Did we stop dreaming?

Vitaly Egorov, Cosmonautics Popularizer, employee of the Russian private space company Dauria Aerospeis, author of the Zelenyikot blog:

In fact, Elon Musk did nothing fantastic. This was done by Korolev, Glushko did. Soviet people did this and can do Russians. But now we are looking at this from the side and as something fantastic. Different people have repeatedly asked me: "Can we repeat the success of SpaceX?" Technically we can. Ultimately, stepping a step or super -hungry rocket is a mathematical task. Mathematics did not transfer to us! We have translated dreamers. To know how to fly and where to fly, you need to know why to fly.

Why do you guys go into space? Why are you getting up in the morning? When was the last time you admired the stars? These questions are not asked at the press conferences of Roscosmos.

I thought I would rejoice in the start, and in my soul only annoyance. Musk did not fly around us in technology. He flew around in the sense.

We asked the leading Russian scientists and popularizers of astronautics to react to this remark of V. Egorov. We publish the answers received.

Vladimir Surdin, astronomer, laureate of the Enlightener Prize:

We did not stop dreaming, just for the embodiment of space dreams we need a lot of money. Korolev and Glushko received them from the state, preoccupied with military projects. And the Moon and Mars were not to the military. Therefore, we only dream, and Musk is building.

Alexey Starobinsky, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Laureate of the Kavli Prize:

My opinion is exactly the opposite of Vitaliy Egorov: Musk “flooded” us in technology, since he made a heavy missile, which we do not have at the moment (but we don’t have anything), but in any way in terms. With this phrase of Egorov, I agree: “To know how to fly and where to fly, you need to know why to fly.” Mask answer: "To run your car into space." Wow !!! And you call it a dream - surprise a neighbor? If so, then I have different concepts of dreams with you. They write correctly that they made even heavier missiles in the USSR, but then they stopped, because it became incomprehensible why such a tremendous expenditure of forces and funds needed - only in order to shake the whole world again, so that he admires us (or was horrified, if we keep in mind military applications)?

And to say that Russian scientists have ceased to dream, only a person who is not interested in the modern state of science can. Without touching other sciences in which I am not an expert, we will only take astrophysics and cosmology. It’s now that we have stopped dreaming when we detect classic gravitational waves, literally see the merger of black holes and neutron stars and dream, say, about the discovery of primary quantum gravitational waves or about the hidden information about the beginning of the whole world in fluctuations in relict electromagnetic radiation?! Therefore, for scientists, rockets are not an end in itself, but a way to get new knowledge.

Boris Stern, Vedas. scientific. sore. Iya RAS:

Vitaly Egorov complains that we had dreamers. No, just in Russia now not their time. By the way, I have long have a dream - to survive before the person’s landing on Mars. In my youth, I was absolutely sure that this would happen in the twentieth century. Then he lost the hope of seeing a person on Mars. And now, thanks to the mask, this hope is again dawn. At least a chance appeared (if I lead a healthy lifestyle). The successful launch of Falcon Heavy, of course, brings Mars closer, despite the fact that the expedition will be launched by another rocket (most likely, developing the same SpaceX). Hope is a little stronger.

- Alex, I know what I thought - why are such miracles possible in our rotten world? Yes, simply, glory to the Almighty, not a single force in history could lead this world to a common denominator. No matter how “globalization” shout, it remains diversified and motley. Therefore, the world is so tenacious and is still capable of surprises. Not a single bastard was able to build a single global system for elimination and distribution of resources. But how many wanted! And they would have built it - there would be no trillion of Dors - they would have taken away most and divide it. And for the money for the project, please please in the appropriate authorities. And there are hungry officials from science and technology with their interests ... No matter how unpleasant the oligarchs are, and without them the world would lose important degrees of freedom.

"Ark 47 libs"

I have met people who do not understand what the hell a man gave to us on Mars - even among those who are directly related to the space and the study of the planets. Why is it an expensive and harmful show for the health of the show, when automatic machines will bring information more and cheaper? Yes, it is then that such a show is much more important for the fate of civilization than scientific data: it arouses good feelings all over the world. And a wonderful performance with a car mask, full of invention and humor (which is worth only the inscription “Donat Panic!” From the “Hitchhiking in the Galaxy”), also arouses feelings, despite the grumbling of many of our compatriots. "Tesla Rogster" earned a place in the annals of contemporary art!

There is a much more serious aspect in the desire of a person for Mars. I am convinced that this desire, separated by many millions, increases the chances of the survival of our species in a very dangerous period: achieving technical power obtained by the minority, with the ignorance and egocentrism of the majority. The good feelings that I mentioned is the instinct of the creator and pioneer, pride in his family, respect for the mind. This is what replaces aggression.