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The Death Star was a fearsome battle station in the Star Wars saga - but purely fictional.
The White House says building a Death Star would be an out-of-this-galaxy waste of money — not only because it's against government policy to blow up planets, but also because the United States already has access to a space station as well as a laser-wielding space robot.
Today's official statement on the Death Star issue, titled "This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For," was written by Paul Shawcross, chief of the science and space branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget. It comes in response to a "We the People" petition that called on the federal government to start building a "Star Wars"-style Death Star battle station by 2016.
"By focusing our defense resources into a space-superiority platform and weapon system such as a Death Star, the government can spur job creation in the fields of construction, engineering, space exploration, and more, and strengthen our national defense," the petition read.
The petition garnered more than 25,000 online signatures within a month, partly due to a signing campaign that went viral on 4chan, Reddit and Twitter. Under the Obama administration's rules for the "We the People" program, that required the White House to come up with a reply.
Shawcross and his colleagues clearly rose to the challenge, with an essay that should satisfy the policy geeks as well as the "Star Wars" geeks. Here's the full text:
This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For
"The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:
- The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
- The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
- Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?
"However, look carefully (here's how) and you'll notice something already floating in the sky — that's no Moon, it's a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations. The Space Station has six astronauts — American, Russian, and Canadian — living in it right now, conducting research, learning how to live and work in space over long periods of time, routinely welcoming visiting spacecraft and repairing onboard garbage mashers, etc. We've also got two robot science labs — one wielding a laser — roving around Mars, looking at whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.
"Keep in mind, space is no longer just government-only. Private American companies, through NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office (C3PO), are ferrying cargo — and soon, crew — to space for NASA, and are pursuing human missions to the Moon this decade.
"Even though the United States doesn't have anything that can do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, we've got two spacecraft leaving the Solar System and we're building a probe that will fly to the exterior layers of the Sun. We are discovering hundreds of new planets in other star systems and building a much more powerful successor to the Hubble Space Telescope that will see back to the early days of the universe.
"We don't have a Death Star, but we do have floating robot assistants on the Space Station, a President who knows his way around a light saber and advanced (marshmallow) cannon, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is supporting research on building Luke's arm, floating droids, and quadruped walkers.
"We are living in the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field. The President has held the first-ever White House science fairs and Astronomy Night on the South Lawn because he knows these domains are critical to our country's future, and to ensuring the United States continues leading the world in doing big things.
"If you do pursue a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field, the Force will be with us! Remember, the Death Star's power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force."
Update for 9:35 p.m. ET Jan. 11: The White House statement quickly sparked a Twitter response from Darth Vader himself: "A serious mistake, Mr. President. You can never have enough planet-sized lasers."
Update for 1:40 a.m. ET Jan. 12: NASA may brag about the space station and its laser-equipped Curiosity rover, but that's not enough, Death Star PR says in a Twitter update: "Until you put the laser and the space station together and start blowing up planets, you're not doing enough Science."
Other spaced-out petitions:
- White House: No E.T. visits, no UFO cover-up
- Petition calls for development of nuclear rocket
- White House urged to build Starship Enterprise
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
Anywayz it's a lot cheaper to buy pre-owned, they lose like a hundred quadrillion in value as soon as you fly 'em out of the showroom.
...an out of the galaxy waste of money?? i've never known the democrats to refuse to spend for any reason! and the more outrageous the idea, the better the reason for spending money on it!
Now you have.
People are seriously messed up. As for those of you making this a political-really? You can't just enjoy the ridiculousness of this and leave it at that?
Building the enterprise is far more doable and sexier.
Where does one find DiLithium crystals?
Wait, wait… We got a government policy against blowing up planets?
Oh, that is NOT a good idea. Suppose they find an alien planet on a collision course with the earth. We could not have Bruce Willis blow it up because it is against government policy! We would have to convince the astronomers to label the darn thing a phantasmal and by then it would be too late to blow it up. Our only chance would be to have Chuck Norris roundhouse-kick the planet into the next galaxy and it might be Chuck’s day off. YOU go tell Chuck that he has to work on his day off. Of course it just might just work out as your body would probably ricochet off the planet with enough force to deflect the trajectory past earth.
What a statement considering the fact there are some 20,000 nukes in the ground ready to blow up this planet. And 50 years ago there was 50,000.
I would like to see this space thing pan out. Maybe start a colony somewhere that believes in a small non-intrusive government with clearly defined functions and responsibilities. One that believes in the right of the citizen to succeed or fail based on personal ability and ambition. One that believes the right to be left alone and the right to property is the foundation of all other freedoms. Wouldnt that be a wonderful place to live?
