Looks like NASA announce they will be going back to the moon and establishing a permenant base there where Moonanauts will be living there for 6 months at a time. NASA even hopes paid civilians can go.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/why_moon.html

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/163561main_why_moon2.pdf

Good stuff!

Why? Because we're probably going to F this planet up LOL.

gotta have somewhere else to go.

Human Civilization
Extend human presence to the Moon to enable eventual settlement.

Scientific Knowledge
Pursue scientific activities that address fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the solar system and the universe - and about our place in them.

Those two OK, but the rest? uhhhh NO don't fall for that stuff.

[This message has been edited by Gecko (edited 12-05-2006).]

'cuz they need an off-planet headquarters for S.H.A.D.O.
the lease is up on the Harlington-Straker Studio offices.

We haven't seen but a small portion of the grey gravel there. We can sell it on ebay.beeeeg money.

Because they didn't read the entire contract they signed for the Panama Canal.

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Whade' "The Duck Formerly Known As Wade" Duck
'87 GT Auto
'88 Ferrario
'84 Indy (8/26/06)

Zoom in real close.

Pretty quick we will have Google Mars!

quote Originally posted by cliffw: Zoom in real close.

LMAO thats awesome.

Back to the moon? Wasn't the "first time" faked by hollywood? How can we be sure they woln't blue/greenscreen the whole thing this time?

Anyway, a trip back to the moon would be a good step towards a manned trip to mars and beyond. May help develop some more things that are as useful and lifechangeing as velcro and help push stuff like fuel cell development along further.

Just wondering...
If they sent up catapillars and such to help build places would they call 'em "moonmovers"?

quote Originally posted by TK: Pretty quick we will have Google Mars!

Ask and ye shall receive:

http://www.google.com/mars/

because it's there.
if we are to become a spacefaring species it's the next step. a baby step, but a step nonetheless. besides it will be easier to turn it into a big billboard if the crews are on-site.

http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/

There is Moon data for Worldwind, can fly around like with Google Earth. I wonder if they are working on incorporating Mars data into an addon... with everything they have gathered over the last few years and before that would be neat.

Guess I should have looked before posting, apparently I should update my version.

http://www.worldwindcentral.com/wiki/Add-on:Mars_-_Offline_version_(for_World_Wind_1.3)

[This message has been edited by Scott-Wa (edited 12-05-2006).]

Maybe they'll figure out a way to turn it into a giant jumbotron - sell time on it to pay for the exploration.
Then someone will set up lunar tourism and later disney will build disneyland-moon.

WADEDUCK....man,thats real funny...I laughed out loud ! Keep 'em comin' guys : )

quote Originally posted by cliffw: Zoom in real close.

Marvin would know!

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Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

the moon is a VERY good spot to setup deep space telescopes, and near earth object tracking
and, it would be nice to know for real if there is lotsa lotsa titanium. if so, construction of a major space vessel can commence on the moon. somewhere that doesnt have a atmosphere to rip thru, and, the gravity is easy to break free of.

quote Originally posted by Pyrthian: the moon is a VERY good spot to setup deep space telescopes, and near earth object tracking and, it would be nice to know for real if there is lotsa lotsa titanium. if so, construction of a major space vessel can commence on the moon. somewhere that doesnt have a atmosphere to rip thru, and, the gravity is easy to break free of.

Why must you bring us down with all this logic and reason?!?!

The Apollo missions did advance us in many areas of technology.

However it is my belief that generally speaking we have advanced far enough that the technolgy is ahead of the function.

I say don't bog NASA down with out of this world missions. There's just too much here on earth they could/should address. I had rather see some "down home" progress before we go leaping out into the stars. Solving energy problems here in the US will take care of many problems the world faces today physical and political.

Just as we progressed technology making life better on earth by going to the moon the task of setting up a moon base will be progressed by solving energy problems here on earth.

I don't think mankind moves forward without setting up a large and difficult task for ourselves. When we get complaicent we end-up with the Roman Empire and look how that ended.

All great advancements come from the challenge of reaching great goals. The potential benefits to mankind in establishing a base on the Moon are staggering. Once the economics catch-up there will be no stopping us. Look at what the original Apollo missions did for our country. Think about it. The dominance we held in air travel and space exploration for 30 years can be directly linked to those goals. Amercian is STILL the number one supplier to the world of Aerospace education. Geology? Anybody else got Moon rocks? Jet propulsion, confined living, self sustaining habitats, recycling, etc. you name the science and America's space program can be seen as one of the leaders in it's advancement.

I say GO FOR IT! A great goal is something I am happy to put my tax dollars on.

Toddster,
You think the lunar real estate commission will have reciprocity for a CA broker license.

I heard that its going to be between the two Starbucks that are already there. ......

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: I heard that its going to be between the two Starbucks that are already there. ......

