America to return to the moon?

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/12/04/us.moon/index.html

Not being old enough to remember the last time we went, I confess I'd love to see this happen in my lifetime. Plus, I don't see how a manned flight to Mars (which the article also talks up) would be feasible without a really strong presence either on the moon or on a more fully-equipped space station.

EDIT: Retitled subject name to match what I was originally thinking about. Had brainfart when I first wrote it.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

They've talked of wanting to go back for a long time now...and I, for one, really think we should. It just stopped too early. Still is a lot we can learn.

 

[the Jester]

Space is one of our only hopes.

 

[DMScott]

At this point, I kinda doubt it'd be just the US going to the moon - NASA is now very dependent on various other nations, so I expect it'd be an international effort. Plus it'd be a lot simpler logistically to launch a mission from the space station.

But I really don't think there'll be a truly permanent space presence until there's some commercial interests involved. For better or for worse, it's a "follow the money" world. When the manufacture of superconductors or industrial polymers or designer molecules or whatever else becomes economically viable in space, that's when we'll see a major push.

 

[Arravis]

I would love to see this... the space program is one of the few things that we can do as a nation that helps the entirity of humanity, not just one nation, or one agenda.

 

[der_kluge]

I, for one, will welcome our new Martian leaders.

Seriously, I say go for it. Those starving people don't really need food all that badly. Space is way cooler than starving people.

 

[William Ronald]

I think that an international space effort to return to the Moon and reach Mars would more than pay for itself in terms of technology. It is likely not an either/or proposition between science and providing food.

In the long run, I would like to see some economic development of the final frontier. For example, it is easier to mix some compounds in microgravity environments than on Earth. This has applications for everything from pharmaceuticals to metallurgy.

 

[Darrin Drader]

If our species stays on this planet and never expands into space, we are doomed. Maybe not in our lifetimes, but eventually. If overpopulation doesn't get us and we somehow manage to avoid polluting or otherwise destroying our environment, then eventually there will be a collision between us and another massive object in space, or then sun will eventually reach the end of its life cycle. Eventually this means the death of our species.

On the other hand, if we can colonize other planets then we will have a place to move our excess population to and give us the opportunity to move out into space. Or, we could create massive self-sustaining space ships or space stations that will allow us to survive any local catastrophies; thus extending the life expectancy of the human race for thousands, if not millions of years.

As for the hungry, I think this branches into the political. Not only am I not being baited into going there, but that wasn't an appropriate topic to bring up in the first place. This may be the off-topic forum, but its not the anything goes forum.

 

[Arravis]

I don't see it as a "space vs. starvation" issue at all. We have more than enough resources to take care of both issues, it's simply that there isn't the will to do it. Perhaps it should be a "lets spend less money on yet another episode of Friends vs. starvation" issue... maybe it's just me.

 

[Maldur]

Baraendur is right, lets behave and not get sucked into a political discussion about starvation and such.

What technological advantages would this moon/mars trip create? Isnt the technology to do this there allready? or are there plans for a completely new type of spacecraft?