Back to the Moon?

[Grom 0]

From Foxnews.com

 

"WASHINGTON — President Bush (search) wants to send Americans back to the moon — and may leave a permanent presence there — in a bold new vision for space exploration, administration officials said yesterday.

 

The return to the moon would be for the purpose of technological advancements in technology, including energy exploration and testing a military rocket engine.

 

And a permanent presence likely will include robots and communication satellites.

 

But beyond the nuts and bolts, Bush's call for a to return to space would give Americans something new to hope for - amid a period of permanent anxiety about terrorism. It would also help move NASA beyond last February's space shuttle Columbia disaster.

 

Sources said the president may also give the go-ahead to pursue a manned trip to Mars - a long range goal.

 

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe (search) told an advisory council yesterday that 2004 will be a "seminal time" for the agency.

 

"There's an effort under way that will focus the administration's view very prominently on options we can consider. We are looking at some significant changes," O'Keefe said.

 

Bush could spell out his new plan for space travel on the 100-year anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight, Dec. 17, officials said.

 

The White House refused to comment on Bush's future plans for NASA, saying the president hasn't yet made a decision about what he'll announce.

 

But high-level meetings involving the White House and NASA have been going on for months.

 

Sources says Vice President Dick Cheney recently went up to Capitol Hill to meet with Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) and other key congressmen to discuss space exploration. They discussed resuming manned trips to the Moon, and even the idea of establishing a permanent station on the Moon, sources said.

 

If the president does announce his new space vision on Dec. 17, it would be 100 years after the Wright Brothers first set an airplane in flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C., and it would be two days before the 30th anniversary of the last manned lunar landing.

 

Two Texas Republican senators recently sent Bush a letter saying America's space program has been floundering.

 

"We urge you to elevate the priority of the space program and develop a bold and coherent national mission for NASA," wrote Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (search) and John Cornyn (search)."

 

Thoughts?

[Travis Kroells 0]

Shweet!!! I love it, we need to get the space program restarted, and kick some life into it...No bodys been interested in this stuff since the cold war. And if we have to start somewhere, why not start the moon? It'd make a great base, and possibly a place for furture human colonization.

 

I like it, its one of the few Bush things I suport.

[Nemesis 0]

Shweet!!! I love it, we need to get the space program restarted, and kick some life into it...No bodys been interested in this stuff since the cold war. And if we have to start somewhere, why not start the moon? It'd make a great base, and possibly a place for furture human colonization.

 

I like it, its one of the few Bush things I suport.

What about those new rovers to Mars lots of people are excited about that :)

[ens_tino 0]

In the faithful words of the Bersting Bear "To the moon or bust."

[Seiben 0]

Really Grommie? Well, good for them I supose, but I read in the National Post today that China is sending a rocket to land on the moon as well. In 2020.

Dang, I really wish I didn't throw out today's paper.. Oh well.

Edit: Oh wait, I found a URL of it over at The BBC. Click Here!

[ens_tino 0]

China just sent their first person into space only a few months ago. Unlike them, we sent our first astronauts up into space like 50 years ago or something like that. Then we landed on the moon on April 7, 1967.

 

::i think i have the right date::

[Seiben 0]

Actually you don't. American astronauts landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. ::hands Tino a bunch of history books and tells him to start reading::

Edited December 5, 2003 by Seiben

[ens_tino 0]

Why oh why cant I keep dates straight. I love space and I was obbsessed with it when I was little and I know a lot about it but I cant keep dates straight.

[Seiben 0]

You are also 10 years off the mark when you said, America startd sending people up into space 50 years ago The space race started when the Soviet Union sent Sputnik up to space on October 4, 1957. The Americans responded with Explorer I on January 31, 1958. The USSR and the USA send out satellites until the Soviet Union sent the first man in space on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gragarin. -- Fourty-two years ago. The first American into space was John H. Glenn Jr. on February 20, 1962. American Neil Armstrong was the first man to land on the moon on July 20, 1969 on Apollo 11. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin was the 2nd to land on moon. :)

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle! GI-JOE!!

Edited December 5, 2003 by Seiben

[ens_tino 0]

Please dont make me feel any worse. ::takes out history book and starts reading::

[Dumbass 0]

China just sent their first person into space only a few months ago.

Wow! China's first person is still alive? He must be about 3000 years old by now!

[Atragon9 0]

You are also 10 years off the mark when you said, America startd sending people up into space 50 years ago The space race started when the Soviet Union sent Sputnik up to space on October 4, 1957. The Americans responded with Explorer I on January 31, 1958. The USSR and the USA send out satellites until the Soviet Union sent the first man in space on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gragarin. -- Fourty-two years ago. The first American into space was John H. Glenn Jr. on February 20, 1962. American Neil Armstrong was the first man to land on the moon on July 20, 1969 on Apollo 11. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin was the 2nd to land on moon. :)

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle! GI-JOE!!

Great stuff there, Seiben, but you made one slip up. Glenn was not the first American Astronaut in space, he just made the first orbit.

 

On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard, in the Freedom 7 spacecraft, went up in a parabolic trajectory that took him into space, just not into orbit.

[Seiben 0]

Ahh-so. I got schooled by the all-wise grandmaster A-9. :) ::bows graciously:: Whadda expect? I've only learned so much about American history in my Canadian Classrooms. :)

[Dumbass 0]

Ahh-so. I got schooled by the all-wise grandmaster A-9. :) ::bows graciously:: Whadda expect? I've only learned so much about American history in my Canadian Classrooms. :)

Well, in all fairness you probably learn more US history in a Canadian classroom than Canadian history in a US classroom.

