Nasa to put man on far side of moon

Times of London ^ | 3/18/06

[azhenfud]

Now since electronics have become considerably more compact than in the early '70's, I can't see why a much smaller scaled communications satellite couldn't be placed in orbit around the moon to overcome the communications problem.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

There's an interesting consequence to the fact that the moon's rotation is tidally locked to the its orbital period. From any place on the moon, the Earth appears to stand almost still in the sky, its motion tracing a pattern mimicking the moon's libration in reverse, giving lie to a thousand photographs titled "Earthrise".. Jean Meesus in "Mathematical Astronomical Morsels" shows that the pattern is rather chaotic, not the smooth figure eight pattern (the analemma) which the sun traces against the sky every year.

The still earth hanging over the moonscape has phases which are the reverse to the phases of the moon. When the moon is full, as seen from earth, the earth is dark. When the moon is hidden from our view as she nears the sun, the earth will appear correspondingly fuller and brighter.

[new cruelty]

Gee, thank you. I made up a few lines but the credit for the name goes to Cripplecreek as seen in post number 35. I'm still giggling inside at the thought of putting those words to music.

[cripplecreek]

Our earth/moon relationship is pretty interesting, not to mention fortunate.

[DoughtyOne]

I was eighteen, and basicly feel that the promise of our future was ripped right out from under us. I wanted to enter space. At one time I thought I might possibly make it to the moon if some kind of a tourism industry were to be launched. Nothing! Very disappointing. It was also a failure to develop a whole new industry of commerce, jobs, services. I can't believe what a pass our space agency took on this.

[Inyo-Mono]

I hear you. In 1969 I was convinced that I would be staying at a resort on the moon by the 1990s.

[Decepticon]

You realize, of course, that the moon has no permanently dark side. The dark side of the moon is like the dark side of the earth, only in temporary darkness.

LOL, I DARE you to make less sense..;) For those of us that are not orbitalogists, please explain in English....

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Tonight at about midnight local time, you will be on the dark side of the earth. Tomorrow, at about noon local time you will be on the light side of the earth. The moon does the same thing, only time period is 29.53 days, rather than 24 hours.

[Decepticon]

The moon does the same thing, only time period is 29.53 days, rather than 24 hours.

I never knew that....I always believed Tidal Lock meant the moon didn't rotate....I have learned today....thank you.

[adam_az]

science ping

[KevinDavis]

[wyattearp]

Where do we get a rocket big enough to handle Moby Ted?

We use him for fuel.

[xJones]

We use him for fuel.

LOL! Yeah, there's enough gas and alcohol in old Ted to launch just about anything!

[wyattearp]

Drowned control to major Ted

Can I add...

Drowned control to major Ted
Your mouth is on,
but your brain is dead
Can you hear me major Ted?

[georgia2006]

i thought there was no such thing as the far side of the moon

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, LiM. I think I'd seen that before, but didn't have a copy of it.

[vannrox]

Yea. The first time I heard of this idea was in 1958. Sure. The money will probably be taken away after about 4 million dollars was expended in research and diverted for something like education.

[HiTech RedNeck]

These regions, all on the near side of the moon, were the only areas known to be flat enough for a safe landing. This has frustrated scientists because the samples collected by the six missions are all similar. They are also thought to be younger than lunar mountain rocks.

This surely could be addressed without needing a manned mission. Send a small craft that can hop around on the moon's surface and have it get the pieces of rock.