NASA announces plans for lunar base by 2020

[Sabretooth]

Strange. I always thought NASA's priority was throwing people and related things into the rocky terrain of the red planet. Guess I was wrong, then.

 

This looks sort of interesting, though I think it would be hardly any different from a stationery space station. I wonder if they'll face any problems from those weird moon landowners and all.

[Totenkopf]

I don't believe you're being unduly pessimistic, Cut. I would tend to agree that it's political will that will set the date and timeline for if and when these things happen. I believe that with the right amount of pressure we could at least get back to the moon by 2020. Building up that pressure will seem damn near impossible. Maybe China will give us the impetus we need. God knows Clinton gave them a lot of technology, never mind what they mangaged on thier own through espionage. And remember, the moon programs went on while the US was engaged in Johnson's guns and butter era. I'd say our current setting is one that lacks vision all around. There are still a lot of people that feel that we shouldn't "waste" money out there when we have all kinds of problems unsolved down here.

[Astrotoy7]

Although I don't care for the "hot moon babes" (I'm way hotter than them anyway)......

 

hey, you cant say that without posting a pic of you in a skimpy, X-mas themed naughty elf outfit

 

tk102 - a lunar base near one of the poles of the moon

 

excellent, now we have somewhere to send RJM to. A more worthy space cadet I cannot think of

 

mtfbwya

[SilentScope001]

Strange. I always thought NASA's priority was throwing people and related things into the rocky terrain of the red planet. Guess I was wrong, then.

 

The Moon Base will act as training for the future exploring of Mars. It will also act as a launchpad for a future trip to Mars.

[Emperor Devon]

The Moon Base will act as training for the future exploring of Mars. It will also act as a launchpad for a future trip to Mars.

 

Creating a base that not only can sustain life but also launch missions would be extraordinarily expensive.

[SilentScope001]

Creating a base that not only can sustain life but also launch missions would be extraordinarily expensive.

 

Good thing the American people can be okay with a national debt!

 

The only thing that a national debt does is increase the interest rate, as the American government will have to increase the interest it charges on its bonds to get people to buy it. This will lead to a decrease in economic growth, maybe a recession.

 

That's it. One of the beniefts of the government is an infinte amount of money. Problem is, the terrible side-effects of this will be high indeed. Now that you mention it, I can see this problem kill off the project, but all NASA has to do is hire a few lobbyists, and buy the American senators. Once that is done, then NASA can expect the funding to fall into its lap.

[Q]

hey, you cant say that without posting a pic of you in a skimpy, X-mas themed naughty elf outfit

Seconded!

 

Spacebabes and politics aside, I think that this is at least a far more realistic goal for the near future than any mission to Mars. A base on the moon could eventually become self-sufficient. How? The soil. The soil on the moon contains all sorts of geological goodies that could contribute to a moon base's self-suffiency.

 

Firstly, the soil contains a lot of oxygen in various compounds that could be readily extracted for a moon base's atmosphere.

 

Second, the soil also contains hydrogen isotopes that could be used in a future fusion reactor. Even without a reactor, the moon's lack of an atmosphere lends itself well to the use of solar energy, so I doubt that energy production would be a problem.

 

Lastly, it would be possible for a permanent lunar settlement to grow its own food in greenhouses with enclosures that filter sunlight like the earth's atmosphere.

 

I certainly agree that this would have to be an international endeavor, as I have little faith in NASA (Need Another Seven Astronauts:D) ATM.

[Totenkopf]

Thirded, fourthed and fifthed!! Sorry D333, but seeing is believing and you've got a bunch of doubting Thomases here. Course, now, if you wished to prove us wrong........

[Ztalker]

excellent, now we have somewhere to send RJM to. A more worthy space cadet I cannot think of

Heh...I already see him hopping on the moon, planting a flag with 'Mojo' on it next to the American one

[mur'phon]

Am I the only person here that think the whole moon base idea suck?

The price of the base is going to be expensive as hell, just think what you could do with all that money. You could: reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create a lot of green energy. You could: create a fair trade system,reign inn corporations and develop poor countries. Also, you could fund an international court for coruption cases, wich would help the poor who are suffering from a corupt system (I currently live in South Africa, and coruption is a big reeason why litle is being done).

