
characterized by engagement of an expanded commercial space sector and technology development to mature the
capabilities required by increasingly challenging missions designed to make discoveries and reach new destinations.
NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) continues to rewrite textbooks and make headlines around the world. Across
disciplines and geographic regions worldwide, NASA aims to achieve a deep scientific understanding of Earth, other planets and solar system bodies, our
star system in its entirety, and the universe beyond. The Agency is laying the foundation for the robotic and human expeditions of the future while
31
meeting today's needs for scientific information to address national concerns about global change, space weather, and education.* The Mars
Science Laboratory will launch later this year and arrive at Mars in August 2012. It will be the largest rover ever to reach the Red Planet and will search for
evidence of both past and present life. * The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission will launch in early 2012 and become the first
focusing hard X-ray telescope to orbit Earth.* Research and Analysis programs will use data from an array of sources, including spacecraft, sounding
rockets, balloons, and payloads on the ISS. We will continue to evaluate the vast amounts of data we receive from dozens of ongoing missions supported
by this budget.* A continued focus on Earth Science sees us continuing development of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) for launch in 2013
and other initiatives to collect data about our home planet across the spectrum.* The budget reflects the scientific priorities for astrophysics as expressed in
the recent Decadal Survey of the National Academy of Sciences. The budget supports small-, medium-, and large- scale activities recommended by the
Decadal Survey.* The Radiation Belt Storm Probe mission will launch next year, and development of other smaller missions and instruments to study the
Sun will get underway here on the ground.With the appointment of a new Chief Scientist NASA will pursue an integrated, strategic approach to its
scientific work across Mission Directorates and programs. As we continue our work to consolidate the Exploration Systems and Space Operations Mission
Directorates (ESMD and SOMD), both groups will support our current human spaceflight programs and continue work on technologies to expand our
future capabilities.* We will fly out the Space Shuttle in 2011, including STS-135 if funds are available, and then proceed with the disposition of most
Space Shuttle assets after the retirement of the fleet. The Shuttle program accomplished many outstanding things for this Nation, and in 2012 we look
forward to moving our retired Orbiters to museums and science centers across the country to inspire the next generation of explorers. * Completing
assembly of the U.S. segment of the ISS will be the crowning achievement of the Space Shuttle's nearly 30-year history. The ISS will serve as a fully
functional and permanently crewed research laboratory and technology testbed, providing a critical stepping stone for exploration and future international
cooperation, as well as an invaluable National Laboratory for non-NASA and nongovernmental users. During FY 2011, NASA will award a cooperative
agreement to an independent non-profit organization (NPO) with responsibility to further develop national uses of the ISS. The NPO will oversee all ISS
research involving organizations other than NASA, and transfer current NASA biological and physical research to the NPO in future years. * In 2012, we
will make progress in developing a new Space Launch System (SLS), a heavy-lift rocket that will be the first step on our eventual journeys to destinations
beyond LEO.* We will continue work on a Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) that will build on the human safety features, designs, and systems of the
Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. As with the SLS, acquisition strategy decisions will be finalized by this summer.* NASA will continue to expand
commercial access to space and work with our partners to achieve milestones in the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Program, the
Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) effort, and an expanded Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program. As we direct resources toward
developing these capabilities, we not only create multiple means for accessing LEO, we also facilitate commercial uses of space, help lower costs, and
spark an engine for long-term job growth. While the request is above the authorized level for 2012, NASA believes the amount is critical, combined with
significant corporate investments, to ensure that we will have one or more companies that can transport American astronauts to the ISS. With retirement of
the Space Shuttle in 2011, this is a top Agency priority.* Most importantly, NASA recognizes that these programmatic changes will continue to personally
affect thousands of NASA civil servants and contractors who have worked countless hours, often under difficult circumstances, to make our human
spaceflight, science, and aeronautics programs and projects successful. I commend the investment that these dedicated Americans have made and will
continue to make in our Nation's space and aeronautics programs. These are tremendously exciting and dynamic times for the U.S. space program. NASA
will strive to utilize our workforce in a manner that will ensure that the Nation maintains NASA's greatest asset - the skilled civil servants and contractors -
while working to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness in all of its operations.* The 21st Century Space Launch Complex program will focus on
upgrades to the Florida launch range, expanding capabilities to support SLS, MPCV, commercial cargo/launch services providers, and transforming KSC
into a modern facility that benefits all range users. The program will re-plan its activities based on available FY 2011 funding to align with 2010 NASA
Authorization's focus areas, including cross organizational coordination between 21stCSLC, Launch Services, and Commercial Crew activities. NASA's
Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) continues to improve the safety, efficiency and environmental friendliness of air travel. * Our work
continues to address the challenge of meeting the growing technology and capacity needs of the Next Generation air travel system, or *NextGen,* in
coordination with the FAA and other stakeholders in airspace efficiency. * NASA's work on green aviation technologies that improve fuel efficiency and
reduce noise continues apace.* We also continue to work with industry to develop the concepts and technologies for the aircraft of tomorrow. The Agency's
fundamental and integrated systems research and testing will continue to generate improvements and economic impacts felt by the general flying public as
well as the aeronautics community. The establishment last year of the Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) enabled NASA to
begin moving toward the technological breakthroughs needed to meet our Nation's space exploration goals, while building
our Nation's global economic competitiveness through the creation of new products and services, new business and
industries, and high-quality, sustainable jobs.
2. No Link – Their evidence doesn’t assume that we send astronauts on a one way trip to Mars. That cuts costs by
over 80%, that’s our Schulze-Makuch 10 and Geranios 10 evidence.
3. Link Turn – The plan helps the economy by engaging the private sector, that’s our Kazan 10 evidence.
4. Not Unique – We have given NASA substantial amounts of capital in the past to do just as expensive missions

