To the Moon or Mars

[Maharg67]

My own opinion is that Obama, who I support on other issues, is making a big mistake. Luna is not only the high ground over the world, giving any power military and security advantages, but in the longer term it will be cheaper and easier to launch missions to Mars and other worlds from a strongly emplaced moon colony. The moon will provide safety in being able to use the larva tube caves for the base, raw materials, water (recently discovered) and even forms of energy production to base moon manufacturing on. For example using the extreme temperature range of light (hot) and shadow (cold) to to cause liquid to boil, making steam that then turns turbines and produces electricity. The steam is sent back into the shadows, condensing the steam into liquid, and then the cycle is begun again. Solar power of course but perhaps not wind power. The moon will pay for itself in many ways a lot sooner than going to Mars will.

[Dark0ne]

How would this electricity make its way back to earth? :X

[Maharg67]

The idea is to make the moon colony self sustaining as possible as many ways as possible. The energy is for the support of the moon colony but also for light gravity processing and manufacturing, which would have many advantages. The manufactured and processed goods would be sent back to Earth, not the energy, unless one day they can find a way to charge super efficient batteries that are manufactured on the moon and they send the batteries to Earth on one way recyclable shuttle craft (also manufactured on the moon). These ideas have been developed years ago by various scientists, engineers and others, many of them being Americans.

[Vagrant0]

The devil is in the logistics. Although there may be advantages, at this particular point in time, with almost every state in debt, it really isn't practical to make plans like this.

[Trandoshan]

Nah, he was completely right. The shuttles we use now are late 70s technology. We need to step back, and design a better shuttle before we continue flights to space. We need to cut back on the program till we have a better way to get into space.

 

The only problem with this doctrine is the fall of 'Astronauts' as the almighty national symbol of exploration. Replacing them with mechanical substitutes. One small step for *Bleep* *Bloop*....

 

If the Russians beat us to it, we are doomed. Better that we master the technology before we try though.

[brokenergy]

As much as I can say that for the pursuit of science is a good idea but we should be more focused of things such as world hunger and poverty as well as our environment. Once third world nations cans sustain themselves and the environment is stable then we can go and explore other space as a international community not as nation states seeking power. I want to the UN flag on Mars not US, Russia, China, India, Iran or any other nation that has a space program. During this time we should be focused on learning the world around us and understating it rather than making new chemicals that can kill people.

[Maharg67]

Perhaps the only way to make for a successful space program is to stretch it out and make it internationally based. The reason for the colonisation of the moon is to practical. Such space programs often lead to many breakthroughs in technology which in turn boosts the economy. From the Apollo Program came technological breakthroughs. Light gravity and zero gravity allow for the manufacturing of amazing materials and even biotech because of the 'interesting' effects they have on processes. Perfect spheres might sound just like a fancy but technologically speaking such would be a boost to engineering and technical abilities. That alone could more than pay for the moon program.

 

But one main reason for going to the moon and making at least a small permanent colony is the ability to build a big array of devices to carefully study the Earth, to better understand climatic and weather patterns, to save lives and economic cost, to study the currents of the ocean and much else. It would, hopefully, remind people that we all exist on a small green blue world and we need to take better care of it. Imagine also the amazing array of devices that could be built to study the solar system and the stars and how much cheaper and easier it would be to launch space probes from the low gravity moon than from the high gravity Earth. Building a ship to go to Mars would be easier on the moon if mining, processing and manufacturing are achieved there.

 

As for costs, reducing military spending by many nations would easily cover that anyway. The Constellation Program is expensive but cheap compared to the amazing amount of wealth spent on the military efforts around the world.

 

In the end it may be the USA and allied military concerns that have a moonbase formed but I would prefer it be done mainly for peaceful purposes.

[Dark0ne]

To be honest with human nature how it is we'd be better off investing in space a lot more than we would investing in corrupt 3rd world countries, or even our own corrupt countries. If we waited for Africa to sort itself out, or for the sky to stop turning black then we'd be here forever; or atleast until over-population consumed us all. Space may well be necessary just to survive at this rate.

[brokenergy]

Good point. I think the time we will see change in governance will be a day when we will be forced to. Politicians just want to score points with the public while scientist want improve life for the public. It will be interesting what is on the moon or Mars and the new technology that will be developed. I'm just don't want this to end up like over exaggerated science fiction novels we see all the time. This could have potential to bring scientist from all over the world and settle down some really nasty disputes for a while to develop technology for the good of mankind. Do you think that they will solve the most pressing matter such as find cheese on the moon? :teehee:

[JimboUK]

I would have thought Helium-3 is a good enough reason to go the moon, there's supposed to be a lot up there. It could provide power to any colony up there are provide a clean potent energy source for earth. Anyway wouldn't it make more sense to go to Mars from the Moon rather than the Earth? Any vehicle going to Mars is going to have to carry a hell of a lot of fuel, not only does it have to escape Earth it also has to escape Mars unless the plan is to leave them there to die. Obama has handed to Moon to the Chinese, they have the will to go and the money to do it.