[STSF Precip 0]

Certainly I'd like to see us go back to the moon. But I have to take this news report with some skepticism. I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth myself. Hearing President Bush himself announce his commitment to getting America back to the moon would surprise me. He is a fiscal conservative, and spaceflight is not cheap. How would he fund it? An orbital spacestation costs billions. A lunar flight craft and settlement would cost untolds more.

 

Until he himself utters a promise. I am hesitant to believe he's real.

 

Precip

[Nemesis 0]

Certainly I'd like to see us go back to the moon. But I have to take this news report with some skepticism. I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth myself. Hearing President Bush himself announce his commitment to getting America back to the moon would surprise me. He is a fiscal conservative, and spaceflight is not cheap. How would he fund it? An orbital spacestation costs billions. A lunar flight craft and settlement would cost untolds more.

 

Until he himself utters a promise. I am hesitant to believe he's real.

 

Precip

where is a better place to test weapons then a top secret lunar base Precip you know with all the new satelite technolgy its getting harder to do stuff like that :)

[Seiben 0]

Yeah, Precip.. definately agree. I too would like to hear it from Bush himself,then I'll beliveve it. But I wouldn't be entirely surprised if the US sits back and watches China send men to the moon and build colonies before they did. Though this may turn out to be an intersting space race.. US vs. China. :) (Though the US probably would send someone out before China).

[Nemesis 0]

Yeah, Precip.. definately agree. I too would like to hear it from Bush himself,then I'll beliveve it. But I wouldn't be entirely surprised if the US sits back and watches China send men to the moon and build colonies before they did. Though this may turn out to be an intersting space race.. US vs. China. :) (Though the US probably would send someone out before China).

they should make the Moon a state wouldn't that be funny :-P

[Dumbass 0]

I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth myself. Hearing President Bush himself announce his commitment to getting America back to the moon would surprise me.

That's the first time I've heard Bush described as a horse's MOUTH. :)

 

As for the fiscal impact, remember that Kennedy was the one who anounced we were shooting for the moon. It didn't happen until Nixon was in office. So it would be quite easy for Bush to anounce some grand space mission since it probably wouldn't happen until he is out of office anyway (even assuming he is re-elected).

 

I think some kind of permenant settlement on the moon is a possibility, but other than bragging rights for being the first to do it what would be the point of having a full colony? The moon does not have an abundance of resources, which is the only reason to start a colony in the first place. (This is true in Star Trek as well.)

Edited December 5, 2003 by Dumbass

[Grom 0]

Though this may turn out to be an intersting space race.. US vs. China. :)  (Though the US probably would send someone out before China).

LOL, I think we give China a little too much credit. I don't think, at least at this stage of the game, that we're going to get into any "space race" any time soon.

 

But, like others have stated here, I wouldn't give too much weight to this article. I only posted it because I thought it was interesting. While it may seem kinda cool, I'm not all that keen in paying extra taxes for some dude jumping around on moon rocks.

 

I would love to see Nasa holding some bakesales, however. :)

[Images 0]

Well since i don't believe they ever landed on the moon, i don't see how we're going BACK :)

[ens_tino 0]

I'm suprised Bush is even planning this though. We're so wrapped up in the situation in Iraq I'm suprised he would even want to do this.

 

Unless he wants to do something good before his term is up.

Edited December 5, 2003 by ens_tino

[Dumbass 0]

I'm suprised Bush is even planning this though. We're so wrapped up in the situation in Iraq I'm suprised he would even want to do this.

True, but you have to consider that Bush's effort would be minimal. He would simply gives a speech or hold a press conference about it, one of the hundreds per year he's already giving. Or he simply mentions it in his State of the Union address which is a Constitutionally required annual speech he would be giving anyway.

[FredM 0]

China just sent their first person into space only a few months ago.

Hey there,

 

Also, China's announced they plan to go to the moon by 2020. That's just a thought I'd rather not have. The one country on the planet that wouldn't see the problems in putting several nuclear weapons on it's surface...or changing the surface to look like their Communist flag. :)

 

I think it would be great to go back to the moon. Most of the current technology we enjoy today came from the Apollo program. Heck, you wouldn't have velcro if it wasn't for it! Can you imagine what benefits there would be?

 

As for President Bush, as I recall the story I heard on the news, if it happens supposedly it'll be one of two speechs. "It'd be nice if we go" vs "We're going and here's how we're funding it." One of the sad parts about the Apollo program is that if President Kennedy had not been killed, it is likely we might not have gone by 1969.

 

In addition, the cost wouldn't be the same as it was before. We know how to do it. I can easily think of how a shuttle could be configured to get to the moon. Now you'd probably need an updated version of the Lunar Lander, but just toss it in the cargo hold. And...1, 2, 3 we're back.

 

Besides, someone has to make sure all those flags haven't fallen over, right? :)

Edited December 6, 2003 by FredM

[Dumbass 0]

In addition, the cost wouldn't be the same as it was before. We know how to do it. I can easily think of how a shuttle could be configured to get to the moon. Now you'd probably need an updated version of the Lunar Lander, but just toss it in the cargo hold. And...1, 2, 3 we're back.

 

Well I don't know if the shuttle would be the best way unless it could take off and land vertically like a Harrier. There aren't any landing strips on the moon. But you're right in that it would be a LOT cheaper simply because the R&D of how to do it has already been done and we know it works. I remember hearing in the 80s that there was more computing power in a digital wristwatch than was used for the moon landing, so it should be a lot easier now because our wristwatches are much more advanced. :)

 

Besides, someone has to make sure all those flags haven't fallen over, right? :)

 

Hey, yeah! Didn't those aliens knock it down in Independance Day? That was in 1996 and we haven't straightened it up yet! :)

Edited December 6, 2003 by Dumbass