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20th Century Fox
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:
We are officially a nation of idiots. We have so many people who are in trouble in this country--they can't find healthcare, jobs, housing, etc and the WH wastes it time like sophomoric morons on a petition site they have no intention of taking seriously-EVER. Thanks so much to all the idiots that voted this jerk in for another four years.
You're welcome, it was our pleasure!
Did you forget to take your meds today? You know your CHILL PILL.
Just two of the many idiots crawling out of the woodwork! Have fun playing video games in your mom's basement guys.
No, if my mom catches me playing video games, she won't let me use her Bushmaster
.
Dang that was my answer, what are trillion dollar Treasury coins for if not for this
"Krusty Nutts
Just make a $850,000,000,000,000,000 platinum coin."
i wonder how many knuckle-gragging republican voters are going to think this is a real govt. spending story. i'm gonna sit back and watch !
Newt would have approved it.
thats a hard thought
It would be great if it could blow up Iran.
If the dollar amount quoted in this article is accurate the Dems and BHO would have no problem spending this kind of money. Unfortunately spending this kind of money does not translate into votes. If it did it could/would guarantee their power in perpetuatity. Price is no object when it comes to these people holding on to power. They've already proved that. Besides all they have to do is tax those nasty rich folks.
The space vehicles about to leave our solar system were launched circa 1977. It has taken 35 years to travel from earth to beyond Pluto and into inter-space. We have a long way to go before a death star.
Someone above seemed to imply that the space station had not created 20 million jobs. I disagree. Worldwide I think the space station has created that, and more jobs, not only in the government but in private industry. Look up how many are employed at our space launch sites, add scientists, equipment manufactures, software engineers, etc. Space and the space station are big business.
Lastly, I believe the administration set the minimum 25,000 signatures, required on a petition, to get a response from the white house too low. It is pretty easy to find 25,000 people in our country who will sign a petition. Hundreds of people probably need to get involved to answer a petition.
The White House promised a response on any petition with 25,000 signatures...not necessarily from OBama himself. In this case it was a one page response...a communication to the people, what's the harm. Its more than I get from my representative. There is no promise that he will do what the petition ask..its just a venue for people to communicate with their President and his staff. I assume that serious proposals and ideas with sufficient details are referred to apporpriate people in the cabinet or the staff for research and evaluation. If it is practical and aligns with the views of what the White House believes to be in the best interest of this country, it will be implimented or legislation purposed. As far as I can tell, this may be the only avenue which I can tell that the government is really listening, even if the ideas are far-fetched and literally not very practical as a Death Star. I doubt seriously that there are 100s of people responding to these petition. I remember when Presidents who had staffs who answered every letter. This is far better. My bets are that this is a novelity and there's been a lot of traffic but as time goes on, the novelty will wear off.
lets get twinkies back on the shelf first....really!
its cool but we need more jobs and unemployment benefits for everyone who needsd it
We already have a death star..it's called a drone and we are the Imperialist
I saw "Death Star" and thought it was about Lindsay Lohan.
Death Star...stupid, dumb and costly idea. We don't have the money and we need to concentrate on priorities at hand...like on the economy in USA on flipping EARTH! I do not want my tax dollars going to this junk!! My kids will live here after I am gone and it would be nice to know that the planet they live on still had good decision makers (politicians) to put down this crap. I don't care what scientists say. I'm fighting for my kids and their future. Say NOOOOOOOOOO. to anymore spending by the FEDS. I am so done paying taxes on a check the FEDs write without my approval. I am done with with stupid spending decisions that I cannot afford. I would not do this in my houshold. So, why would I allow the government to spend my hard earned monies. I am so done. Mr Obama...need to cut back on the budget and delete pork spending...I mean it!! Reduce raises on your staff and kick them back into reality like the rest of us! Thanks.
Chill out Sherry, this is the comedy page, not the serious page. You should visit the holadeck on the Enterprise and live out one of your fantasies.
Sherry,
Good decision makers (polititians) The two will never be confused. One or the other.
