03-28-2018, 11:34 AM
As it happens, a friend of ours is an engineer for NASA. Earlier this month we got together for dinner and I asked him what was going on at NASA.
Apparently NASA (or his part of it anyway) is looking to change its focus from going to Mars to going back to the moon. He thought that this was a great idea and I very much agree.
I've yet to hear any really solid rationale for going to Mars that would lead to humans staying there or making repeat trips. In addition, spending time using the moon as a test bed for various space travel technologies and systems (including life support and food production) seems like a good way to work out the kinks in such tech over a much smaller distance and with the prospect of being able to send help in an emergency. It would also potentially allow time for better propulsion systems to be developed such that when we do eventually go to Mars, we might be able to do it in 1/2 to 1/3 the time.
Of course, NASA is rather vulnerable to the winds of politics and each new presidential administration so this might change again in a relatively short period of time. But personally I'm hopeful that the focus stays on the Moon and nearby local space for a bit.
My 2c worth,
Todd
Apparently NASA (or his part of it anyway) is looking to change its focus from going to Mars to going back to the moon. He thought that this was a great idea and I very much agree.
I've yet to hear any really solid rationale for going to Mars that would lead to humans staying there or making repeat trips. In addition, spending time using the moon as a test bed for various space travel technologies and systems (including life support and food production) seems like a good way to work out the kinks in such tech over a much smaller distance and with the prospect of being able to send help in an emergency. It would also potentially allow time for better propulsion systems to be developed such that when we do eventually go to Mars, we might be able to do it in 1/2 to 1/3 the time.
Of course, NASA is rather vulnerable to the winds of politics and each new presidential administration so this might change again in a relatively short period of time. But personally I'm hopeful that the focus stays on the Moon and nearby local space for a bit.
My 2c worth,
Todd