And the Subway.

quote Originally posted by slade1274: Toddster, You think the lunar real estate commission will have reciprocity for a CA broker license.

...and talk about that VIEW!

quote Originally posted by Toddster: ...and talk about that VIEW!

Yeah just what kinda view you think it'll be 20, 30 years from now on the current coarse the world is going?

Pretty ball with some glassy spots all glowing or maybe a Water World or just maybe some American waiting to die on the moon cause no one can bring him back!

When we think about a establishing ourselves on the Moon, we always think about the reason being for the scientific betterment of mankind.

But me being who I am, and my innate mistrust of my overlords, tend to think of the reasoning for it being more on the military side.

The Moon sure would make a nice platform for a first-strike weapon, among other things........................
Or, you think a camera on every corner is bad, try ONE camera, the WHOLE planet!
Secret prisons?
What's more secret then OFF PLANET?!

Any other ideas how a Government could use the Moon to rule the World??

quote Originally posted by Toddster: All great advancements come from the challenge of reaching great goals.

exactly. most great ideas come from being at the right place at the right time. if you are in the same place all the time, you will be stagnant.

but, I must admit, the shuttle program & the ISS have been pretty dismal. the Mars missions have been way to half-hearted. we gotta pony up, stop the nickel & dime crap, and get back to REAL exploration. current sci-fi has made most real exploration look pretty slow & stupid. we are tremendously limited by speed. and, as long as we are stuck under an atmosphere & burnign stuff for propulsion, we wont get past that. a moonbase offers a REAL lab envrionment, were low gravity, non-combustion systems can be tested & developed. the ISS will NEVER be suitable for high power propulsion experiments. in fact - I cant think of ANY use of the ISS. its to small. underpowered. unstable. on a moonbase, you can do the ugly nuclear tests with stupid radiation that makes wastelands, and not affect the public.

Don't make sense to me. We spend enough on prisoners down here. Why we wanta add the expense of sending them to the moon when a .3 cent bullet will acomplish the same goal from here?

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: When we think about a establishing ourselves on the Moon, we always think about the reason being for the scientific betterment of mankind. But me being who I am, and my innate mistrust of my overlords, tend to think of the reasoning for it being more on the military side. The Moon sure would make a nice platform for a first-strike weapon, among other things........................ Or, you think a camera on every corner is bad, try ONE camera, the WHOLE planet! Secret prisons? What's more secret then OFF PLANET?! Any other ideas how a Government could use the Moon to rule the World??

I could roll with some conspiracy theories, but secret prisons seems a bit out there (pun!). At the cost to lob something into space I don't think we would waste the money to lift prisoners off planet. And first strike weapons are WAY to far away if on the moon. It was about a 3 day trip for the Apollo crews vs 30 minutes for an ICBM to go point to point anywhere on earth. Easier and cheaper to attack from low earth orbit or from the surface than from a lunar base unless your plan incorporates energy weapons of enormous magnitude and you can hold off your attack until the enemy country is directly overhead.

Camera on the moon... we can't even see the leftovers we left their during the Apollo missions from outer space telescopes, what makes you think they'd be able to see anything on earth of use from there?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the alien base on the dark side wouldn't put up with that sort of crap anyways

Yeah, and this was just to rid the "Civilized Universe" (read: Empire) from Terrorests (read: Rebels).





Thank goodness WE don't work that way!

[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 12-06-2006).]

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: But me being who I am, and my innate mistrust of my overlords, tend to think of the reasoning for it being more on the military side.

Hmmm....I thought you were a little more like me.
Being me, I can say who cares. I want to go. The common Neaderathal will break out and make it worthwhile. I think about the opportunities which happened because we came to the 'new world'. Men will reach out.

Bog down NASA with out of this world missions???

NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Agency (Administration, at one time).

I don't see solving political problems as part of their mission statement.

John Stricker

quote Originally posted by Butter: The Apollo missions did advance us in many areas of technology. However it is my belief that generally speaking we have advanced far enough that the technolgy is ahead of the function. I say don't bog NASA down with out of this world missions. There's just too much here on earth they could/should address. I had rather see some "down home" progress before we go leaping out into the stars. Solving energy problems here in the US will take care of many problems the world faces today physical and political. Just as we progressed technology making life better on earth by going to the moon the task of setting up a moon base will be progressed by solving energy problems here on earth.

quote Originally posted by Toddster: I don't think mankind moves forward without setting up a large and difficult task for ourselves. When we get complaicent we end-up with the Roman Empire and look how that ended. All great advancements come from the challenge of reaching great goals. The potential benefits to mankind in establishing a base on the Moon are staggering. Once the economics catch-up there will be no stopping us. Look at what the original Apollo missions did for our country. Think about it. The dominance we held in air travel and space exploration for 30 years can be directly linked to those goals. Amercian is STILL the number one supplier to the world of Aerospace education. Geology? Anybody else got Moon rocks? Jet propulsion, confined living, self sustaining habitats, recycling, etc. you name the science and America's space program can be seen as one of the leaders in it's advancement. I say GO FOR IT! A great goal is something I am happy to put my tax dollars on.

