The arguments for a lunar base ASAP

[Denny Crane!]

I thought this deserved its own thread inspired by the SLS rocket thread to which I posted this:

THe load capacity for this rocket is absolutely enormous and it quite capable of taking up enough stuff to make a very serious beginning on a lunar base which with a small gravity would allow us a base of operations and a more viable alternative to the space station in orbit. Then at least we could get some people spending some time in outerspace safely no?

Basically it is only three days travel away at the slowest space propulsion speeds. It would create a habitat for us to venture back and forth from, a permanent one protected by four metric tons of matter to absorb lethal radiation, possibly a biospehere? No reason why not. It would offer unparalleled possibilities for understanding space and the creation of a better version of the Hubble telescope. But more importantly it would be a proof of concept for a Mars biosphere habitat.

If it worked on the moon, mars with its stronger gravity and water supply and numerous other things would be a certainty.

From Nasa:

Human Civilization
Extend human presence to the moon to enable eventual settlement.

Scientific Knowledge
Pursue scientific activities that address fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the solar system and the universe - and about our place in them.

Exploration Preparation
Test technologies, systems, flight operations and exploration techniques to reduce the risks and increase the productivity of future missions to Mars and beyond.

Global Partnerships
Provide a challenging, shared and peaceful activity that unites nations in pursuit of common objectives.

Economic Expansion
Expand Earth's economic sphere, and conduct lunar activities with benefits to life on the home planet.

Public Engagement
Use a vibrant space exploration program to engage the public, encourage students and help develop the high-tech workforce that will be required to address the challenges of tomorrow.

Lunar Exploration Objectives

Almost 200 lunar exploration objectives resulted from the Global Exploration Strategy process. NASA engaged the global space community to develop the objectives by asking the question, "What do we hope to accomplish through lunar exploration?"

NASA took the many answers to this question and compiled them into a comprehensive database of almost 200 different things we could do on the moon! The lunar exploration objectives are meant to capture the entire set of activities that anyone involved in lunar exploration may want to pursue. These activities could be carried out by NASA, another space agency, a private company, a university, or anyone else who invests in space exploration

200 THINGS TO DO ON THE MOON

Its weird that all the countries are having these different space programs to accomplish little (and the USA has all but scrapped their) when we could be joining together to do a special joint venture that scientifically would acheive so much and prove so much or at least find out the problems.

[Phier]

Don't forget cool as all hell.

My government flushes billions down to crapper, so even if its a total waste of time in the long run at least we get 'cool as all hell' from it.

[Menelik_I]

Don't forget cool as all hell.

My government flushes billions down to crapper, so even if its a total waste of time in the long run at least we get 'cool as all hell' from it.

I will agree with Phier's on this one, total waste of money, but still ''cool has hell''.

I think we will see the Lunar base coming has a result of private space venture and all will start from there.

[Imperial]

I think we will see the Lunar base coming has a result of private space venture and all will start from there.

And where the hell is the private industry going to get the funds to do that? Furthermore, I don't trust for-profit agencies which are known to cut corners to save money to be in charge of an expedition of this nature.

[Phier]

And where the hell is the private industry going to get the funds to do that? Furthermore, I don't trust for-profit agencies which are known to cut corners to save money to be in charge of an expedition of this nature.

Whats not to trust? Worst that happens is a complete loss of life but welcome to exploration. Happens to governments too.

[Menelik_I]

And where the hell is the private industry going to get the funds to do that?

Google + McDonnald have the money.

I don't trust for-profit agencies which are known to cut corners to save money to be in charge of an expedition of this nature.

Or so is the nonsense you believe.

There are hundred of drilling rigs around the world and thousands of oil processing facilies, and even so accidents are rare.

[Imperial]

Google + McDonnald have the money.

Google + McDonald's are selling products. What does a privatize space agency have to sell?

[Denny Crane!]

Don't forget cool as all hell.

My government flushes billions down to crapper, so even if its a total waste of time in the long run at least we get 'cool as all hell' from it.

Well this is it isn't it. My government spent £3bn + on new naval ships, I wonder how much closer that £3bn GBP would have got the world to a lunar base, it would have at least paid for the planning and preperation which NASA has already thought about in terms of its next lunar journey for 2020 somewhere in the region of £30bn GBP.

Spread that £30bn cost of getting there between the EU, the USA, Russia and China over say the next 5 years then a further £30-60bn over another 5-10 years as we complete it and realise it then at the top end you are talking 20bn per continent over at the most a decade.

Christ 2 billion a year is nothing for the size of the economies we are discussing. What is a poxy 100bn pound over more than a decade for what is essentially the entire world economy (not even counting if India and Japan want to participate)).

[Gordon Freynman]

I don't think anyone has highlighted the significance and importance of space programs better than Carl Sagan:



And I find the graph at the very end somewhat disconcerting.

Worldwide Space Budget; $38 billion
Worldwide Military Budget; $2.1 trillion

NASA's current budget is $19 billion, the US Military budget is about $688 billion.

[Gaidin]

Don't forget cool as all hell.

I'd like to add an even better reason.

Because it's there.

[Denny Crane!]

I'd like to add an even better reason.

Because it's there.

To all: I read somewhere that every trip to space releases a toxic substance that poisons our water supply and never goes away, does anyone know anything about this?

[Phier]

I wonder why it's always the military budget that gets brought up?

The US is still trying to spend 9 billion on "green energy" from our 780 billion stimulus boondoggle. How many moon bases is that?

[Imperial]

Phier, your reply did nothing to settle my fears.

[Exarch]

seems the military has the brains, the know how and the spaceplane. let them build the moonbase. if they can.

[Imperial]

But there's no terrorists on the moon.

[Gordon Freynman]

Or oil.

seems the military has the brains, the know how and the spaceplane. let them build the moonbase. if they can.

This was more or less already covered in the SLS thread, everyone would go ape even over the militarization of space, let alone the Moon.

[Exarch]

Or oil.



This was more or less already covered in the SLS thread, everyone would go ape even over the militarization of space, let alone the Moon.

space is already militarised, but.

[Ahlerich]

But there's no terrorists on the moon.

well first we could resettle all arabs and other people with the terror gene to the moon reservation
then we could even torture them on site and saving the transportation costs
nucllear waste could be moved there as well
there is so much potential in lunar bases

[Menelik_I]

well first we could resettle all arabs and other people with the terror gene to the moon reservation
then we could even torture them on site and saving the transportation costs
nucllear waste could be moved there as well
there is so much potential in lunar bases

Somebody elect this dude president

[Sphere]

I don't really see the point of a lunar base. I mean if just getting mass into space is so expensive, why take all that extra fuel and landing apparatus to build on a place hat still needs a completely artificial environment as there is no atmosphere. What does a moon-base provide that a space station couldn't provide cheaper?