Nope, too many mouths to feed, with a majority of them voting Democrat and having more babies...
Republicans say we should build at anyway..... after all... the ability to destroy a planet is nothing compared to the power of the rich to war profiteer some more based on baseless fears.
Are you referring to 3000 civilians murdered on U.S. soil as a "baseless fear"? I am confused about how any individual rich or not can profit from conflict when the manufacturing base was eliminated by clintons "new economy" as well. Can you name these "Republicans" who suggest the construction of a military space platform as a viable national defense tool? That idea was pretty much side-lined when foreign entities stole enough technology to construct killer satellites.
Did Hilary Clinton vote for war with Iraq? Is she a Republican?
I find it amazing what can garner the requisite signatures and what gets only a handful. Here is one I would like to promote.
Sign this petition on https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/enact-legislation-will-provide-mental-health-assessments-people-currently-owning-guns/ZDmYD9M1
Enact legislation that will provide mental health assessments for people currently owning guns who may be having mental health issues. While background checks need to be mandatory for all purchasers we need a mechanism to address the problem of current gun owners or people residing with them who may have slipped into mental illness.
There should be a way for family, law enforcement, neighbors, and other concerned citizens to request an evaluation. If the person is found to be mentally ill by a competent mental health professional, a legal hearing should commence to adjudicate the removal of the guns and that name be placed on the registry to prevent further purchases.
There are a multitude of Constitutional issues with that childish suggestion, nor would it have had any effect on outcome in the current big media blitz case, it is already illegal to buy or possess a firearm with any history mental conditions as well as a criminal record .... how is that working out? Your solution is worse than the problem.
I cannot believe the WH wasted the Presidential Stationary on this one. Fiscal cliff, unsustainable deficits, raising everyone's taxes????
Really a response to a request to build a Death Star. Unbelievable!!!
Now who is out of touch Mr. President?
Once he takes away all the guns he won't need the Death Star.
Good Point. The next question is what will he do when the creditors invade to confiscate national assets when he defaults on the deficit interests payments that fund the welfare state?
In all seriousness the reason the white house disapproves is because it is not with obamas agenda. His agenda is: deprive the people of science so we can get rid of information and make people stupid so we can take away their freedoms and guns and everyone can magically make the same amount of money. Rich people are bad, remember?
The poor people deserve everything. If we put money into space, how are we going to put money to feeding all of those people who sit on the couch and live off of welfare.
So we build the Enterprise.
We get lasers up in space, it can be used as a space station (and a mobile one) and nerds everywhere get to rejoice.
It's the logical approach.
"OOHHH! Maxi big the Force!"
Love the C3PO reference. I remember a cartoon of '3PO and R2D2 at the side of Prez Reagan when he signed the SDI/Star Wars legislation. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
The militarization of space is likely underway, as we, the Russians and the Chinese have already demonstrated ASAT capability, and all manner of "secret" shuttle missions, etc. I still think the "petition" website was pranked by either bored teenagers, or Tony Stark Industries.
NEO astronomy and manned capability beyond earth orbit are the most cost-effective counters to getting vaporized by large space junk headed our way. Hope we don't figuratively shoot ourselves in the foot by slashing the NASA budget ($12B for NASA, $200+B for FARM SUBSIDIES going mostly to ADM and other big-agribusiness) just because Space-X and other private sector groups are getting their act together.
Please reassure me that we as a nation are not in Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, with the Supreme Chancellor having in this case just being re-elected. Rahm Emanuel looks more like Count Scary than Anakin Skywalker, but oh well. David Axelrod as Count Dooku? Colin Powell as Master Windu? Wow, just because you're NOT paranoid doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you. Brietbart and Sherriff Dever anyone? I really gotta stop typing this late...
Don't forget Lawrence "Crazy Eyes" O'Donnell as Jar Jar Binks!!
I think a lot of the ones signing the petition are either Star Wars fans or doing it just for sh*ts and giggles. Very few actually took it seriously and even fewer thought it would see daylight. Some people these days... If your country can generate 850 quadrillion dollars within 3 years, then your country is better off with that cash in the wallet and paying off debts. That's around 283 quadrillion per year!
With that form of budget, I fully expect my hover car by 2015!!
So, this would be a bad time to call for a vote on the
planned Dyson sphere.
A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar-power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output. Dyson speculated that such structures would be the logical consequence of the long-term survival and escalating energy needs of a technological civilization, and proposed that searching for evidence of the existence of such structures might lead to the detection of advanced intelligent extraterrestrial life.