For once, I wholeheartefly agree with you. Took the words right out of my mouth, errr fingers right off the keyboard, ughhh, you know what I mean.

just thought of another use for the moon. I know this is impossible for many reasons - but:
it is thought the moon has ALOT of titanium. take the moon apart, and make a HUGE reflector/dish out of it, and have it stay stationary above the sun (as in, above the plane of plantary orbits) and have it focused and pointing towards mars, to warm it up.

beleive me when I say I know how impossible this is....

quote Originally posted by jstricker: Bog down NASA with out of this world missions??? NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Agency (Administration, at one time). I don't see solving political problems as part of their mission statement. John Stricker

I didn't say to hand them a political problem either.

Hand them a problem that will solve energy problem here on earth and parts of the mission of going to the moon to set up a base then start emplimenting and perfecting it here now on earth before you ship off to the moon.

Technology ahead of the function is like a 72" HD TV setting in front of a blind man.

quote Originally posted by Butter: Technology ahead of the function is like a 72" HD TV setting in front of a blind man.

so much for all that nanotech research, then, eh?

quote Originally posted by Butter: I didn't say to hand them a political problem either. Hand them a problem that will solve energy problem here on earth and parts of the mission of going to the moon to set up a base then start emplimenting and perfecting it here now on earth before you ship off to the moon. Technology ahead of the function is like a 72" HD TV setting in front of a blind man.

It's a chicken and egg problem, they need to build Solar Power Satellites.

quote Originally posted by AntiKev: It's a chicken and egg problem, they need to build Solar Power Satellites.

Your probally right. The powers to be seem to be "chicken" to face the facts of the world and now they've laid an egg full of problems that's about to hatch!

quote Originally posted by Butter: Your probally right. The powers to be seem to be "chicken" to face the facts of the world and now they've laid an egg full of problems that's about to hatch!

Define "about to". According to some (ref. peak oil) it should have already. That's all I'm going to say about it, this isn't and shouldn't be the peak oil thread.

We need to get people on other rocks, like the moon and Mars, ASAP. There's no reason why we shouldn't have 50 or more people on the moon permanently by now and regular visits to Mars.

ref: Apollo Applications Program

I would think most people by now would agree that a ton of technology comes from these public sponsored endeavors. Literally billions upon billions of tax dollars are created from the products companies make from this. To me it is a no brainer that exploration pays off a hundred fold and forever. Why is it that going to the moon will be any different. If we had established a base on the moon forty years ago where would we be today?
Free energy or close to free?
Reliable satellite laser defense?
Ability to send resources back to earth?
New understandings of medical technology's in weightless environment?
New metal alloys created in weightless environment?
New transportation fuels perfected like ion thrust?
Air and water purification systems?
Botanical innovations to feed a hungry planet?
Military applications I can't even dream of and lets not kid ourselves we need these.

With a base on the moon we can manufacture and launch things into space much easier. Little gravity means lees thrust means less dollars and pollutants. Using the moons resources instead of our own is also a no brainer. Development cost will be astronomical but then if we can afford 100 billion on a war why can't we afford 500 billion on an investment?

Space projects are good for our economy and I don't see it taking away from other things like your basic pork spending does. It isn't some million dollar bridge in an uninhabited (population almost zero) area in remote Alaska just to get re elected type thing. It does actually profit the nation as a whole. To say do something good with that money here makes no sense.

Private enterprise will follow the technology where ever it goes regardless of cost because large investment can mean large pay offs. If we could establish a practical base on the moon companies could start there own manufacturing and start building solar panels to fuel our country. New technology's are the only thing this country has anymore to offer the rest of the world. It is the only way we will stay on top.

I also believe we have come to a make it or break it point in our evolution. All things are coming together now. It is true that much of what we know has been learned before. Sometimes very advanced stuff has been lost to time. Two thousand years ago we as a species had incredible knowledge but didn't have a way to tell and educate every one. We had ideas for things like flying but lacked the ability to make it with the right materials. One reason or another ideas died because we didn't have all the tools to make it happen be it a light metal to make a strong wing or the Internet to tell the worlds scientists about your ideas. Enlightenment is a slow process and seems to be designed to keep us from becoming more than we can handle. Well I think the time has come to push through and collaborate our knowledge. Solve our problems we have created and move to another set of problems just waiting for us.

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Agent 99: Oh, Max, how terrible.
Maxwell Smart: He desereved it, 99. He was a Kaos killer.
Agent 99: Sometimes I wonder if we're any better, Max.
Maxwell Smart: What are you talking about, 99? We have to shoot and kill and destroy. We represent everything that's wholesome and good in the world.