Subject:
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NASA IS GOING BACK BABY
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.space
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Date:
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Tue, 5 Dec 2006 02:17:33 GMT
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Viewed:
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4975 times
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HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- NASA's plans for returning people to the moon -- an
objective called for by President Bush in 2004 -- includes establishing a
permanent outpost that would be used to prepare for a manned trip to Mars.
The moon base would be at either the north or south pole of the moon, NASA
Deputy Administrator Shana Dale said during a news conference Monday at the
Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Increased sunlight at the poles would allow better use of solar energy to power
the outpost, she said.
NASA's lunar architecture team decided it would be better to establish a base
than to conduct individual missions to the moon, as in the Apollo program of the
1960s and 1970s, she said.
Team scientists believe astronauts could use the moon's natural resources to
maintain the outpost, and could use the base to prepare for the trip to Mars, an
objective also set forth by Bush.
Sorties to other locations on the moon could also be carried out from the
outpost, Dale said.
Deputy Associate Administrator Doug Cooke said one promising location is the
Shackleton Crater at the south pole.
In addition to having an area that is almost permanently sunlit, it is adjacent
to a permanently dark area that might yield water ice.
NASA Associate Administrator Scott Horowitz said the goal is to conduct the
first manned missions to the moon by 2020, starting with short stays by
four-person crews that would establish the outpost.
He estimated that perhaps by 2024 there might be a continual presence on the
surface, with crews rotating in and out, as is done with the international space
station.
Before the manned missions, NASA plans a series of robotic missions. The first
of these, using the lunar reconnaissance orbiter, is scheduled for 2008.
The orbiter is designed to create high-resolution maps, look for good landing
sites and search for water ice and other resources.
NASA said an an important component of the moon mission will be international
participation.
The space agency will reach out to other nations to determine how they would
like to take part.
*I say we show the boys at NASA what a true moon base should look like. Who
knows one day we may be asked to help with the design.*
Larry
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: NASA IS GOING BACK BABY
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| (...) Holy billions and billions, Sa-gan!!! OK, first, 3 days and no reply to the BIGGEST NEWS of this decade?? What's up with that, folks? Are there no more .spacers here? I'll bet the Nation of AFOL could show them a thing or two about building (...) (18 years ago, 8-Dec-06, to lugnet.space)
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