Big Fat Story
Forty years after walking on the moon, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin is calling on the world to embark on an even more ambitious quest: putting humans on Mars. In an op-ed in The Washington Post on Thursday, Aldrin wrote that "a race to the moon is a dead end," and that "the moon is a lifeless, barren world, its stark desolation matched by its hostility to all living things.” Instead, Aldrin argues not only for a manned mission to Mars, but for a long-term program to build a human colony on the planet in order to research whether it once supported—or currently supports—life. "Robotic exploration of Mars has yielded tantalizing clues about what was once a water-soaked planet," Aldrin wrote. "Deep beneath the soils of Mars may lie trapped frozen water, possibly with traces of still-extant primitive life forms.” He predicted that with a full-scale effort, such a mission could be carried out within the next 20 years.
Photo: Matt Stroshane / Getty Images
Scientists see potentially valuable resources on the moon.
It may look like a lifeless chunk of rock, but scientists say the moon may become a valuable piece of real estate one day. According to Agence France-Presse, manned missions to the moon may uncover scarce resources that ultimately prove profitable. One potentially useful find is helium-3, which could be used as fuel if nuclear-fusion technology ever becomes widespread. "It's not the only solution to the accelerating demand for energy that we are going to see on Earth, but it's certainly one of the major potential solutions to that demand," geologist and former astronaut Harrison Schmitt told the AFP.
Space tourism and competition could push technology forward.
Is it possible that the next great innovation in space exploration will come from outside NASA? Some $1.2 billion in private investments in space tourism—like Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic—may seem small compared to NASA's budget. But University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds notes that "it's real money and, unlike NASA's budget, it's growing." Sending billionaires into orbit isn't the only potential avenue for private-sector innovation. Cash rewards could also spur creative solutions, like the Google Lunar X Prize, which offers $30 million in rewards to any team that successfully puts a robot lander on the moon. And just this week, a California-based spaceflight company, SpaceX, launched a satellite into orbit for the first time. The company is looking to expand into more complex projects, including a potential reusable manned spacecraft, and was awarded a $1.6 billion by NASA in 2008 to launch unmanned cargo flights to the space station.
Photo: Shari Vialpando, Las Cruces Sun-News / AP Photo
Should We Go to Mars?
As the 40th anniversary of the moon landing approaches, one of the original moonwalkers, Buzz Aldrin, wants us to go to Mars. The Daily Beast on where Obama’s sending us next—pack your bags.
Former astronaut looks to push space exploration forward.
It will be up to a former astronaut to carry American space exploration into the future. President Obama's pick to run the agency, Charles Bolden Jr., 62, carries an impressive résumé—he's a retired Marine general who flew more than 100 combat missions in the Vietnam War and traveled into orbit four times as an astronaut. Some observers say that the choice of Bolden, who was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday, signals a renewed commitment to space exploration from the Obama administration. "Clearly Charlie Bolden would not have taken the job if he were being asked to shut down human spaceflight," a space-policy expert, John Logsdon, told the L.A. Times.
Photo: Barbara L. Salisbury, The Washington Times / Landov
The only country to reach the moon may not be the last. China, India, and Japan all have lunar programs in the works, and Brazil has a burgeoning space program as well. China is the standout in the group. While its plans are not entirely clear, its goal is to land on the moon between 2020 and 2025, possibly even ahead of the U.S. efforts (currently under review) to return by 2020. "Potentially we could be in for a space race," retired American astronaut Jim Reilly told The Age. While a peaceful rivalry could lead to healthy innovations, there is also a darker edge to new competition. For example, reported tests by China of weapons that could destroy satellites have alarmed other countries and prompted fears of a military-based space race.
Photo: Greg Baker / AP Photo
In 2004, President George W. Bush committed NASA to returning an American to the moon by 2020, telling the country that "the desire to explore and understand is part of our character." The question facing his successor is whether we can afford it—Bush also wanted to prepare to send astronauts to Mars. Former NASA chief Michael Griffin said it was a necessary goal. "In the long run, human populations must diversify if it wishes to survive." Now Obama has appointed space-industry veteran Norman Augustine to lead a committee to investigate whether more money should be placed into the Constellation program, which is charged with turning the moon into a launching pad for manned voyages to Mars. Constellation is supposed to cost $150 billion, but that price tag could rise.
Photo: J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo
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Didn't George Bush already start that program? If Obama did something that stupid they'd be calling for his head - especially with economy the way it is.
