Former Astronaut Don Peterson's Ideas for Future Human Flight Programs

***2. Do we really need to go back to the moon as part of a Human Mars Exploration Program (HMEP – my acronym, not NASA's)?

An article titled "Reconnaissance," on page 32 of the March 22nd '04 issue of Aviation Week says, "NASA's new lunar exploration program will start modestly with a $300-million orbiter using recycled planetary instruments to scout a landing site for future humans, but experts believe it could evolve into a surface complex that private industry would operate after NASA moves on to Mars." The article focuses on the things that must be done to explore the moon, but does not discuss any specific lunar activities associated with the HMEP

However, statements by NASA spokespersons in the past few months indicate that NASA believes: (1) Mars vehicles could be launched from the moon to take advantage of the increased performance afforded by reduced gravity, (2) conditions on the lunar surface (about 1/6 earth gravity, no atmosphere, etc.) would serve as an ideal environment to develop and test equipment and procedures and train crews for operations on the surface of Mars (about 2/5 earth gravity, very thin atmosphere, etc.), and (3) operations on the moon would provide a relatively economical and safe "stepping stone" to Mars.

Each of the NASA statements raises some questions which are listed and briefly discussed in the following three subsections.

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I suggest reading the whole piece carefully. Don's critique is right on as far as I'm concerned and he brings up the same points I have brought up here and elsewhere.--Chris