If we had a permanent base on the Moon, what would be its purpose? I could see manning a huge telescope or telescope array on the dark side of the moon would be great when it was facing away from the Sun.
If there is something to H3 for fusion, but is that really harvestable in reasonable amounts as in the movie "Moon"?
If we had a permanent base on the Moon, what would be its purpose? I could see manning a huge telescope or telescope array on the dark side of the moon would be great when it was facing away from the Sun.
If there is something to H3 for fusion but is that really harvestable in reasonable amounts as in the movie "Moon"?
Excellent post. I myself think robotic missions on the moon could conduct much science at a fraction of the cost. The concept of a grand telescope on the dark side of the moon is intriguing. That would probably need man to set it up. Oddly the dark side of the moon is not dark. It is dark to us as the moon is locked in orbit with the earth with one side facing us only. The dark side gets just as much light as the side we see. However, in the side locked to us the dark portions of that side during moon minimum still receive light from reflection of sunlight from the earth. A telescope on the other side could receive absolutely pristine light from the cosmos. This would be a worthy endeavor and if it needs man to do it, Musk will take you there.
Astronomers on Earth would have to periodically check if the people up there were mooning us.
Entertainment. Same purpose as hookers, but we spend a lot more on them.
The moon would serve as an antenna array for communications and make it easier in war to kill the enemy.