 

Of course, the money wouldnt be enough to acomplish these goals completely, but personally, I think its much better than spending it all on a space station that will benefit only a few rich men (and even fewer women).

 

I dont have anything against making bases on other planets, I just think that we should clean upp the mess on earth before we make new mess on other planets.

[Windu Chi]

Am I the only person here that think the whole moon base idea suck?

No, I'm more interested in Milky Way galactic exploration.

[Ray Jones]

Then you're also interested in establishing a base on the Moon. This is an excellent way to learn a lot of lessons we still need to learn concerning travelling to and "camping" on other "planets". It seems only reasonable to learn about possible issues connected to that on moon and on the way to it, rather than encountering problems on the way to who knows where. The risk of losing lifes (and educated staff) and material is much lower.

[Windu Chi]

Then you're also interested in establishing a base on the Moon. This is an excellent way to learn a lot of lessons we still need to learn concerning travelling to and "camping" on other "planets". It seems only reasonable to learn about possible issues connected to that on moon and on the way to it, rather than encountering problems on the way to who knows where. The risk of losing lifes (and educated staff) and material is much lower.

The Moon should've already been colonize in the 60's or 70's when most of the people on this planet was really interested in space exploration.

I believe by now we should already have the solar system colonize to a degree, Ray.

And now we should be getting ready for galactic exploration.

But that dream of mine's seem to be locked in infinity.

[Darth InSidious]

^The tech. was impractical. It would've taken years to get anywhere. Now at least the tech is coming in with solar-sails etc. to make this practicable.

[Totenkopf]

Still, you have to wonder how far tech would have progressed by now if the space program had not essentially been abandonned after the initial moon campaign.

[Mav]

2) We're going to strip-mine the moon! That will be good for the economy...but, well, erm...that's not good for the enviroment of the Moon. We already ruined the enviroment of Earth...why ruin the enviroment of other planets?

Environment of the moon... as far as I know the "environment" of the moon can't sustain life as we know it, so I have no problem stripping it of it's minerals, hell it can't be worse than raping the Amazon...

[Darth InSidious]

Still, you have to wonder how far tech would have progressed by now if the space program had not essentially been abandonned after the initial moon campaign.

It is possible that you would have had the technology...

 

We should perhaps ask whether we are ready as a species to venture out into space, though. Are we so much greater than we were? Have we learned from our mistakes?

 

Perhaps we should try and solve problems at home first...?

 

Or is that another thread?

 

@mav: Yeah, but the difference is, if they start carving up the moon we have to look at it almost every time we look up of an evening .

 

In some ways I wonder if the moon should be a world heritage site...? Or is that a third thread? Hmm...

[stoffe]

It is possible that you would have had the technology...

 

Probably. Humans tend to be very good at technical innovation quickly in situations where cost and resources are not an issue. Which usually only happens during wartime when survival and national prestige are at stake, ironically, or the Cold War in this particular case.

 

We should perhaps ask whether we are ready as a species to venture out into space, though. Are we so much greater than we were? Have we learned from our mistakes?

Perhaps we should try and solve problems at home first...?

 

Then we'd probably have to stay here for good. If anything history indicates that humanity is quite incapable of learning from past mistakes and not repeating them. I don't see that changing any time soon.

 

 

@mav: Yeah, but the difference is, if they start carving up the moon we have to look at it almost every time we look up of an evening .

 

I think exploitation of whatever places in space bases are built is a necessary evil that is unavoidable, since those bases would have to self-sufficient with many resources. Shipping everything from earth would be too expensive and time consuming. A base built on the moon would likely have to be built mostly from materials found on the moon.

 

And as with most economical interests, those who invest a lot of money in something expect to get something in return in the end to make their investment worthwhile.

[SilentScope001]

@mav: Yeah, but the difference is, if they start carving up the moon we have to look at it almost every time we look up of an evening .

 

Don't forget the wars that can happen on the moon if two nations hate each other and want to take over the future Moon Base.

 

More craters are going to be created on the Moon, that's for sure.

