Nasa claims we need a moonbase to launch missions to Mars. This makes sense and would be a good staging place to initiate long range space travel. The tourist possibilities are great also.
Slate says we do not have a need for a moonbase and are going to build it then decide what to do with it.
Coming under a presidency whose slogan might be “No Price Too High To Accomplish Nothing,” the idea of a permanent, crewed moon base nevertheless takes the cake for preposterousness. [Source]
Frankly I think the real reason for the moonbase is military. No one will say that because the public would cry foul. With China planning to orbit the moon…er, in 2006 and India planning on landing on the moon by 2020, it becomes self-evident that one of the countries is going to lay a claim to the moon. Whichever country establishes a base on the moon first will control the moon because nothing else will be able to be built on the moon after that without the first country’s consent. Just imagine you have built a base on the moon, learned your lessons about decompression, managing gravity, fueling, supplying and so forth. You have a presence and a small contingent of armed soldiers. Now someone else tries to build a base from scratch. They could not possibly defend their efforts from a well trained group of soldiers intent on demolition and learn the lessons to successfully build their base. Also, current military based satellites can easily be disabled or destroyed. A moonbase would be more difficult to attack and would make a far more stable launching platform for earthbound missiles.
In 1968, Stanley Kubrick had the right vision for a moonbase.
Uh, I’d challenge your geekery sir, and say that Arthur C Clarke had the moonbase idea…
But I agree man, theres NO POINT to space bases, exploration, etc… yet.
There was no real point in finding a western path to India either. The spice road had worked for centuries, why the hell did the spanish commission a drunk to go find a western path anyway?
We have to go help John Carter.
^
You people are so blind. Can you really honestly say we don’t need to to explore and colonize other planets? The Moon is the first true logical step. I’m glad nobody listens to your kind.
Um, S92…”your kind”? You had a great comment until you spoiled it with such an offensive, attacking sentence. I think the kind of person S92 is should go re-read everything above.
AT is obvious FOR a moonbase drawing a parallel between Columbus’ explorations. Cathy neither expresses an opinion for or against a moonbase but refers to the book “A Princess of Mars” by Edgar Rice Burroughs which indirectly is supporting a moonbase (how else will we help John Carter?). Because I reference Slate saying that we do not need a moonbase, it sounds like I am against it but I am not. As long as our species is confined to this planet, we are extinguishable. For the preservation of our species, we MUST colonize other planets, galaxies, and solar systems. The moon has an abundance of resources including hydrogen for fuel that would help establish long term space travel.
Yes, we NEED a moonbase for space exploration. BUT while the powers that be are using those words to get public support, I believe their unspoken intentions are military. And NO, we are not blind.