5. No Impact – Empirically, economic decline does nothing, assumes multiple scenarios
Moses Naim 10. Naim is the editor in Chief of Foreign Policy Magazine. “It didn't happen: the dollar didn't crash.
Tariffs didn't come roaring back. The world's growing economies didn't grind to a halt. And other scary tales that
32
Lebowski
failed to come true during the crisis.” URL:http://find.galegroup.com/gps/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-
Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28KE
%2CNone%2C100%29Just+a+few+months+ago
%2C+the+consensus+among+influential+thinkers+was+that+the+economic+crisis+would+u
d=IPS&searchId=R2&currentPosition=1&userGroupName=lom_birminghps&docId=A216896333&docType=IAC
&contentSet=IAC-Documents. DA: 3/27/11.
Just a few months ago, the consensus among influential thinkers was that the economic crisis would unleash a wave of
geopolitical plagues. Xenophobic outbursts, civil wars, collapsing currencies, protectionism, international conflicts, and
street riots were only some of the dire consequences expected by the experts. It didn't happen. Although the crash did cause
severe economic damage and widespread human suffering, and though the world did change in important ways for the worse--the International
Monetary Fund, for example, estimates that the global economy's new and permanent trajectory is a 10 percent lower rate of GDP growth than before the
crisis--the scary predictions for the most part failed to materialize. Sadly, the same experts who failed to foresee the economic crisis were
also blindsided by the speed of the recovery. More than a year into the crisis, we now know just how off they were. From telling us about the imminent
collapse of the international financial system to prophecies of a 10-year recession, here are six of the most common predictions about the crisis that have
been proven wrong: The international financial system will collapse. It didn't. As Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, and Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac crashed, as Citigroup and many other pillars of the financial system teetered on the brink, and as stock markets everywhere entered into free
fall, the wise men predicted a total system meltdown. The economy has "fallen off a cliff," warned investment guru Warren Buffett. Fellow financial
wizard George Soros agreed, noting the world economy was on "life support," calling the turbulence more severe than during the Great Depression, and
comparing the situation to the demise of the Soviet Union. The natural corollary of such doomsday scenarios was the possibility that depositors would lose
access to the funds in their bank accounts. From there to visions of martial law imposed to control street protests and the looting of bank offices was just an
easy step for thousands of Internet-fueled conspiracy theorists. Even today, the financial system is still frail, banks are still failing, credit is scarce, and risks
abound. But the financial system is working, and the perception that it is too unsafe to use or that it can suddenly crash out of existence has largely
dissipated. The economic crisis will last for at least two years and maybe even a decade. It didn't. By fall of 2009, the
economies of the United States, Europe, and Japan had begun to grow again, and many of the largest developing economies,
such as China, India, and Brazil, were growing at an even faster pace. This was surely a far cry from the doom-laden--and widely
echoed--prophecies of economist Nouriel Roubini. In late 2008 he warned that radical governmental actions at best would prevent "what will now be an
ugly and nasty two-year recession and financial crisis from turning into a systemic meltdown and a decade-long economic depression." Roubini was far
