NationStates Jolt Archive

Heres another interesting Astronomy article. NASA's talks of Moon launch and International base on moon.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/14/moon.mission.reut/index.html

Why isn't there a vodka bar on the ISS for the Russians?

That's pretty cool; still, I think they should focus on Jupiter and Mars for signs of possible life.

That's pretty cool; still, I think they should focus on Jupiter and Mars for signs of possible life.
I don't think the objective of these missions is finding life. There's more to space exploration than life. There are all those metals to be mined, for example, and the sheer sense of adventure and discovery.

Why isn't there a vodka bar on the ISS for the Russians?
There was, but then McDonald's bought it.

I don't think the objective of these missions is finding life. There's more to space exploration than life. There are all those metals to be mined, for example, and the sheer sense of adventure and discovery.

Still, finding life would shatter 2,000+ years of religious belief, a possibly world-changing event. Plus Jupiter is my favorite planet besides (naturally) Mars.

2015?!? Be careful, or the Taikonauts are going to outperform you. That would be a shame.

Jupiter is nothing. Europa and Titan are where its at.

By the way, isn't it funny how the most interesting objects in our solar system are a single planet and a bunch of moons?

Still, finding life would shatter 2,000+ years of religious belief, a possibly world-changing event. Plus Jupiter is my favorite planet besides (naturally) Mars.
2,000+? I would have said 200,000+, but anyway. There's no rush to find life, if it's found, it's found. And if it tastes good, we'll eat it. :)

Jupiter is nothing. Europa and Titan are where its at.

Jupiter has a "room temperature" zone where it's about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with water and moderate air pressure, so I wouldn't discount it yet. Still I want to see another Titan mission (my favorite non-planet) and a probe to Europa to see if there really is an ocean.

2,000+? I would have said 200,000+, but anyway. There's no rush to find life, if it's found, it's found. And if it tastes good, we'll eat it. :)

Yep, find it and kill it. The classic human pattern. :p

Heres another interesting Astronomy article. NASA's talks of Moon launch and International base on moon.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/14/moon.mission.reut/index.html

About time NASA had a plan of action for going to the Moon. I hope they succeed! It'll be nice to travel to the Moon one day before I die.

About time NASA had a plan of action for going to the Moon. I hope they succeed! It'll be nice to travel to the Moon one day before I die.
Indeed! If only man could ever go the moon... We can only dream.

Indeed! If only man could ever go the moon... We can only dream.

:rolleyes:

Don't tell me you actually believe that debunked conspiracy theory.

just hope to god everyone, that the space craft won't end up like columbia. r.i.p =(

just hope to god everyone, that the space craft won't end up like columbia. r.i.p =(

I agree with you. I also hope it doesn't end up like Challenger or Appolo 1 as well.

just hope to god everyone, that the space craft won't end up like columbia. r.i.p =(
A few will. It's unavoidable.

I thought China was going to build a moonbase, or was that all just hot air? Anyway, it seems pretty silly to have two. (I'm suggesting they work together, not like flip a coin to see who gets to build a moonbase.)

I thought China was going to build a moonbase, or was that all just hot air? Anyway, it seems pretty silly to have two. (I'm suggesting they work together, not like flip a coin to see who gets to build a moonbase.)
Last I knew they had hit a few snags and were a bit off-schedule.

The moon is pretty big, so there will probably be more than one base even if they're all set-up by international cooperation.

As long as its not the UN running the show colonize the Moon!

BTW: the US owns it :p

Everyone can get a base on the moon. And I do reckon that the UN as the one single whole-earth political organisation should have a big say in space exploration on behalf of smaller countries.

As long as they keep the military (and mad entrepreneurs) out of space, we'll be fine.

Are there any good mineral deposits on the moon? I believe most mineral deposits on earth were concentrated by the action of hot groundwater, and there probably isn't too much of that on the moon.

Are there any good mineral deposits on the moon? I believe most mineral deposits on earth were concentrated by the action of hot groundwater, and there probably isn't too much of that on the moon.

Probably not, but many of the Asteroids between Mars and Jupiter are made entirely out of the good stuff.
Apparently there is a company in the US that is building mining equipment for them. They might already own some of them...
And then there's the guy who sells parts of the moon surface to people. The UN reckons he can't do that, what with the whole space treaty and so on, but he reckons they're evil socialists who are against property rights.

I saw that on Four Corners on ABC Australia a few weeks ago.

Are there any good mineral deposits on the moon? I believe most mineral deposits on earth were concentrated by the action of hot groundwater, and there probably isn't too much of that on the moon.
On Earth most mineral deposits are concentrated by volcanic activity, not really water, although erosion helps uncover them.

Another good source of mineral deposits are meteorites. Very rich deposits of manganesum, zinc, nickel, and others are suspected, and there are a couple of missions planned to map the mineral resources on the Moon.

many of the Asteroids between Mars and Jupiter are made entirely out of the good stuff.
Maybe we should skip the moon and go straight to the asteroids then? Use a large solar mirror to melt a hole in one and install a door. Then you'll have living quaters ready for when humans arrive.

Originally Posted by Phylum Chordata
Use a large solar mirror to melt a hole in one and install a door. I think it's a little more complicated than that :p.

I think it'd be hilarious (and fitting) if that Japanese orbital Hotel gets built before the next American Moonshot. Imagine a ringside-orbital vantagepoint of an Apollo-like launch.

I think it's a little more complicated than thatYeah you're right. It might be cheaper to use diamond saws. Or, and this is just off the top of my head, maybe you could cut pieces off a mostly iron asteroid chemically. Your "cutting edge" oxidizes a tiny amount of iron, the oxide is removed and reduced to release the oxgen to be used again and the process is repeated. Sounds slow, but who is in a hurry? Wouldn't be surprised if this is completely impractical however.