NASA plans preemptive strike on the Moon

[morteduzionism]

This is a story about how NASA plans to slam two rockets into the Moon in order to test whether there is hydrogen found in the polar caps.

I'm not sure what benifit comes from finding hydrogen on the moon, but then I'm not a scientist either.

That's not why I'm sharing this. In the article it says that the LCROSS satellite(that's going to slam into the Moon) costs $79 Million and they consider this a "cost effective" way of doing exploration.

I couldn't tell from the article whether or not the LCROSS is expected to be recovered or not but...if it's not...

$79 Million for a one time deal!? Is that really "cost effective"?

[danzig]

The experiment couldn't be more important. NASA is returning to the Moon, and when explorers get there, they'll need water. Water can be split into hydrogen for rocket fuel and oxygen for breathing. It can be mixed with moondust to make concrete, a building material. Water makes an excellent radiation shield, and when you get thirsty you can drink it. One option is to ship water directly from Earth, but that's expensive. A better idea would be to mine water directly from the lunar soil.

That is the reason, long term space programs would be made easier by its presences.

[Simetrical]

We know there's tons of oxygen in the lunar soil. If there's enough hydrogen as well, we can make lots of water very cheaply: just set some of the hydrogen on fire (in the presence of oxygen, which is necessary for any fire), and start chucking in frozen hydrogen and oxygen as fast as you like. It provides a fuel source whose sole waste product is water vapor, which is great on all levels, since water is a really useful substance that we think is very scarce on the Moon.

Basically this is like hydrogen fuel on Earth, except it's energy-positive (you get out more energy than you put in) and the exhaust is really useful, whereas on Earth you just let it out into the atmosphere.

$79 million is not expensive for any space mission.

[Dayman]

So is this a sort of step in the direction of colonizing the Moon? (I hope it happens in our lifetimes!)

[Kaznecki]

So is this a sort of step in the direction of colonizing the Moon? (I hope it happens in our lifetimes!)

The presense of hydrogen or other valuable materials would most certainly speed up the process.

No endeavor has gone without some hope of making money in the process....

[Simetrical]

So is this a sort of step in the direction of colonizing the Moon? (I hope it happens in our lifetimes!)

Yes. And not just sort of.

[danzig]

So is this a sort of step in the direction of colonizing the Moon? (I hope it happens in our lifetimes!)

A vital step as others have said its presences would make any future plans a hell of alot easier.

[NaptownKnight]

I want to live on the moon, hurry up NASA, get to work!

[Ummagumma]

Bah. From 'pre-emptive strike' I had visions of us engaging in hostilities with the lunar fellows.
"From evidence recently gathered we have identified an intelligent and technologically advancing race on the moon. We are planning a re-emptive strike against them to defend ourselves from any hostility them may themselves be planning"......

[Blau&Gruen]

ESA's Jules Verne costs 1.3 billion Euros plus additional 300 million for each launch. I mention this because the vehicle was launched yesterday.


http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM2DN9OY2F_Life_0.html