10 Reasons to Put Humans Back on the Moon

Space.com ^ | December 8, 2003 | Robert Roy Britt

[Brett66]

an effort to return to the Moon could bring nations together in an era of increasing international tension, some analysts say.

Why do so many people believe this? The ISS is a propaganda stunt. International cooperation can work if the partners work well with us. (Britain and Japan) We could bring the Russians into it by letting them ship cargo and sometimes people to LEO to support the effort.

We need to LEARN from our mistakes on the ISS, not brainlessly repeat them.

[RadioAstronomer]

We should, however, de-fund it.

Set up a "foundation" and give all Americans the opportunity to voluntarily contribute for the mission!

I wonder who would have contributed to the Magellan spacecraft?

Just think what would happen to our military if the same thing were done. Do you honestly expect folks to just toss money into a pot (instead of buying the latest DVD player) to fund either of these efforts?

I believe exploration and the resulting science is important to the future survival of this country.

[Mamzelle]

re: Set up a "foundation" and give all Americans the opportunity to voluntarily contribute for the mission!)))

*snicker*

Lots of former astronauts have set up foundations. Mostly they have testimonial dinners and give prizes to their fellow astronauts.

[taxed2death]

No, but as I've stated on previous posts, our 1040 tax forms should be broken down so people have more control over where their tax money goes.

There should be line item spaces for such follies as manned space exploration (a waste of money), AIDS prevention ( a no brainer, really....excersize a little self restraint and personal responsibility), funding for such oddities as OPIC (taxpayers paying the government to set up programs to take jobs away from taxpayers)...the list goes on.

We're spending too much money for pretty computer enhanced pictures in National Geographic magazine.

[The South Texan]

Send Shelia Jackson Lee so she can be a little closer to Mars. Then she could use a telescope to see if the US Flag is still on that planet.

[taxed2death]

Perhaps if our military didn't have to concern itself with being the global cops, they could do what they are constitutionally obligated to do and protect the United States from criminal invaders coming over our borders.

Naaaaaaa...that would make entirely too much sense....obeying the Constitution.

[StriperSniper]

we should OWN the rock.

Of course we will have to defend it....

SUPERWEAPONS

ELECTROMAGNETIC GUNS, LAUNCHERS and REACTION ENGINES*

[taxed2death]

I don't give a hoot what portion of the budget. I'm a small business owner and am being bled to death by taxes.
Income taxes Federal
Income taxes State
Sales and use taxes State
Workmans comp taxes
SS taxes (which I'll never see)
Business property taxes

I won't even get into OSHA and DEP, in my business these regs are un-freaking - believable....if I explained to you that I have to keep a monthly log as to what comes into my shop (hand-soap, window cleaner, etc)...as well as how many VOC's are in this stuff, your head would explode.

[StriperSniper]

One more:

NATURAL METEOROIDS AS WEAPONS

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Astronauts and astron-autism have ruined space exploration. Let's forget the whole thing.

Don't blame the manned space program for a ruined space policy. Look to Congress and their micro-management. Look to political correctness and the "search for life" mission. Look to using NASA as a foreign policy agency.

We need both mannned and robotic missions to have a true space program.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

We can let people join us or we can exclude them. The option should be there. Enough of all this political bs. National secuity is too important to share this with anti-American countries.

[crv16]

Of all reasons listed, only

7. Generate power

is worth spending our valuable tax dollars on.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I think Sheila knows by now we planted the flag on the Moon and not Mars. Ha! I think she should support a return to stay for making such an embarrassing mistake.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's a biggy!

[Mamzelle]

If they stop talking about manned exploration completely, I'll listen. Mostly when talk is about robotics, it isn't meant-- Just getting the foot in the door for the merry-go-round to continue.

If we wait for the glory-riders to die off, maybe we can start over with a new attitude of *exploration* *science* instead of "toys for boys" and pilots.

Frankly, there's no hope of manned exploration unless there's a long development of robotics. And we could all go to Mars in our lifetimes if we went through the eyes of the great robotic engineering that has taken place just in the past ten years. The problem with going to Mars, the problem that'll be with us for thirty years, is that we can't bring them *home*. If we took the problem of "bringing them back alive" from the equation, we might actually get somewhere.

But no. We can't actually get anywhere. It's just those relics of celebrities that set the policies. The movie stars and gasbags. It's just the old f#rts and buzzes and hoots.

Forget it.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

We go to the Moon first. Mars is for the future.

The manned program excites people and spurs math and science education, robots don't. The next generation isn't going to work their butts off to watch robots in space. Technology is driven by dreams and you're ready to tell them to forget about it.

[aruanan]

11. Because some humans need puttin' on the moon.

They ought to name the first settlement Alice.

[DonQ]

Best way to kickstart the space program: Tell Bush that the Martians have Weapons of Mass Destruction!

[knarf]

AwwwwRIIIIIIGHT !!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Yes, and Earth is blocking Marvin the Martian's view of Venus. Yuck-yuck.