Posted on 01/18/2016 8:28:52 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine
European Space Agency's head Jan Woerner released the vision outline for the Moon Village, which could replace the International Space Station as early as 2030. The lunar village will be composed of structures created by 3D printers and robots using Moon dusts as raw materials.
Woerner became the ESA head in July 2015 and made the Moon mission the space agency's central project. Woerner added that this lunar project is a crucial step towards the future flight to Mars.
"I looked into the requirements I see for a project after ISS. As of today, I see the Moon Village as the ideal successor of the International Space Station for [space] exploration," said Woerner.
The Moon Village project could be a collaboration of several nations and space exploration groups including Russia, China, NASA and ESA. Experts around the world could contribute advanced technology, knowledge and even manpower (astronauts) for the Mars mission preparations. The same can be done for the ongoing biology and physics explorations that are currently being conducted onboard the ISS.
In 2014, the U.S. announced they intend to keep the ISS in operation until 2024, which pushed back the station's retirement by at least four years. Several European nations raised concerns over the extended operation's perceived costs, challenging if the extension would be worthwhile. On the other hand, Russia is considering the option of building its own space station.
The ISS is a joint venture of the U.S., Europe, Russia, Canada and Japan. All members agreed to continue the ISS' operations until 2024 at the very least, except the European Union whose commitment is only until 2020. Woerner maintained that the ISS has "has its value" and hoped that the European Union will continue its project involvement in the ISS.
ESA's statement seemed to carry a desire to combine global efforts for space exploration, especially after Russia's announcement. Woerner added that the Moon Village will have multiple users and uses.
"Maybe one country is more interested in science, another may be a private company interested in mining ... and another may be interested to use the Moon as a stepping stone for further exploration," explained Woerner.
The proposed Moon Village will not require a "formal decision" from involved countries, added Woerner. Once the best spot on the Moon is identified, countries and space exploration groups will then decide how they want to be involved in the Moon Village project. Woerner noted that both Russia and China have some Moon mission planned and it would be a good idea to make them part of the proposed Moon Village plan.
“Computers, cell phones and CAT scans” all have had real economic benefits, required no government subsidies and were financed and developed by the market and consumer demand. “Moon village” of course will have no return on investment and will require the enormous taxation of the American people to build and maintain it. The truth be told the enormous expenditures spent by NASA other than weather and communication satellites have not resulted in the scientific and product cornucopia that its advocates predicted. BTW, given the laws of physics, aliens cannot visit us given the incomprehensible distances and man cannot “journey to the stars”.
Why is it a swastika with a menerate?
I don’t see that. Where do you see that exactly?
Someone else posted a picture. I thought that was it.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3385454/posts?page=20#20
Well here we go. First of all the three items mentioned came out of the Apollo program either directly or indirectly. However, you will not acknowledge that, preferring some other version of history written to your personal liking.
Sure there were computers when before Apollo but they filled rooms even whole floors. Apollo forced the start of the miniaturization and search for more efficient materials.
You can like, some other curmudgeons on FR, insist that nothing came out of any government research or NASA (which until the end of Apollo it was). But the list of things is long and easy to find.
You can go on believing that all the laws of physics are now known and settled like global warming. But you are now and ever will be in that tiny minority of humanity that fears the unknown and hates the very idea of spending resources to conquer it, will stop at nothing to prevent any advancement anywhere in anything.
You need to understand that all we know of the entire electromagnetic spectrum comes from Oliver Heaviside’s rewriting four of Maxwell’s 200 field equations in the 19th century. The other 196 Heaviside declared as abomination and have remained obscure ever since. Those other equations describe ideas that are only seen in scifi novels, but any alien could have easily mastered - as could we, if it were not for extreme prejudice found in attitudes toward exploration as you seem to espouse.
So no it is not impossible - just more difficult to go from one star to the next or one galaxy to another - those are not unimaginable distances except for those lacking said imagination. But then you have made the pronouncement from your basement and we all bow to you infinite wisdom, far-nearsightedness, intimate knowledge of the laws of the universe, and in particular, the physics that operate here on Earth.
Sorry. But Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, which has been proven experimentally, has demonstrated that the speed limit for anything with mass is the speed of light. In fact if any biological or mechanical entity even approached that incomprehensible speed, its density would be so great that it would never survive as designed. The distances to the nearest star is simply too great for anything mechanical or biological to reach us or them. However given that earth has been transmitting in analog for over one hundred years and digitally for over thirty, our presence in at least fragmented forms is reaching distant stars. Eventually an alien civilization which may in turn be linked to other alien civilizations via transmissions but not physical travel, may in fact communicate in some way. However the current NASA leadership will have potentially have more success in their new found mission of reaching out to Muslims, than establishing a resource draining base on the moon. Science fiction, while it may tickle the imagination that can be stimulated in other innumerable ways, is just that. Fiction. Perhaps you may wish to sit under an apple tree on a warm autumn day and see what thoughts come to you.
Muslims in Space. Probably not the very best idea...
Go back and read James Clerk Maxwell in the original - without him Einstein would never have happened and neither would anything else we take of the entire electromagnetic spectrum including your speed of light which in latest quantum physics experiments may not hold true.
Introduction:
The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell
http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Changed-Everything-Maxwell/dp/0470861711/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453233675&sr=8-2&keywords=James+Clerk+Maxwell
A Student’s Guide to Maxwell’s Equations 1st Edition
http://www.amazon.com/A-Students-Guide-Maxwells-Equations/dp/0521701473/ref=pd_bxgy_14_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MHRS13GX7SGMEPCTRZE
Yup. Heinlein discussed it in 1966... “Throw rocks at them.” (2 kiloton blasts.)
One character (”Wyoh”) in “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress” laments that Earth’s nuclear bombs are so much bigger. Mike (a sentient computer) points out that “Luna has MANY rocks”.
No doubt. I certainly would, in their position.
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