Failed DeathStar Petition Inspiring People?
Death Star Response Inspiring Future Explorers?, NASA
“The White House response to a petition on building a Death Star (and the resulting media attention) led to some pretty interesting data here at NASA.gov. While the petitioners wanted to focus on a big project done a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the response led to thousands of Americans finding out about projects NASA is currently working on right here on Earth and in our Solar System.”
White House Deletes Death Star Funds from NASA’s FY2014 Budget, Earlier post
Hey – Let’s Make NASA Build a Deathstar! (Update), Earlier post
Marc’s note: Jim Wilson points out the upside of the failed petition, increased awareness.
Kickstarter Open Source Death Star
“In November 2012 the people asked for a death star. The government said NO! In light of continuing threats we should build it ourselves.”
I still have to wonder what all those people who signed the petition envisioned a Death Star being used for. Aside from all of the make-work jobs and material purchases building it would require, it would be entirely useless to us, unless they were planning to destroy the Earth. It wouldn’t even be useful as a deterrent, since a deterrent works only if you are actually prepared to use it, which they presumably wouldn’t be, since it’s an all or nothing proposition — you can only destroy the entire planet with it, not selected targets.
I would bet something in the range of 90 to 100% of signers thought it was funny.
Eli worries bout the 1% who did not
Simple fix: Just rotate the Death-Sucker 180-deg so the weapon faces AWAY from Earth, and Voila(!) — instant planetary shield! Guarenteed protection againts comets, asteroids, rogue moons or planets; and of course, those occasional pesky Bug Eyed Monsters with their giant Mother ships.
Instead of building a Deathstar for the sake of building something, why not the Starship Enterprise? I’d sign that petition.
Did you? It was up and it didn’t get enough signatures.