DescentBB

is about time i say
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... TPScience/
I watched, like a lot of kids at the time in the school hall in total amazement of the space race of the 60`s which culminated in 'man on the moon'.I watched a capsule orbit over head when the city i was in turned out the lights for it, truely an awe inspiring moment. Then to land some-one on the Moon, now that was the crowning achievment of ingenueity with all the things to spin off for every one to use every day [& the list keeps growing all the time]. All of the equip we use right now is far more powerfull than nasa had to work with.
Wonder what sorta gear they will have this time? But it`l be another awe inspiring time, for another generation hopefully it will encourage a quest for Mars. I was along with countless others, dismayed when the rides of man to the moon on huge explosive but delicate machines ended.
hopefully the up-coming ride wont just be a solo flight effort & not just to say 'we can still do it' sorta thing
Wish I was going
cheers
rij

i'm confused as to why they are going again.

back "then" it was just coz no-one had gone before - it was new. but now why are they going? it's not like it's gotten cheaper - they still have to expend 421341235133154234liters of very expensive fuel.

why they arn't using shuttles however is self-evident - for such far away missions it's cheaper and easier to use disposable craft. they only use the shuttles for earth orbit

Oh how cool ... its true! We are going back ...
Great pictures here ... http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsyste ... i_res.html

roid, we're going back simply because we haven't been there for more than thirty years. It's been far too long. We have a whole frontier out there waiting for us; it's high time we set about exploring it. The idea of permanent human habitation on the Moon has been in every science fiction universe ever created, and we've finally reached the technological level where that dream could soon become a reality. Besides the periods of time after the Challenger and Columbia disasters, people have become too complacent to the idea of space travel. It's time to stir things up and start a bold new initiative, so that everyone can really be excited about the idea of going into space again. I'd go myself without a moment's hesitation if I ever had the chance.

Iceman wrote:Oh how cool ... its true! We are going back ...
Great pictures here ... http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsyste ... i_res.html

Yes, great artist concepts. I think they will use the rocket with the two boosters on the side. It would have a larger payload.

some of those make nice desktop images!

The new systems are defined as EELVs (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles). The solid rocket boosters are recoverable, just like today - and the CEV is also reusable, up to about 10 uses according to Michael Griffin.

Roid - I think the answer to your question lies here:

http://www.spacetoday.org/China/ChinaMoonflight.html

Roid, the moon missions are quite simply pratice for when we send men to Mars. When we do the whole world will tune in and will be the highest rated show in town.

You can always google the moon..

it's fake...it's all fake

Grendel wrote:You can always google the moon..

Man thats funny as chit ... zoom all the way in to tranquility base and the photog changes to cheese

Woody, I don't think the moon missions will be simple practice at all. There is much which needs to be learned, and a LOT of technology which has to be qualified before it gets shipped to Mars.

The ISRU tech for example (In Situ Resource Utilisation) will require a lot of work I'm sure, and the airless conditions of the moon do not equate to the atmosphere of Mars.

Most importantly, extracting Hydrogen and Oxygen from the lunar regolith is the key to this whole exercise. If we can't successfully do that, then there won't ever be a sustainable moon base.

ISRU for Mars is necessary: we simply can't take everything we need when we go there.

roid wrote:why?...

Top Gun wrote:because...

don't get me wrong, i'm a big space nerd. i'm all for the obvious nerdy reasons, they're enough to justify it to me.

but people like me arn't the kinds of people who control national budgets in this day and age.

so the reasons i personally think it's a good idea will be completely different to the ACTUAL reasons that the budget controllers will be justifying it to themselves with.

"the man" doesn't care about technological frontiers.
he cares about money and power. war, politics and perhaps even some ecconomics if we're lucky.
we live in a secular, materialistic world comrade.

roid wrote: "the man" doesn't care about technological frontiers.
he cares about money and power. war, politics and perhaps even some ecconomics if we're lucky.

And alcohol. He likes his alcohol.

ah of course, it's all for the moon juice!

roid wrote:i'm confused as to why they are going again.

back "then" it was just coz no-one had gone before - it was new. but now why are they going? it's not like it's gotten cheaper - they still have to expend 421341235133154234liters of very expensive fuel.

why they arn't using shuttles however is self-evident - for such far away missions it's cheaper and easier to use disposable craft. they only use the shuttles for earth orbit

Because they CAN!