NASA to set up polar moon colony (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16042651/)

HOUSTON - NASA announced Monday its strategy and rationale for robotic and human exploration of the moon, determining that a lunar outpost is the best approach to achieve a sustained, human presence there.

The base would be built in incremental steps, starting with four-person crews making several seven-day visits. The first mission would begin by 2020, with the base growing over time, beefed up with more power, mobility rovers and living quarters.

:thumbs:

So we shall know once and for all whether the moon landing actually happened. ;)

Or shall this be faked as well? Dun dun dun!

NASA to set up polar moon colony (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16042651/)

HOUSTON - NASA announced Monday its strategy and rationale for robotic and human exploration of the moon, determining that a lunar outpost is the best approach to achieve a sustained, human presence there.

The base would be built in incremental steps, starting with four-person crews making several seven-day visits. The first mission would begin by 2020, with the base growing over time, beefed up with more power, mobility rovers and living quarters.

:thumbs:

More wasted tax payer money! - well not quite that bad - a lot of new technology ultimately benefits the private sector from these huge pork barrel spendings - I guess that's more than can be said for blowing up innocent iraqi's. For the cost of the Iraq war we probably could have colonized mars.

Actually this is a step toward a manned Mars mission. We will most likely build the spacecraft that will go to Mars on the moon. The gravity well is much smaller, allowing for much less fuel to be used. This will allow for fuel for the return trip and supplies for the humans to be carried as payload.
It will also be a terrific site for an observatory. The lack of an atmosphere and place for astronomers to live, and make repairs etc. will improve on even the Hubble.

I can't understand the reason for going to mars - it's way to far and for what reason? The moon I can understand.

Well we might be able to find out if there ever were any sophisticated life forms on Mars... And exploring/establishing bases on the planets opens the door to interstellar travel once we have the right technology!

I can't understand the reason for going to mars - it's way to far and for what reason? The moon I can understand.

Eventually humanity is going to overpopulate this planet. Humans need to reach out and build other places to live. Mars is but another stepping stone in that direction.

Eventually humanity is going to overpopulate this planet. Humans need to reach out and build other places to live. Mars is but another stepping stone in that direction.
Good point.

Good point.

Yeah, but my hair covers most of it. :woohoo:

I can't understand the reason for going to mars - it's way to far and for what reason? The moon I can understand.

For the same reason humanity has always looked over the next hill, crossed the next river, sailed over the next ocean; we do it out of curiosity. We want to know what is there.

Eventually humanity is going to overpopulate this planet. Humans need to reach out and build other places to live. Mars is but another stepping stone in that direction.

I quite agree, but we are a long ways away from overpopulating the Earth to the point that it would be cheaper to make a house on another planet. We can always make houses underwater, in the mountains, in the desert. We just don't want to make houses there yet, because the location isn't good.

But you're right, it is the right step and it's good that we're making it now rather than when we have an overpopulation problem.


I just had a thought, do you think that we will ever reach the point of overpopulation where countries will kill off their own people? That happened in the past to prevent starvation, yet now it seems like an outlandish idea.

I don't think it's that outlandish...

Its going to be like how the narrator described it on Fight Club...
Planet Starbucks,
Microsoft Stellarsphere,
ect...
But yeah, space exploration is deffinently not a waste of money, and it will be even less tax money spent if the corporations get onboard, and you know they eventually will, its a great money making opportunity. I think that the Space Elevator will be up in the next 10-20 years, along with space tourism, and the outpost on the moon starting up. Pretty cool if you ask me.

I don't think it's that outlandish...

Glad I'm not the only one. If it does come to that, how should we decide who is killed? I would propose that the death penalty become a much more common penalty and start with the criminals.

Glad I'm not the only one. If it does come to that, how should we decide who is killed? I would propose that the death penalty become a much more common penalty and start with the criminals.

In light of that, would setting an upper age limit for citizens be established? Say, everyone attaining the age of 90 goes to the death chamber? Lots of oldsters out there consuming lots of resources.

Lots of oldsters out there consuming lots of resources.

It's the ultimate bit of environmentalism! "You don't want to execute granny? Why do you hate our planet?"

I say we kill everyone who does their laundry on Tuesdays.

Whew, good thing I do my laundry on any day BUT Tuesday...

And it's a good thing I do my laundry only on Nakeday.

might find jimmy hoffa