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Bigelow Aerospace Investigating Feasibility of Moon Base for NASA
littlesparkvt writes in with a bit from Space Industry News about Bigelow Aerospace's plans for the moon: "NASA and Bigelow Aerospace are in the initial planning phases for a moon base. 'As part of our broader commercial space strategy, NASA signed a Space Act Agreement with Bigelow Aerospace to foster ideas about how the private sector can contribute to future human missions,' Said David Weaver NASA Associate Administrator for the Office of Communications."
Bigelow will be performing the study for free too. Robert Bigelow chatted with a radio host a few weeks ago about Bigelow's long-term space plans. They include refueling depots and a commercial moon base, since NASA isn't planning to go there.
Space:1999 a few decades late?
Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
Karma: Chameleon
Unlike planet Earth, the moon does not have a lot of water to be wasted
Sure, it got water (ice) but the amount is miniscule when compared to what we got right here on Earth
What I need to know more is the exact definition of "feasibility" in that study
If it means "can live on the moon for quite a while", of course, the amount of water on the moon is enough to support some people on the moon for some time
We need to understand this --- it's like archeology --- what we do today might affect the future generations --- if we dig up the ancient grave today we might get X number of discoveries
But if we leave that ancient grave untouched, and leave it to future generations who may have even better equipments and technologies to excavate that ancient grave, they may yield EVEN MORE INFORMATION than what we can obtain
Same thing on the moon
We can build moon base today, it's entirely feasible to get enough water to let some people survive there for some time
But if we do that, we are, inevitably, going to pollute the water, and diminish the amount of the already limited amount of water on the moon
In doing so, we might negatively affect the future of the future generations for their own moon explorations
That is why I am interested to know how they are going to define "feasibility" in their "feasibility study"
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
According to NASA it has yet to be determined what causes the bone degradation. The damage is also not "irreparable", though bone mass is not fully recovered. From the link:
The exact mechanism that causes the loss of calcium in microgravity is unknown. Many scientists believe that microgravity somehow causes bone to break down at a much faster rate than it is built up. However, the exact trigger for this rate change has not been found. Researchers are currently pursuing multiple lines of research, including hormone level, diet, and exercise, in order to determine exactly what causes -- and may control or prevent -- osteoporosis during space flight.
On Earth we see the same thing happen from time to time (my mother used to have it). Bones suddenly become weak to the point of breaking at the faintest impact. Doctor's orders were to drink lots of milk and other high-calcium foodstuffs, and it apparently went away to a degree that she was declared "cured". If (the lack of) gravity was the sole cause, we would not see this on Earth.
... whatever
I can repair a china cup. But it isn't fully recovered. As grandma will clearly notice.
Whoever can get there and defend it from invaders.
I can't care about the nay sayers. The problem with NASA is funding and politics. Space projects take decades and commitment. And for at least a few decades you can think of private space companies as nonprofits.
It's better to just have NASA raise funds, devise national policy and sign contracts; an extension to what they were doing anyway. They just won't be micromanaging anymore. It also allows other governments or even individuals or corporations to contract with the same people and get it on the act.
Having private companies allows more insulation from political influence. It allows them to better focus on achieving something rather than making politicians happy. The same people that would have worked at JPL will instead be working for private equivalents. It's the same people, just a different letterhead.