Back To The Moon
January 31st 2011 06:05
Category: Cosmic Objects
Moon rising on farmland; image by CarlCan 1990
“Bang Zoom Alice..... I am going to send you to the Moon”
It's back to the Moon.....
But not anytime soon at least no manned space flight is on the cards.
The US have been there landed on it planted a flag and left a whole lot of junk on the surface, yes the Russians did it as well, but they left mostly junk.
The cold war rivals have for the most part retracted there saber’s scaled down there nuclear stockpile and with it went the competition for space kudos.
But I think that is about to change, with new player’s entering the space exploration business.
Countries like China and India and to some extent the Japanese have shown keen interest on carrying further exploration on the Moon.
Why you might ask?
Technically the Moon belongs to no one it is a bit like the North and South pole treaty.
Just about every country wants’ to have a base in the Earth’s polar region, and I guess the Moon would be no different.
There are many reasons for why we should go back to the Moon, some scientific and environmental some for spying some for mineral and oil exploration.
Why not do that on the Moon. Apart form the oil there are many economic reasons why the Moon is so financially attractive at least from a mining stand point. ( would make an ideal spy platform)
The Moon has an abundance of helium3, helium3 is rare on earth but the Moon has vast quantities of the element. Helium3 is used to power fusion reactors. As a fuel alternative
Helium3 is a safe fuel to use safer than Uranium ore. It would make a great replacement for fossil fuels. The Moon has water mostly trapped deep on the Moons’ Polar Regions.
The Hubble telescope has reveal signs of oxygen-rich soils that scientists believe can be used to power rockets and be a source of oxygen for future manned moon missions.
Sadly it’s not all about exploration, what will bring humans back to the Moon is the spoils of what the Moon can offer. The nation that carries out future Moon exploration will reap the benefits.
"Whoever first conquers the moon will benefit first." Alleged quote by Ouyang Ziyuan, the chief scientist of China's lunar program, as reported in a Chinese newspaper
It will be many years until "Man” steps back on the Moon in the meantime “exploration” will be carried out by robot space craft.
NASA has announced a new proto type called the Robotic Lunar Lander Project. l hope this will lead to future manned space missions. For now robotic lunar Landers is the most cost effective way to at least kick start global interest in going back to the Moon.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Helium3, if nothing else, should get us in gear to return to the moon and begin mining operations, CarlCan. Unfortunately, B.O. (B.S.) is too busy looking for phantom "green" energy and wasting NASA's time with making Muslims proud of themselves. Whatever country uses it's head and mines Helium3 will become the new world leader. I sure hope the new leader will use the position wisely.