[RoosterRedux]

Since this is from a blog (not my personal blog BTW), I posted the entire article. New Papyrus is "the online magazine of science, technology, socioeconomics and politics."

There is a video at the source.

I post this because of its pertinence to Newt's recent comments on the space coast in FL. Furthermore, I thought it was an interesting article.

[ClearCase_guy]

The US government should sell real estate on the moon. If you can get there and claim the land, then you should have full title and ownership of it for a minimal cost. The land should be seen as US territory, and be subject to US taxation, with the US military standing ready to guard against invaders.

I think this would violate international law -- but who cares?

[frithguild]

Nobody here gets it.

Asteroid 1986 DA, just to pick one, contains over 10,000 tons of gold and 100,000 tons of platinum. All of the metals in that body, if delivered in 2010, would have had a value of over $25 trillion. The Moon could contain strikes of similar value. Why has nobody sought this profit?

Nobody looks at the legal blockade to extraterrestrial profits, because they don't even know it exists. The Johnson administration managed to export the principals of socialism to the entirety of space:

"The exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development, and shall be the province of all mankind." Article I of The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies of 1967.

Ferdinand and Isabella gave Columbus a few sheckles, but it took quite some time before finance evolved enough to put together profit making ventures that yielded boatloads of gold. It is time for us to free space from socialism and allow the cornerston to free enterprise - private property.

I do not favor any large government expenditures for Solyndra on the Moon. I just wish that when the debate tries to revive the excitement of Apollo, that SOMEBODY would say the Outer Space Treaty makes for profit investment IMPOSSIBLE.

Withdraw from the Treaty.

[GonzoGOP]

While I agree that NASA should be looking up and out, I still think Mars is a better target than the Moon.

(1) Higher gravity. It has twice the gravity of the Moon so there is a better chance that humans can live there long term.

(2) The ability to live off the land. Mars has everything you need to make air, water and rocket fuel either in the atmosphere or a few inches under the soil. You can do a lot more when you don't have to haul all the basic needs of life with you.

(3) Less surface radiation. Mars's atmosphere blocks out solar radiation. You still get cosmic rays, but those take years of time outside the shelter to build up. On the moon one solar flare while you aren't under cover and you are at a lethal dose in minutes.

(4) Lunar regolith is nasty stuff. It is like powdered glass only more abrasive. Equipment failures on a moon base are going to be a real problem due to dust contamination. Now Mars has a lot of dust too. But wind erosion tends to round off the grains. So it isn't much worse than desert sand here on Earth. And we have a lot of experience developing equipment to deal with sand contamination.

(5) Normal day/night cycle. A sol on Mars is only a few minutes longer than a day on Earth. So while the solar cells are less efficient, they only have to last through 12 hours and 19 minutes of darkness. On the Moon the solar panels are much more efficient, but the batteries have to last through 14 days of absolute darkness.

[Revolting cat!]

[dainbramaged]

Imagine if we had started building a moon base in the 1970’s.

[BigCinBigD]

Mankinds destiny lay in the stars.

[Timber Rattler]

This discussion is all academic anyway because NASA has forgotten how to build moon rockets.

The Lost Art of the Saturn V

We can't get there anymore!

[MeganC]

I could see a moon colony being an outstanding retirement home for seniors and other people with limited mobility. The 1/6 gravity would significantly reduce mortality from hip and pelvic fractures and then the low gravity would be a boon for paraplegics and amputees.

Just saying.

[Cicero]

None of you guys gets it. Obama sez that the purpose of NATO is to fund Islam.

[Tucker39]

Another big thrill from having such a colony would be that the poor stiffs in SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence), listening to headphones and staring at video screens would finally be able to monitor radio/TV signals from an actual extra-terresrial source.......after what; 40 years or more? Because they’re not likely to hear any from anywhere else./Sarc.

[ex-snook]

I’d rather my taxes first went to find a cancer cure. After that go to the moon.

[Leep]

The moon is a racist planet. When is the last time anyone has seen a moon man of color? I mean other than orange or purple.