Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to The Moon

Amazing, isn't it!
Arthur Smith — (archived)

People take things so for granted, but whenever you stop and think about it, that Moon there is really an amazing entity. Setting our monthly cycles, a sign of the seasons, a neat coincidence in size with the Sun, pairing the two off to rule day and night. The times the last few months when Moon and a bright Mars have been neighbors in the sky brings home a bit the immensity of space, but also a clear message for anybody who would look, about what our near-term priorities should be. And the innocence of Mark's two-year-old may have some rather good reasons behind it... or does the Emperor still insist he is wearing clothes?

The recent brief NSS statement (prepared at the request of the White House, so I hear) - http://www.nsschapters.org/policy-cmte/files/NSS_NextSteps_03.html
calls for a general revitalization of US investment in space projects, and, among three specific recommendations, a human-inhabited base on the Moon as the next goal after ISS. Meanwhile Congress held a hearing from "both sides" of the human spaceflight issue: http://www.house.gov/science/press/108/108-124.htm
a summary I find rather discouraging. It does mention Nick Lampson's bill though - H.R. 3057 - http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=10332
which calls for much the same thing, going beyond to mention an L1 station, asteroids, and of course Mars.

We'll go to Mars eventually - but the main resource space has to offer us in the near term is energy from the Sun, and the Moon can help us make that an economically viable resource far more easily than Mars can. Of course there are science and romance reasons to go there too. All valid. As one comment in the house discussion stated, "It is hard to explain the human space flight mission to the public unless we talk about destinations."

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