Yes, as many private space interests have expressed, there will be industrial ventures on the Moon. The challenge is that those ventures should be within the context of an international governing body that insures that the Moon's resources and habitat are properly protected and that no single private entity controls industrial access at the expense of other nations. The Moon, after all, is a global property and must be openly and carefully shared. These issues introduce the question as to why the United States remains uninvolved since it, until recently, was the world's leading space science nation? Again, it is our opinion that the United States should have been the front-runner in helping UNOOSA foster the ILRP concept.
Scientists are confirming that there is more water on the Moon that was originally suspected. This further encourages a carefully planned and staffed international research effort. For this to be realized the United States needs to get fully involved again and rethink its space exploration strategies. Sure exploring asteroids have striking benefits that may also have great industrial potential, but these are intermediate objectives and should take second place to a grand international exploration strategy.
Earth views as seen from the Moon will begin to give us both inspiration and solid science that will further global efforts to protect and sustain our home planet. Certainly, as this video displays, we have lots of LEO views of our planet, but we need to have the kind of observational research that a lunar observatory would provide.Additionally, there is a strong psychological imperative that develops as we observe our planet from the Moon. This is an imperative that just does not fully develop from our monitoring of satellite imagery.
At this point what will it take over the next decade to redirect America's efforts toward both Moon exploration and the direct development and support of an international research program? If we let our valid but diverse public and civil space exploration interests disperse our focus we stand to fall further behind in our role in global space exploration. This will seriously jeopardize the measured and productive research of our solar system; beginning with our Moon. So wake up, get up, and join up and speak out. Now, if you please.
CREDIT:
Satellite imagery from the Clementine Project of the Moon's North Pole.
I would like to think the international effort could be realised, but unfortunately I feel there would need to be a drastic alteration in the way nations view such programs. What is profitable is what drives initiatives now, perhaps as it always has. What kind of people would be able to generate the kind of support such an endeavour would demand? I know we, America, made it to the Moon, but the reasons we did so have vanished along with the mindset that generated them. In place are purely economic concerns and those holding the purse strings are not inspired to achieve anything more than more profits. It would be wonderful if there could be an international effort, the resourses shared, the scientific activities benefiting all, and that deep sense of lonely longing felt whenever I see images of Earth from the Moon would draw us all together for once, resolved to cherish what we have.
ReplyDeleteSome of the European nations are moving toward more cooperative international space exploration programs. I think the ISS is serving as an outstanding model of what can be accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI understand the presence of the profit motive in the commercial end of space ex, but the return on pure space exploration is rich in discovery and zero in $$$ returns, this is why it has always been a government sponsored activity. In order to keep doing this, governments are going to have to come together to share just about everything from costs to glory.