Posted on 03/26/2019 12:56:55 PM PDT by Rio
I think what Pence meant to say was we would return to the moon in 2024, but as far as I know that will likely be an orbit around the moon, landings to come later.
At a recent conference, NASA presented their plan for Gateway. That is the purpose/justification for Orion now, as LEO launches to ISS are slated for the commercial vehicle now (Mr Musk). Gateway will be the US lunar orbiting space station, to be manned about 1 or 2 months out of a year, and to be on autopilot the remaining time between crews. Presumably those missions will include lunar landers and crews will make descents to the surface with the Gateway close overhead for support. I don’t work on this program so that’s about all I know about it.
When I was younger I would be all over this stuff, as being an astronaut was one of my ambitions. I have fond memories of working payloads for some of the shuttle missions. Getting to know the astronauts was way more interesting to me than getting to know Hollywood celebrities or politicians. Now I look at the years of lethargy in the space program and I am satisfied to be involved with the programs I work on that have enthusiastic customer support other than NASA.
Yes, even orbiting could be a challenge. Landing?
Not impossible but it seems quite unlikely.
Indeed. We've been to the Moon. It's a desert. The end.
Goes well with a paper I’m writing for my Spanish class about tending to a radio telescope on the Moon’s far side.
“Me viviendo en el otra lado de la Luna.”
We can build Club Gitmo II there. The ultimate exile for Hitlery and the whole gang of conspirators.
That new illegal caravan coming out of Honduras will be on the Sea of Tranquility by Saturday afternoon.
How about if we say the Moon is made out of gubmint cheese?
Øbowel canceled it and I sad F'it and retired.
It’s been 50 years since Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon!
And they did it with slide rules and electro-mechaical technology!
50 years!
So apparently a return is not a pressing agenda item.
Why not just wait another 50 years and make it a 100 year anniversary trip?
In the meantime use the money to build a border wall and pay down debt.
Not possible.
NASA doesn’t even have Orion “man rated” and there is no lunar lander design in the works.
Why not just plan a trip to Mars instead? We should have been there also by now.
Anyone want to bet whether NASA is capable of putting a man on the moon within 5 years? They tested Orion 5 years ago. At the rate they’re going they won’t have but one more test by 2024.
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