[Ray Jones]

The Moon should've already been colonize in the 60's or 70's when most of the people on this planet was really interested in space exploration.

I believe by now we should already have the solar system colonize to a degree, Ray.

And now we should be getting ready for galactic exploration.

But that dream of mine's seem to be locked in infinity.

70s or now, the steps to get "behind" the moon would be no different. And of course, it would be cool if we'd already a base on the moon. But back then we had like a ton of wars going on, and the world in general was not "united" enough to have a common space thinger like we have now with the ISS. Also, again, all this is already "getting ready for galactic exploration", or do you seriously think it would be anyhow reasonable to aim at pluto or farther, with our first space ship before we've been even flying once around the moon? And we are "colonising" the solar system already. Earth, and Earth's orbit, remember?

 

The advantage of now is, our technology is smaller, leightweighted, needs less energy, is more "intelligent" and less expensive (although pretty expensive compared to "earthly" tech). And still, for the task of "manned space exploration", it's not developed enough.

 

And I don't forsee a war on the moon, since we're not going up there nationwise (like it was in the 70s), but as men/women from earth.

[CSI]

Interesting topic...

 

If there are more similiar news on the way, then I suggest NASA to develop Hyperdrive.

[Windu Chi]

And we are "colonising" the solar system already. Earth, and Earth's orbit, remember?

I'm talking about from here to Pluto.

Also that International space station should've been completed back in 2000, which was the previous estimate from NASA.

But more delays arise.

[Darth InSidious]

^There always delays in everything.

 

@Ray: There are still wars now, and the world is far from united

 

@stoffe: True.

[Ray Jones]

Yes, maybe, but not "up there". The ISS is what the name intents: "international". Not, like 30 years ago, one (and each) nation on it's own.

 

I'm talking about from here to Pluto.

Also that International space station should've been completed back in 2000, which was the previous estimate from NASA.

But more delays arise.

Mmmh. From here to Pluto..? Here= Earth. Period. And where's the problem with being patient? And how many space station projects, comparable to the ISS maybe, did you manage to run, and bring to a status comparable to that of the ISS? What problems did you encounter? Did everything run as expected?

 

Oh, you did none of the above mentioned? You have no experiences in building a space station? You have no knowledge about how to do it and what possible issues are?

 

Then, windu6, why dare you to criticise those who go first, those who develop the needed technique and equipment, those who risk their lifes, those who give their money, those who do something instead of whining about where we could be but are not, and how we don't keep up with the estimated schedule. Better one more relative short delay, than one more spaceship lost and with that years of work and another 2 years delay to build another spaceship.

 

So seriously, windu6, you have no right to say what you say, as it disrespects the very honourable work of those people behind the space program.

 

To take it from another thread, "A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush" and "A stitch in time saves nine", both valuable lessons you should not put aside when tinkering with this issue.

[Windu Chi]

Mmmh. From here to Pluto..? Here= Earth. Period. And where's the problem with being patient? And how many space station projects, comparable to the ISS maybe, did you manage to run, and bring to a status comparable to that of the ISS? What problems did you encounter? Did everything run as expected?

What the hell is you talking about, Ray?

Why the hell is you getting mad with me?

 

Oh, you did none of the above mentioned? You have no experiences in building a space station? You have no knowledge about how to do it and what possible issues are?

As I will say again, what the hell is you talking about?

Of course, I don't have no damn experience in building damn space stations.

And also that is ridiculous what have you just said, above.

You are really overreacting, yo.

 

Then, windu6, why dare you to criticise those who go first, those who develop the needed technique and equipment, those who risk their lifes, those who give their money, those who do something instead of whining about where we could be but are not, and how we don't keep up with the estimated schedule. Better one more relative short delay, than one more spaceship lost and with that years of work and another 2 years delay to build another spaceship.

 

So seriously, windu6, you have no right to say what you say, as it disrespects the very honourable work of those people behind the space program.

 

To take it from another thread, "A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush" and "A stitch in time saves nine", both valuable lessons you should not put aside when tinkering with this issue.

I'm not going to get into a damn argument with you.

Why the hell are you taking my comments so personal, Ray?