Japan reveals plans to put a man on moon by 2030

phys.org ^ | 06/30/2017

[BenLurkin]

This is the first time the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has said it aims to send an astronaut beyond the International Space Station, an agency spokeswoman told AFP on Friday.

The idea is to first join a NASA-led mission in 2025 to build a space station in the moon's orbit, as part of a longer-term effort by NASA to reach Mars.

Tokyo hopes that contributing to the multinational mission and sharing Japanese technology will land it a coveted spot at the station, from which it could eventually send an astronaut to the Moon, the spokeswoman said.

The plan was presented at an education ministry panel this week, with a more formal blueprint expected next year, according to public broadcaster NHK.

The announcement comes as China and India develop their space programmes.

In November, China's Shenzhou-11 spacecraft returned to Earth, bringing home two astronauts from the rising power's longest-ever orbital mission.

Beijing has also unveiled illustrations of a Mars probe and rover it aims to send to the Red Planet at the end of the decade.

[Cowboy Bob]

The Italians want to put a man on the Sun.

[Red Badger]

They can do it.

And at 100k miles per gallon......................

[Puppage]

They’re gunna go at night.

[AlaskaErik]

We did that almost 50 years ago.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[Army Air Corps]

After that, Godzilla.

[Cecily]

At night and in the wintertime (when it’s cold).

[bobby.223]

No rocket needed.....Mothra will fly there space-e-man up there.

[tet68]

The idea is to first join a NASA-led mission in 2025 to build a space station in the moon’s orbit.

Makes sense to have an orbiting habitat and reusable
shuttles to begin the construction of a lunar base.

[KC_Lion]

(Insert Neon Genesis Evangelion Joke here)

[NorthMountain]

And we haven’t been back since. And we don’t currently have the capability to even put a man in orbit.

[Steve Van Doorn]

said, "We did that almost 50 years ago"

Yeah but what is NASA and our great achievements doing today? Saving ourselves from "global warming"

You got to give the Japanese credit when credit is do.

[Darteaus94025]

It’s getting them back - alive- that’s the trick.

[chajin]

I was 14 when I went to see 2001: A Space Odyssey ten times in movies theaters in Japan, one year before Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins went on Apollo 11. If you had told me then that 16 years after 2001 there would be no lunar expeditions, and no attempts at Mars expeditions, I would have thought you a fool, and I would have been wrong. More than anything else this side of Christ, my greatest regret is that my generation did not build on what our parents did in space, and that my children do not care to.

[Mr. K]

HA! we did it in 7 years back in 1963

[Mr. K]

Yeah we do - Space X

And it’s a private enterprise too!

[wastedyears]

I haven’t watched the show, how is it?

[notdownwidems]

They will prolly retrofit an old ‘89 Celica for the trip

[discostu]

And we haven’t done it in almost 45 years. Time for humanity to get back in the game. If we can’t be bothered then good luck Japan.