from the only pessimist. "The danger," warned Harvard University's Kenneth Rogoff, another distinguished economist, in the fall of 2008, "is that instead
of having a few bad years, we'll have another lost decade." It turned out that radical policy reactions were far more effective than anyone had expected in
shortening the life of the recession. The U.S. dollar will crash. It didn't. Instead, the American currency's value increased 20 percent
between July 2008 and March 2009, at the height of the crisis. At first, investors from around the world sought refuge in the U.S. dollar.
Then, as the U.S. government bailed out troubled companies and stimulated the economy with aggressive public spending, the U.S. fiscal deficit
skyrocketed and anxieties about a dollar devaluation mounted. By the second half of 2009, the U.S. currency had lost value. But devaluation has not turned
out to be the catastrophic crash predicted by the pessimists. Rather, as Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf noted, "The dollar's correction is not just
natural; it is helpful. It will lower the risk of deflation in the U.S. and facilitate the correction of the global 'imbalances' that helped cause the crisis."
Protectionism will surge. It didn't. Trade flows did drop dramatically in late 2008 and early 2009, but they started to grow again in the second half
of 2009 as economies recovered. Pascal Lamy, director-general of the World Trade Organization, had warned that the global financial crisis was bound to
lead to surges in protectionism as governments sought to blame foreigners for their problems. "That is exactly what happened in the 1930s when
[protectionism] was the virus that spread the crisis all over the place," he said in October 2008, echoing a widely held sentiment among trade experts. And
it is true that many governments dabbled in protectionism, including not only the U.S. Congress's much-derided "Buy American" provision, but also
measures such as increased tariffs or import restrictions imposed in 17 of the G-20 countries. Yet one year later, a report from the European Union
concluded that "a widespread and systemic escalation of protectionism has been prevented." The protectionist temptation is always there, and a meaningful
increase in trade barriers cannot be ruled out. But it has not happened yet. The crisis in rich countries will drag down developing ones. It
didn't. As the economies of America and Europe screeched to a halt during the nightmarish first quarter of 2009, China's economy accelerated, part of a
broader trend in which emerging markets fared better through the crisis than the world's most advanced economies. As the rich countries entered a deep
recession and the woes of the U.S. financial market affected banking systems everywhere, the idea that emerging economies could "decouple" from the
advanced ones was widely mocked. But decouple they did. Some emerging economies relied on their domestic markets, others on exports to other growing
countries (China, for example, displaced the United States last year as Brazil's top export market). Still others had ample foreign reserves, low exposure to
toxic financial assets, or, like Chile, had taken measures in anticipation of an eventual global slowdown. Not all developing countries managed to escape
the worst of the crisis--and many, such as Mexico and Iran, were deeply hurt--but many others managed to avoid the fate of the advanced economies.
Violent political turmoil will become more common. It didn't. Electorates did punish governments for the economic hard times. But this was
mostly in Europe and mostly peaceful and democratic. "There will be blood," prophesied

