Author Topic: Time to go back to the moon (Read 441 times)

fdiron · « **on:** August 21, 2002, 04:01:09 AM »

Landing on the moon could possibly be the greatest accomplishment of mankind. Yet by the 1970s, people were barely tuning in to watch moon landings on tv. It seems NASA gave up on sending any more missions to the moon and concentrated on the Space Shuttle.

I think its time that humans revisit the moon. I would like to see a permanent scientific station on the moon during my life time. I am sure there are many things we can learn about the origins of Earth from our closest natural satellite.

Has anyone heard anything about revisiting the moon?

Animal · « **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2002, 04:03:16 AM »

I think the goverment needs to lower military expenses a bit and put that money on NASA. Whats NASA's chunk of the goverment spendings? about 1% (and some people still want to cut it to less)

After the space station is complete and operational, we should set our sights on the moon, to build a permanent space-port.

Someday, maybe I will get to be an astronaut, and I will play weightless food-fights with CyranoAH

CyranoAH · « **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2002, 05:05:11 AM »

Hehehe Animal, I'll better practice then... no watermelon-throwing tho, rules are rules

In my opinion, we should first complete what we have (ISS) and then try other projects.

The moon is a very probable next destination, since we will need serious practice if we want to send a manned spaceship to Mars. Everything from hydroponic gardens to sustainable energy sources for a Martian base will have to be first tested on the moon.

We are talking 2020 or even 2025, though.

As for being an astronaut, I'm pretty optimistic there. Check X-Prize, for example. It's a multi-million dollar prize for the first company that designs and operates a sub-orbital vehicle capable of putting people in a flight that would take them to a LEO and then back to earth.

While it's not actually being in orbit, it's a first step, and there are many companies now working on it. I hope to see commercial flights in no more than 5 years.

BTW, I am going to fly in the Zero-G A300 again this september, I'll be posting some pics

Daniel, aka Cyrano

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #3 on:** August 21, 2002, 05:37:24 AM »

Animal · « **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2002, 05:53:25 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by CyranoAH
Hehehe Animal, I'll better practice then... no watermelon-throwing tho, rules are rules

In my opinion, we should first complete what we have (ISS) and then try other projects.

The moon is a very probable next destination, since we will need serious practice if we want to send a manned spaceship to Mars. Everything from hydroponic gardens to sustainable energy sources for a Martian base will have to be first tested on the moon.

We are talking 2020 or even 2025, though.

As for being an astronaut, I'm pretty optimistic there. Check X-Prize, for example. It's a multi-million dollar prize for the first company that designs and operates a sub-orbital vehicle capable of putting people in a flight that would take them to a LEO and then back to earth.

While it's not actually being in orbit, it's a first step, and there are many companies now working on it. I hope to see commercial flights in no more than 5 years.

BTW, I am going to fly in the Zero-G A300 again this september, I'll be posting some pics

Daniel, aka Cyrano

Heh, lucky you

What is the project you are working on about? They are giving you time in the Vomit Express for a project I assume?

CyranoAH · « **Reply #5 on:** August 21, 2002, 06:09:39 AM »

Heh Animal, as a matter of fact, the rules are you can only fly once in the Zero-G A300, but they don't say anything about coming back as a "journalist"

Sooo a group of friends have been selected this year to test their experiment and... guess who's their journalist

Having said so, I have been extremely lucky to fly this year, since I had to wait for:

1. The experiment to be selected from more than 150
2. Me being selected as a "flying journalist"
3. Them not saying anything about my flying last year

But hey, I did it, so I'll be flying with the A300 this 4th of september.

Daniel, aka Cyrano

miko2d · « **Reply #6 on:** August 21, 2002, 08:10:13 AM »

fdiron,
Why don't you join or create a private foundation to that effect? No need to use government's coercive powers to force others pay for your dream - even discounting the fact that the money would be wasted and pork-barreled and project mismanaged.

There is a private group that is designing a space elevator and hope to build it withing the next 15-20 years. Get together with them. Once up on the space elevator, there is only a short hop to the moon...

Landing on the moon could possibly be the greatest accomplishment of mankind.
Landing on Earth was way more important accomplishment.

miko

Thrawn · « **Reply #7 on:** August 22, 2002, 12:35:14 PM »

The Chinese are planning on going to the moon in the next few years.

Soda · « **Reply #8 on:** August 22, 2002, 01:35:29 PM »

The Chinese need to put someone in orbit for a while first before they think they can go to the moon. I hear they plan on placing their first astronauts in orbit sometime next year.

Most of the Chinese space program is based on Russian technology too, so it might take them a while to build a number of the things you need that Russia can't supply (like a lunar lander). The Russians had the designs, and did quite a bit of testing on the components to go to the moon and back, but there would still be a lot of work to do before the Chinese could get everything together.

I think that NASA is just underfunded to even think about another large project right now. The ISS is just sucking up too much money and even the supply flights are too costly. That's why I'm so surprised they basically ended most of the funding for the space-shuttle replacement. I know there were lots of technical issues they were struggling with but starting something new is bound to cost them a lot of years of development time before they have a replacement.

-Soda
The Assassins.

easymo · « **Reply #9 on:** August 22, 2002, 01:39:51 PM »

Near total waste of money. It was nothing but a pissing contest with the Russians. 90 percent of the cost was on ways to keep a man alive in space. Had NASA applied the same funds into developing robots/probes. We would know just as much about the moon. AND, by now, just as much about Pluto.

whgates3 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2002, 06:03:56 PM »

The Moon is 250,000 miles away. the shuttle doesnt go more than 400 miles from The Earth. NASA already flushes much too much of my $$ down the toilet. The Lunar surface is mostly basalt. we have plenty basalt here in Oregon

Ozark · « **Reply #11 on:** August 22, 2002, 06:12:08 PM »

Mankind should never sail past the horizon. There are monsters out there!

easymo · « **Reply #12 on:** August 22, 2002, 06:39:26 PM »

There are monsters out there!

And they carry I.R.S. badges.

Manedew · « **Reply #13 on:** August 22, 2002, 07:37:39 PM »

I'd rather have money spent on NASA than other BS i don't support... but that's me....and think of all tho's big rocks flying around out there .. they've gotten through before.... maybe it'd be wise if we explored.

AKWeav · « **Reply #14 on:** August 22, 2002, 09:11:51 PM »

We were told to stay away.