Going to the moon in 2024

[Irving]

I've been sitting on this idea that land on the planet has value beyond the economic value of its potential resources. If tech can be developed to collect resources from sources beyond our planet, then that should be pursued. I think there have been efforts to land on comets. Targeting comets with the closest likely impact path with the Earth could be a good idea. Bringing minerals from comets on a ship seems better than receiving those same materials in the form of a meteor strike.

[CS1983]

There are no natives on the moon or anywhere else in the solar system, dude.

Any reasonable expectation of having humans exist as a long-term species will absolutely require that we become multi-planetary.

Anything else is just sitting around waiting for The Great Filter.

We don't know what exists. The point isn't natives or not, it's that we don't know what we don't know. So to say we can't screw things up is ridiculous. We absolutely can, and we have an amazing track record of doing so as a species.

Why should humans exist as a long term species?

[CS1983]

Your desire to forge forward into the last bastion of stuff we can f' up on our own planet doesn't follow circular logic.

I believe we should stop exploring out and start exploring in. For only then can we appreciate that which is without.

Ever read A Canticle for Leibowitz?

[Irving]

I believe we should stop exploring out and start exploring in. For only then can we appreciate that which is without.

Ever read A Canticle for Leibowitz?

I got one sentence into your response before I started eating mushrooms.

[Justin]

We don't know what exists. The point isn't natives or not, it's that we don't know what we don't know. So to say we can't screw things up is ridiculous. We absolutely can, and we have an amazing track record of doing so as a species.

Why should humans exist as a long term species?

I'm sorry, I can't wrap my head around your point of view.

All I hear is "don't get off of the bed, there might be a monster under there that'll grab you and eat you!"

[Justin]

I believe we should stop exploring out and start exploring in. For only then can we appreciate that which is without.

Ever read A Canticle for Leibowitz?

Is that more, or less interesting than watching the live stream of a rocket the height of a 30 story building get pushed into orbit by an array of engines pushing over 3 million lb/f of thrust, only to have the boosters separate and execute a perfect landing?

[Aloha_Shooter]

Sorry, too busy working real space issues to read articles from some pundit. Suffice it to say I've been pushing for a return to the Moon for over 35 years. We need to get Humanity outside the fragile egg basket of the Earth and the best way to do that is start with permanent presence on a celestial body that is days away instead of months. We will learn incredible amounts about medicine, recycling, energy production, materials engineering, etc. on this venture, all of which can be used Earthside and any of which will have a greater payback for society than all the Great Society and Obamascare programs put together.

[Irving]

Sorry, too busy working real space issues to read articles from some pundit.

Or even the first post apparently.

[wctriumph]

Well, it will be expensive, take longer than expected, and parts will need to be made in all 50 states to satisfy the congress. I see corruption up the butt from this because the government (congress) will be involved and everyone will want their share, be it bribes or insider trading.

But, I think we should go anyway.

[Justin]

Sorry, too busy working real space issues to read articles from some pundit. Suffice it to say I've been pushing for a return to the Moon for over 35 years. We need to get Humanity outside the fragile egg basket of the Earth and the best way to do that is start with permanent presence on a celestial body that is days away instead of months. We will learn incredible amounts about medicine, recycling, energy production, materials engineering, etc. on this venture, all of which can be used Earthside and any of which will have a greater payback for society than all the Great Society and Obamascare programs put together.

Agree completely. Bootstrapping functional space infrastructure, much like building air strips or the interstate highway system, is the sort of resource intensive thing that can really only be undertaken by a nation state. Once done, though, it will absolutely pave the way for all sorts of advancements in everything from manufacturing to mining to medicine.

I expect that Bezos and Musk, along with a few others know this, and they're gunning for the possiblity of becoming trillionaires.