Harvard historian Niall Ferguson last spring. "A crisis of this magnitude is bound to increase political [conflict].... It is
bound to destabilize some countries. It will cause civil wars to break out that have been dormant. It will topple governments
that were moderate and bring in governments that are extreme. These things are pretty predictable." No, it turns out: They
aren't.
33
6. No Internal Link – Make them name one significant way that this economic collapse is different than the 11 other
economic collapses in America’s history.
7. Uniqueness overwhelms the Link – If the economy is actually doing well now, something abstract like a NASA
project won’t hurt it.
8. No Impact – Our Hawkins 3/7 is indicative that AIG was bailed out with more money in one day than NASA’s
budget has accumulated for the last 10 years.
34
Lebowski
AT: Econ Decline = Cut Space Programs

1. We solve for economic decline – cross apply from the answers we read from the Spending/Economy DA
2. Durable fiat means that the plan happens regardless of funding issues – we should be debating about the
implications of the plan.
3. The economic decline would happen post plan, still a chance of solvency
4. Case outweighs – any risk of extinction in the status quo means that its try-or-die for the Aff.
35
**AT: Counterplans**
36
Lebowski
AT: Colonize X (Not Mars) CP

1. Mars is the only body that can be inhabited; provide a unique way to boost Hegemony, and research new medicine
with the discovery of new life.
The first potential colonization targets would be asteroids, the Moon and Mars. The Moon is the closest object and does provide some
shelter (e.g., lava tube caves), but in all other respects falls short compared to the variety of resources available on Mars. The
latter is true for asteroids as well. Mars is by far the most promising for sustained colonization and development, because it
is similar in many respects to Earth and, crucially, possesses a moderate surface gravity, an atmosphere, abundant water and
carbon dioxide, together with a range of essential minerals. Mars is our second closest planetary neighbor (after Venus) and a trip to Mars at
the most favorable launch option takes about six months with current chemical rocket technology. In addition to offering humanity a "lifeboat"
in the event of a mega-catastrophe, a Mars colony is attractive for other reasons. Astrobiologists agree that there is a fair
probability that Mars hosts, or once hosted, microbial life, perhaps deep beneath the surface (Lederberg and Sagan 1962; Levin
2010; Levin and Straat 1977, 1981; McKay and Stoker 1989; McKay et al. 1996; Baker et al. 2005; Schulze-Makuch et al. 2005, 2008, Darling and
Schulze-Makuch 2010; Wierzchos et al. 2010; Mahaney and Dohm 2010). A scientific facility on Mars might therefore be a unique
opportunity to study an alien life form and a second evolutionary record, and to develop novel biotechnology therefrom. At
the very least, an intensive study of ancient and modern Mars will cast important light on the origin of life on Earth. Mars
also conceals a wealth of geological and astronomical data that is almost impossible to access from Earth using robotic
probes. A permanent human presence on Mars would open the way to comparative planetology on a scale unimagined by any former generation. In the
fullness of time, a Mars base would offer a springboard for human/robotic exploration of the outer solar system and the
asteroid belt. Finally, establishing a permanent multicultural and multinational human presence on another world would
have major beneficial political and social implications for Earth, and serve as a strong unifying and uplifting theme for all
humanity.
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Mars Colonization AFF

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Mars Colonization AFF

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Cross-x Space Affirmative

Space Race Adv. (2/3)

Space Race Adv. (3/3)

Get off the Rock Adv. (2/3)

A. Resource wars lead to nuclear war, ending in extinction.

B. Disease leads to extinction

It's usually cheaper to fly one way, even to Mars. Two

3. Even if you don’t like that card, here is updated evidence:

Case OV 2AC (Space Race)

Case OV 2AC (Solvency)

S&R Heg Link Ext.

Climate Change Inevitable Ext.

AT: Spending/Economy DA (1/3)

AT: Spending/Economy DA (2/3)

AT: Spending/Economy DA (3/3)

AT: Econ Decline = Cut Space Programs

AT: Colonize X (Not Mars) CP

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