We have no right to blow up any planets. Would anyone want to see the world blown up? I dont thinks so
Maybe. Do we get a cookie after like when we give blood?
Huge coverup for the Deathstar Project Nasa will be starting this spring. -waves hand- "You see no giant orb in the sky."
Hollow out the moon, strap some bottle rockets on the sides and walla, a death star.
What a colossal waste of time. These petitions are supposed to be for important things, people. Deporting Piers Morgan (despite how distasteful the man is) and building a Death Star? Seriously? Stop flooding the system with garbage.
Ah, once again I must thank the "teeming masses" of ermerka for reminding me that I'm not a humorless, self-centered idiot. May the force...well, never mind. Why waste cake on the tasteless, right? :-D
850 quadrillion here, 850 quadrillion there-----soon enough you're talking real bucks.
I heard the illegals will do it for less. LOL
16395770-estimate-suggests-that-our-galaxy-contains-17-billion-sizzling-hot-earths....
"Oh great" I was hoping that we weren't the sharpest tack in box.... Things aren't looking up if your watchin the skies for little green men.... Hopefully we can at least pave the way for some new amoeba species that will succeed us.....
If there is a serious point to any of this its that people realize that white house petitions are a pathetic way for the WH to claim it is being more transparent and accountable to the people.
People see through Obama's gimmicks and know that the whole show is a joke. The only time Obama is going to take action on a petition is when its already in line with the agenda of his masters at Goldman Sachs.
We should start a petition asking them to pay no attention to us. Then if we get enough signatures, they'll have to ignore it.
I am all in favor of space exploration. That being said, the fact that the White House would even dignify this petition by responding to it is absurd.
800 zillion dollars and no bathrooms
Yes, this whole thing may be ridiculous, but may serve some purpose in regards to future thought..... and to expand our minds by staying away from the trivial bull that exist in the world and surrounding our immediate surroundings - Death Star? We may need it in the distant future..
With articles like this we may reflect what we are and where we live. We may not know about the size of the universe for millions of years…. It is all irrelevant because at the present, life is irrelevant…. Most humans live in a state of what I call “The Life Bubble” - without this ‘life bubble’ we would all commit suicide because of the reality of life vs. the universe.
We only exist for a few minutes - [80 years]. This is only the 21st century and up to now we have done it all wrong, thanks to ethics-religion and silly primitive modes of thinking. When you are dead or no longer exist, to you the universe does not exist…… you are in a state not existing in the same manner as before birth. Depressing? Yes, this is where the “Bubble” comes in.
There should only be one goal in life, and that is put forth the effort to secure life instead of accepting life on a temporary basis. What we do, in this “Bubble of Life” is play “The Ultimate Game”, the fantasy of life…. We are not facing the ultimate big picture. This article brings out the insanity of what we do, such as wars, killing, anger, violence, building big homes, having shiny new cars creating more humans who also have a temporary existence --no body has a real future, it is short and temporary. We play on emotions - greed, ambition, love, hate and hundreds of things that really do not matter.
Man is in a state of denial, pretending to play out the only thing he can envision, work hard at everything-fight over everything --everything we do is irrelevant in contrast to the universe.
Priorities have always been a problem ---first we secure life -solving the aging process, for example, then we play.
The Ultimate Game is not a new concept, it is the same as Shakespeare’s --- “life is a Stage and we merely play its parts. All we are is a stepping stone for the future human or Supreme Being, who will one day say, humans actually died in the past.
Yes, for now we may enjoy the enormous place we call the universe by which science is our only friend and hope for the future human……. With the coming of the Great Genetic Revolution in the next century.
Don't be such a party pooper! It's lighthearted news. Did any of you actually think it would come to fruition? Please quit huffin' the gasoline.
Aww shucks I was looking forward to blowing up Alderaan. Damn economy.!!
Aw... What the hell? I was looking forward to a " Death Star ". I was thinking of reenlisting just to get stationed there! Now I have nothing to look forward to in life! Oh, the humanity!