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Why are NASA NOT going to build an outpost on the Moon, but want one in space on the other side?
I understood that the surface of the Moon was a good place to have a base and even maybe under the surface might be even better. Now things seem to have changed. Wonder why that is? Maybe the aliens...
The European component "allows us to take people farther into space than we've ever gone before, so it is a really big event for all of the Orion program," said NASA's Orion program manager Mark Kirasich.
Orion and the attached service module are meant to fly near the moon, but not land. Future missions will carry astronauts, with the goal of building an outpost just beyond the moon that could enable lunar landings and Mars expeditions.
This page at ExtremeTech suggests that the space station the other side of the Moon will be called the Gateway. Although it calls it a 'base' and does not specifically say it is the one in space, the other side of the Moon.
Quote:
The base is currently called “The Gateway” to signify its status as a gateway to the rest of the solar system. It will consist of four parts: power and propulsion, habitation and utility, logistics and robot arm, and an airlock. The power and propulsion module is already under construction in facilities across the US. That will launch in 2022, and the habitation module will head up a year later. NASA plans to lock the last two modules into place in 2024. Construction and servicing of The Gateway will use a combination of private vehicles and the NASA Space Launch System (SLS).
Point number 4 on this NASA Timeline of objectives mentions returning man to the Moon, but nothing about a base there.
Further on it says...confirming that the Gateway is an orbiting platform.
Quote:
A key component of establishing the first permanent American presence and infrastructure on and around the Moon is the Gateway, a lunar orbiting platform to host astronauts farther from Earth than ever before.
I suppose infrastructure in the quote above could mean 'base'. To me it means the organised support of some kind - not necessarily permanent.
National Space Exploration Campaign Report In Section 2 of the pdf 2. Americans in Lunar Orbit and on the Lunar Surface.
Quote:
The next wave of lunar exploration will be fundamentally
different. NASA is building a plan for Americans to orbit the
Moon, starting in 2023, and land astronauts on the surface
no later than the late 2020s.
Last edited by ocpaul20; 11-18-2018 at 12:11 AM..
Reason: add quote from the NSEC Report
That does seem a curious development. A moon base might be a bit more work, maybe even a good deal more work..don’t know, but it seems to me that it would offer better protection for its hosts on a number of fronts. Interesting.
they will likely still be building a moon base, but it will be located on the dark side so as to avoid unwanted scrutiny
Yes, it might well be. Perhaps they dont want a public commentary as to what is going on and how things are progressing. No-one wants to commit themselves at the moment it seems - either where it will be or when it will be built.
Over the next few years telescopes will become better and cheaper so more people will be watching closely. Dont want to let the cat out of the bag.
They have had so much secrecy up until now they definitely wont want to open it all up to the public.
A site at the south pole would have perpetual sunlight as a power source plus access to those hydrogen deposits. An exploration of the pole region with a nuclear-powered lunar rover seems like a worthwhile endeavor at this point. Perhaps they can find a cave in the area that would provide shelter from cosmic rays?
they will likely still be building a moon base, but it will be located on the dark side so as to avoid unwanted scrutiny
Unwanted scrutiny from who? Anyone with the ability to observe a moon base on the lighted side would have the resources to monitor the other side as well.
Unwanted scrutiny from who? Anyone with the ability to observe a moon base on the lighted side would have the resources to monitor the other side as well.
A standard set of comments by considerably nuts. We have two in this thread. Ignore them. Or challenge them Like I do and you did. They rarely answer, and when they do it's more conspiracy junk.
A standard set of comments by conspiracy nuts. We have two in this thread. Ignore them. Or challenge them Like I do and you did. They rarely answer, and when they do it's more conspiracy junk.
Edited my own post. Considerably by autocheck instead of conspiracy. lol!
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