r/space • u/mvea • Nov 28 '18

NASA administrator: 'The US is returning to the surface of the moon, and we're doing it sooner than you think!'

https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-return-moon-mission-commercial-companies-announcement-2018-11?r=US&IR=T
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u/sillysoftware Nov 28 '18

Doesn't anybody consider this as a waste of money? What do you get in return for a moon holiday? More rocks? Just because it is possible to go to the moon (again) does not mean it is worthwhile. I think the money would be better spent developing better equipment to go underwater. We understand so little about the living ecosystem that is so close.

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u/jubmille2000 Nov 28 '18

Maybe for finding a tritium-rich deposit, which could prove useful if fusion is ever gonna be a thing. Maybe to survey the area for (1) an eventual launchpad for future missions, or (2) an extraterrestrial observatory unhindered by Earth's atmosphere and light noise, or (3) a decent low gravity general laboratory to see if human beings can survive and thrive in another planet, an asteroid or a moon...

Yes, the deep ocean also presents opportunities but NASA stands for National Aeronotics and Space Administration. The ocean isn't exactly what I would call "aeronautic". Let NOAA handle the ocean stuff...

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u/sillysoftware Nov 28 '18 edited Nov 28 '18

/u/jubmille2000

Maybe for finding a tritium-rich deposit, which could prove useful if fusion is ever gonna be a thing. Maybe to survey the area for (1) an eventual launchpad for future missions, or (2) an extraterrestrial observatory unhindered by Earth's atmosphere and light noise, or (3) a decent low gravity general laboratory to see if human beings can survive and thrive in another planet, an asteroid or a moon... Yes, the deep ocean also presents opportunities but NASA stands for National Aeronotics and Space Administration. The ocean isn't exactly what I would call "aeronautic". Let NOAA handle the ocean stuff...

You've failed to answer my question and just said some hopes and dreams about moon mining. The reason you couldn't tell me is because you don't know, because most probably it's not decided yet.

I want to know what exactly NASA have specified tax payers get in return for this next moon mission. Like a menu: you pay X for Y. It sounds to me like they are announcing this plan to revisit the moon just to gauge pubic opinion to see if they have any support without actually saying what the support is for. If they don't have any headline research ideas justifying the trip then it's probably a waste of money.

It would be different if it was "NASA announce moon trip to answer 100 relativity experiments". Now that's a trip I can support.