Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

Scientific exploration should be done for scientific significance. I'd hope we have more reason to focus on Mars then "its new" when we haven't really learned all there is to know about the Moon(or even Earth). Is it really just for the wow factor? or is there something more to it?

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

The day we stop exploring and venturing out into the unknown universe is the day the soul of humanity dies.

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to artdutra04 again.

The Moon landing likely inspired more people to pursue science, technology, and engineering than anything else in human history.

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

Human spaceflight is justified almost exclusively on the "wow" factor. Most recent exploration has. Shackleton, Byrd, Peary, Amundsen, Scott and others ventured into the frigid North and South for prestige. We raced the Soviets to the moon for prestige. We continue flying into space for prestige. We've got a lot to be proud of, so it'll take an incredible display of technology before the United States feels truly threatened in this leadership.

We could've launched the world's first satellite. We didn't, because we (or Eisenhower's administration, at any rate) didn't think it was worth the money. Then came Sputnik and public outcry. 83 days after receiving the go ahead, AMBA (von Braun's division that would later form the foundation for the Marshall Spaceflight Center) sent Explorer I into orbit.

Of course, there is lots of Science that goes on at the ISS. The Shuttle also used to fly exclusively science missions. However, if you really wanted to just do straight up science, wouldn't it be easier to spend the $300-$500 million (per Shuttle launch) on University research grants?


Why not ask JFK why we went to the moon?

*http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical...rt09121962.htm

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

I crafted 2 separate posts during lunch, mulling over a response to the wow factor question. The more I thought about it, did some searches, and reasoned with myself, the more frustrated I became and chose not to post either one. The reason was because there are much more qualified members in ChiefDelphi that can respond to that question than I can and I should be quiet.

I should. But... :)

There is much more to exploration and discovery than the wow factor. There is opportunity in so many areas that it is mind boggling. In one of my posts, I listed 10 areas right off the top of my head and that was before I started doing searches for 'the purpose of space exploration'.

The bottom line for me is that if we choose not to explore and discover, I think it is akin to thinking the world is flat and we'll fall off the edge - in areas of science, math, and technology, and all of the areas they impact, in that which we call humankind.

Jane

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

I'm not suggesting against research and exploration. Far from it. I want to research as much as the next person. I just think there are much cheaper options that would have an equal impact on our understanding of the universe as well as science in general. We still don't know all the animals on Earth, yet we are looking to find one in space. We are just now finding water on the moon, but we've found proof of it on Mars already. Seems to me more focus should go towards other types of exploration then Mars.

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

If you are spending your own money, you more or less don't need to get any support from elsewhere. To spend the publics money, on things other than banks and car union bailouts (don't get me started), you'd better make it pretty interesting! That's why Mars works - it's a massive challenge AND captures the publics imagination. The moon - didn't we do that 40 years ago?

There are plenty of home grown megaprojects to pursue too e.g. fusion power, how to set the earths thermostat to exactly where it was in year 2000 because that's just so perfect (sarcasm), etc..

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

I understand and agree to an extent. My only contention is that the moon was "done" 40 years ago. Sure we may have gotten there then. But we are far from done with the moon. I think thats the main point I'm trying to make.

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

We're engineers and scientists. For us, the Moon is not done. There is still much more to do.

But for the general public, the Moon was done 40 years ago. You think there'll be big news if we send a rover to the Moon? Nah, we've got two on Mars already. Besides, we sent men there years ago. Who cares? We could send something to the Moon every day if we really wanted to.

If we're going to do anything with the Moon, it needs to be semi-permanent, something like the ISS but tied to the Moon. We, as engineers, need to figure out the food, water, and waste issues, not only for the station, but for the supply line. We need to figure out transit issues on the Moon. How are we going to get into and out of a Moon base? How are we going to build it? How do we get air into it? How do we get our people out of there when their stay is done?

And for everything we learn from that, we can look at Mars and figure out how to adapt it to the Martian terrain. The Moon, if we do go there, will be a jumping-off point for Mars, either in engineering terms or in real terms. (Build a spacecraft out there, or assemble it there, and it takes less fuel to get going.)

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

Thanks for stating my thoughts better then I could. Anyone confused by my stance, please read Eric's post.

Re: recent
 

Reported

Re: Five Tips on How to Hit a Draw For Duffers
 

Reported.

Re: Lunar Water Discovery Announced
 

Meh, I'd rather see a good Mars to Stay program than a thousand lunar landings. The Helium-3 on the Moon will not be profitable for decades and Antarctica is a closer simulation of Mars than the Moon if you want a training base. Besides, a space station in LEO would be a perfectly fine "jumping-off" point to Mars.