In 14 months America will not be able to go into orbit let alone the Mars. The shuttle program's funding was cut by the majority party and President Obama. Americas space challenge is over.. a sad day for America
Actually, it'll be the private sector companies that take the mantle from NASA (which they've already begun to) with a purpose, among others, of introducing civilian spaceflight into the mainstream. So if anything we'll be seeing an exponential boom in activity.
That idea involved the moon.
Right on Cymatic. We've ruined this planet and do not need to ruin and exploit another.
Have mining rights wars on Mars and who has landing rights on the moon? The one with the most and biggest WMDs.
No thanks. Let's take care of our own backyard!
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I was a child during the space race and so was probably very influenced by it. Having said that, I believe strongly in space exploration for its own sake - man is a questing creature. But, ti also helps to drive technological advancement and gathers invaluable knowledge of our universe.
Let's go to Mars!
All the 'invaluable' knowledge we gather serves one purpose - how can we (mankind) exploit further resources of the universe. Has anyone thought maybe the universe exists for a purpose other than for human exploitation and resource extraction?
Yes. And it has no purpose.
guerrilladude - Not all knowledge, invaluable or otherwise, serves the purpose of exploiting further the resources of the universe. At least not directly.
That being said, yourself, and bblinder, as well as every other living thing in the universe, exploits said resources on a second by second basis. To stop doing so is death. For humanity en masse it's extinction.
http://www.vhemt.org/
I'm with you, besides when do we say enough people already before the entire planet is consumed, and made toxic and uninhabitable.
We would be better served going to Mars, than we were going to Iraq. Probably cost about the same in the long run too.
I'm with you, hockeydog-- let's quit the afghan war while we're at it
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Well down the list indeed...is there really anything being done in space that cannot be done on earth...really...the exploration of the oceans,ways to drill for oil,and desalinaztion for other uses and water conservation are serious problems. California will not get the water it needs for the San Juaquin Valley needed for the crops grown, the LA basin needs it for thier water supply, pools, and public tourists spots. So when you're paying out the wallet for whats not on your table very often , sure think about the cost of fuel what it does to the ozone, and then vacation in LA,food and water cost more there. There is much more at risk, than just the "space program".
If we're voting, then let's go to Mars.
let's got to bars, instead
How about the bars on Mars?
Why not spend the billions (if not trillions) it would take to get to Mars on the problems we have right here on Earth? I just don't understand why we feel the need to visit other planets. We need to figure out how to protect and nurture the one we live on. Haven't we wasted enough money on space exploration? How has all this space exploration really changed our life here? Sure there are the "discoveries" we've supposedly made, but can someone tell me one substantive thing we've learned from all this space travel that couldn't have been discovered right here?
Yes, please go to Mars. All you people who want a fresh start and are so bent on creating your own utopia world. All you control freaks who want to tell the rest of us how to live because we are not as smart as you are. Just go. And don't let rocket tower hit your ass on the way out!
pricklypear - We need your tax dollars and I only want to send other people to Mars. I would rather go to Oregon.
The potential for discovering and utilizing much-needed resources on Mars, on the Moon, in the asteroid belt, and further out into space, is vast beyond comprehension.
Moving out into space could be the 'greenest' decision we ever make.
And right now, the entire human species is entirely placed on this one small planet. All our eggs in one basket, so to speak.
Be nice to have a second home, don't you think?
go to Mars.
And beyond.
just send robotics ... what's man going to do on Mars ? He would be in a suit .. He cant breathe , smell, taste .. all he can do is see and not as well as our hight optics can. I don't think the ET's would ever let us get there anyway.. wait till October when NASA bombs the Moon ... cant wait to see the ET's reaction to that !!
Mars seems like a better & better idea for my wife & I.. After living through the Bush Crime Family & dreaming of greatness out of Obama & now watching Obama back pedal faster then Lance Armstrong pedals forward on most of his promises Mars is sounding better & better....
The three main religions of this planet are continuing now as they have in the past to lead the planet towards more death & destruction through promoting hatred against any other fairy tale god other than theirs. The Western World under criminals like Bush began another crusade & the Arabs decided they would rule the world & the Jews decided to follow the Americans example by simply saying, "when the US gives Mexico back California & Texas they will give the Arabs back the West Bank"...
With GIANT money backing the defense contractors of the world & with IGNORANT people following religions into constant battles Mars sounds like a place that would give any normal thinking person a place to live out their years in relative peace & quiet...
PS Only thinking,rational people need apply for the trip!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you.
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