Moon base by 2012, do you think we'll make it?

Answer 1

You've got your years wrong. It's Moon base by 2020. 2012 is the target date for the first flight of the Orion C.E.V.
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Answer 2

Apart from the scientific value to geology and astronomy a Moon base may be useless. It would have to be supplied from Earth with just about everything even if some water was found. Growing food there would be difficult because of the fact that plants don't like 27 and a bit (Earth) days of sunlight followed by the same length of darkness.

Even if plenty of water is found, the idea of producing rocket fuel on the Moon is almost fatuous. Admittedly the Moon's gravity well is less difficult to get out of than the Earth's but the fuel would still have to be launched into space. The difficulty of working in an near absolute vacuum in extremes of heat and cold make the Moon fairly unattractive from an engineering point of view. The almost total lack of any atmosphere exposes inhabitants to cosmic and solar radiation and that would include any food that was to be grown under glass as glass provide little shielding.

It is already possible to get to Mars on fuel launched from the Earth if a Mars craft is kept reasonably small and that could be done with a Saturn V equivalent rocket. This means that docking with a fuel station orbiting the Moon is not needed. You get around the need to send all supplies to Mars at one launch by sending an unmanned craft with most of what is needed first, maybe two would be best. When these are down safely and working you send the manned craft to Mars direct from Earth.

The supplies include a small chemical plant supplied by a miniature nuclear reactor. The plant uses hydrogen sent from Earth in the first instance to react with Martian atmospheric CO2 to produce methane and water. This is reliable 19th century chemistry, well understood for more than 100 years. The water can then be electrolysed to produce oxygen and retrieve some of the hydrogen. Martian nitrogen would be used too as a buffer gas the same way it is on Earth.

The oxygen and methane fuel the return vehicle and also can supply breathing gas to explorers. It will also power ground vehicles, imagine how much use a Mars buggy capable of carrying two explorers and their gear at only 20 miles per hour would be.

A bit more chemistry could supply better fuels like ethylene or perhaps propane.

If the landing site is chosen to be a t a place where supplies of Martian water are accessible, it is not necessary to carry hydrogen to Mars on later missions. Since the Martian day is 24 hours and about 40 minutes long, it should be possible to grow some food in small greenhouses, either with hydroponics or processed Martian soil.

The Martian atmosphere is thin but provides some shielding from solar and cosmic radiation. It even has a small ozone layer, thinner than the Earth's but still there. The atmosphere also moderates temperatures to some extent. It is very cold, but not as cold as the dark side of the Moon and it never gets as hot. At the Martian equator, temperatures may approach the freezing point of water which is a lot easier for engineers to design for than the extremes found on the Moon.

So a Mars base can supply fuel and food to some extent, almost right from the start. The geology would be as interesting, perhaps more so.

See Robert Zubrin"s "The Case for Mars" and "The Mars Society" website.

Answer 3

no. thats only like 4 years away.
thats an impossible time frame.

we might start a mission to do it in 2020, but that will take at least 8-12 years to complete.


Nasa
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061204174522.htm

china
http://www.moondaily.com/reports/China_aims_for_lunar_base_after_2020_999.html

russia
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthScience/Russia_to_set_up_manned_lunar_base/articleshow/2330458.cms

people seem to think this is a race for the moon these countries are competing in, but why. it makes no sense.

we're already all part of the ISS and that gameplan has worked extrememly well for everyone. Its cheaper and safer

I figure these countries will unite and work together on the moon as well. So far from home, we will all need all the friends we can get.

Answer 4

With the need for emergency funding (disaster), feed the worlds hungry, medical care for children, wars, wars and more wars, I doubt that there will be any funding for such a needless venture. Even if there was funding, the technology just isn't there for anything like a moon base.

Answer 5

Possible ,Two American Astronauts walked on the moon in the year 1968 and all 3 returned safely to earth

Answer 6

We've been in Iraq for Six years and you still can't drive around in Baghdad after dark !!
The moon in five years ? Not a iceburg's catch on a solar holiday !!!

Answer 7

I doubt it. Why would we want a base on the moon anyway? There's nothing there but moon dust.

Answer 8

Not a chance.

Look at the International space station. Massively over budget and behind target.

Answer 9

5 years, definitely not. We probably wont put another man on the moon by then.

Answer 10

If Britain can be ready to host the olympics by then, wel anythings possible aint it lol