This is actually a real news story about "real news", at least to some. The problem is that almost none of it is true and what is true, is taken out of context.

No wonder our kids are having problems with math and science.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/10/29/nasa-cover-up-hundred-year-starship/

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A NASA official may have made a 35-million-mile slip of the tongue.

The director of NASA's Ames Research Center in California casually let slip mention of the 100-Year Starship recently, a new program funded by the super-secret government agency, DARPA. In a talk at San Francisco's Long Conversation conference, Simon “Pete” Worden said DARPA has $1M to spend, plus another $100,000 from NASA itself, for the program, which will initially develop a new kind of propulsion engine that will take us to Mars or beyond.

There's only one problem: The astronauts won't come back.

The 100-year ship would leave Earth with the intention of colonizing a planet, but it would likely be a one-way trip because of the time it takes to travel 35 million miles. That’s a daunting prospect, partly because of the ethical dilemma, and partly because it may be the only recourse.

"What psychological challenges should we anticipate in those who volunteer in good faith and with great courage, yet find themselves confronting misgivings or loneliness or feelings of rage or beset with mental illness?" asked Dr. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A-Team.

slideshow

A NASA spacecraft has been beaming to Earth incredibly detailed pictures of the surface of Mars. And the beautiful colors and rich textures of the red planet will shock you.

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There's one other bizarre aspect to the plan: Humans would have to be “adapted” to the alien world, Worden said, instead of figuring out a way to make the planet more hospitable to them.

“The human space program is now really aimed at settling other worlds,” Worden said during his talk. “Twenty years ago you whispered that in dark bars and got fired.” (Worden actually was fired, he confessed during the talk, under the Bush administration.)

Since that revelation, hundreds of news reports about the program have theorized that the substantial budget indicates the Hundred Year Starship is a dramatic shift for the stalled space program, not just a research project; others suggest it is a serious attempt to find a way to Mars. And NASA? The space agency seems to be dodging all questions.

FoxNews.com first contacted NASA’s Ames Research Center last week and scheduled a call with Worden for Monday. The call was postponed to Wednesday. Late Wednesday the space agency postponed again, before finally canceling the interview, citing Worden’s busy schedule.

After a week and a half, DARPA issued a press release announcing the program -- but conveying no more information than in Worden's initial speech.

But what is the Hundred Year Starship? Some experts argue that any program that suggests putting humans into space for their entire life, or for multiple generations, is doomed from the start, since many people react negatively to the idea of leaving the planet and never returning. Others are more supportive, saying it is the only way to settle a space colony.

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Can you spot the flaws?

the whole adapting humans to live on other planets thing sounds like a great book i read called man plus its a great read

Well, it is interesting.
Although with a budget just over $1M,
and still to develop a new form of
propulsion, it seems elusive.

So you must be questioning the effect
on the astronauts, or travelers. The
time necessary would seem to rule out
return trips to Earth.

Obvious survival issues, even with
continuous resupply missions.
Sometimes the need to survive can override
other psychological issues.
All very speculative.

But, if it were funded, and there were
trained volunteers, AND they got the
internet, why not.

Starships go to other stars, not the planet Mars.
The budget is so low as to be meaningless.
We already have better propulsion systems than this, ie, nuclear and ion. Even chemical rockets can do this job.

There is no such "secret" system (you'll have to trust me on this one)

35 million miles isn't very far, we have gone much farther with probes.

The details go on, NASA is not planning any such trip.

I still think solar sails in combination with gravity assisted trajectory is the way to go.

One day I'm hoping for quantum travel. In fact I've already devised a smaller device for just that. Yeah, using refrigerator magnets, old milk jugs, and weather balloons, but... preliminary tests haven't proved successful.

they also have an ion-pulse engine that looks promising...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster

This isn't gonna happen since Obama squashed NASA and made their purpose to improve America's relationship with Muslims.

This is just probably a slush fund for another "Black Project"