Back to the Moon

starexplorer2001 writes "Space.com is reporting that NASA's planned trip back to the Moon isn't without a significant amount of science and technological innovation. Simply 'sponging off Apollo' won't do it. Among the issues: safer human spaceflight, lunar ice, sustainability, robotic scouting missions and more. This won't be easy."

Say what?

[Anonymous Crowhead]

We can't just use 60s technology to get there? I'm shocked!

Back?

[timshea]

You mean we actually went to the moon before?

Green Cheese

[uncoveror]

Bush wants us to go back to the moon so Red China won't be able to control all the green cheese. [uncoveror.com]

Re:Say what?

[Tackhead]

> We can't just use 60s technology to get there? I'm shocked!

60s technology you want, 60s technology you shall get!

You're going to the moon, Alice!
(POW! Right in the kisser!) Hamana-hamana-hamana-hamana...

Re:It's not like they EVER landed there anyway!

[brian0918]

"WHY the hell HAVEN'T they been back there YET?"

I guess you could say that the public interest in a given topic does not LET'S RIDE BIKES!!

Re:Why Then Not Now?

[masklinn]

BTW - this is NOT a troll.

Maybe this isn't, but since there isn't any "-1 Terminal Stupidity" mod it's the closest /. has.

The real reason Bush wants to go back to the moon

[Quick Sick Nick]

You guys are COMPLETELY forgetting about space oil!

Re:Why Then Not Now?

[dmp123]

> In a word, it's not that it's impossible to go to the moon now, but that it's inacceptable.

Me fail english? That's unpossible!

Re:Say what?

[Rei]

We're whalers on the moon, We carry a harpoon, But there ain't no whales, So we tell our tall tale, And sing our whaling tune!

H to O?

[siwelwerd]

FTA: Then theres the question of the "H factor" that is, whether or not hydrogen in the form of lunar ice is tucked away within Sun shy areas at the Moons poles. If present and accounted for in such a state, thats a nifty resource to convert to oxygen and fuel.

Turning hydrogen into oxygen would be a nifty trick...

Re:Why Then Not Now?

[Alkrun]

You left out the obvious nemesis in this day and age. The Bush Administration has evidence that terrorists plan to land on the moon.

We must not let the terrorists complete their evil plans to build a moonbase known as Moon Unit Zappa!

Them thar terrists cain't beat us, George!

[ystar]

We have to beat the terrorists to the moon!

Re:One more irreverent comment

[jlowery]

You support him. Q.E.D.

Re:Why Then Not Now?

[Anonymous Coward]

Public drive, in the 60s it was Being On The Moon Before The Red Plague.

And it saved the Moon. Too bad there is no point going to Mars.

Sponging?!?

[gardyloo]

"sponging off Apollo"

Damn you, Slashdot! Now I'm picturing some strange Greek Hentai stuff. *goes to stab out eyes*

Re:Back?

[Epistax]

Imagine the graphics. How many years before Doom was that?

Re:Some monetary reasons to return to the moon

[Fred_A]

Do you have any idea of how much regolith you would have to process in order to get a ton of He3? [ ... ] Those facilities will need to be huge (because they have to process a huge amount of rock), built there with local materials (which, in turn, will have to be made there in factories built here), supplied with power, and, unless we advance robotics substantially, manned.

Since the further you outsource the cheaper labour gets, wages on the moon ought to be fairly low. Besides those Selenites are probably foreign heathens anyway.

Re:Some monetary reasons to return to the moon

[Anonymous Coward]

but without the helium, the moon willcease floating over the earth and come crashing down on us!!!!