ARE WE THERE YET? The Hope For Moon Missions and Our Future.

Subsurface Lunar Research Station

The next step in any joint venture space programs is, in my opinion, the move toward creating what the Moon Society has defined as the International Lunar Research Park. The image on the left is just one example of artists concepts of what a long-term lunar base will look like.Until we have a better confirmation on what amount of water there really is and where it is on the Moon, we won't really know what the Moon Base will shape up to be.

What does matter right now, particularly since NASA has been required to delay or even set aside any lunar mission, is that we begin to consider an international program, including NASA, that may succeed in a more recent return to the Moon.

There have been many, brief exploratory visits to the Moon, including NASA's famed and successful Apollo program. Smattering amounts of data have been collected, but considering that all efforts have been limited in both scope and duration, it's considered that the data remains incomplete and potentially inconclusive. This data limitation also should include any current reports on the actual presence of water on the Moon and its whereabouts.In essence we are presently in what we could call and educated-guess stage of lunar exploration.

As we have stated in previous issues of this blog, the United Nations' Open Space Treaty precludes any one nation from making national claims on the Moon or any other planetary body in our solar system. It is, therefore, wise to consider a joint Moon exploration program that represents international interests and essentially conforms to the plan submitted by the Moon Society. The challenging issue remains as: how do we get together and get started on devising an international lunar program?  The leaders of Earth's nations remain egocentric and thus mold their citizens into national egocentricity. What will it take to break the ice and bring us together?

The basic premises that produced the agreements and cooperation that has resulted in the International Space Station should be our startup roadmap  It is essential that those nations that support the ISS should be the ones to kick off an international lunar research program. Do we only consider that because a limited assay of the lunar material brought back by the Apollo program indicates the Moon is dry? Can we be sure, or do we initiate further LCROSS type research and clearly establish the presence of water? Most importantly, do we just sit around and argue about it or do we do something to substantiate whether there is either water or the chemical substances that will support water formation on the Moon?

Individual nations are going to be sending more spacecraft to the Moon.This is, in our opinion, a gross waste of time and resources governed by that national egocentricity. There is just no room in our investigations of our solar system for that type of thinking or political autonomy. The Moon Base program can be a breakthrough move to further the unique international cooperation that is represented by the ISS. The opportunity and challenge awaits us.Are we mature enough, internationally, to move forward in this respect? Do we realize the setbacks we will experience as a civilization if we do not? Do our respective leaders care? Do we care?

Again it comes down to whether we as a civilization place more value on warfare rather than spacefaring.Our future and our continuation as one of the universe's existing civilizations depends on our ability to make this vital shift. Oh, by the way, it also produces world peace.

So, are we there yet?


CREDIT:
The above image of a sub-surface Moon Base comes from Out of the Cradle and the Lunar Library LLC. You are encouraged to go here to learn about this organization's "25 Good Reasons To Go To The Moon"

OK, SO WHO OWNS THE MOON?

The answer is, we all do.  The United Nations Outer Space Treaty stipulates that:

1. The exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind;
2. Outer space shall be free for exploration and use by all States
3. Outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means
4. The Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

The above are just selected items within the treaty. To view the entire treaty and other related United Nations space-related treaties go here (see the Index on the left and click on Treaties and Principles). The United States is a signatory of the Outer Space Treaty and ratified it in 1967.  You can also use a search tool to find any or all other nations that have signed and, especially, ratified the treaty.

The question or concern remains as to how close we all are to adhering to the full provisions of that treaty?  This is particularly applicable to the prospects of private corporations from the United States and other spacefaring nations sending exploratory spacecraft onto the Moon and extracting data and/or materials that are not shared globally. Of equal concern is the establishing of any Lunar base of operations that does not hold an international charter under the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty.  In other words can a private entity set up exclusive profit making operations on the Moon or for that matter any object (including Near Earth Objects) in our solar system?

The United States is a member and provides representation on the UN Committee For the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. It is within this committee of the UN's overall Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)that issues such as those listed above would be presented, discussed and acted upon.

Because the press is pretty indifferent to the United Nations and its activities (unless there is some criticism) there is a lot that goes on that receives little or no media attention. An example, is the many visits that Astronaut Russell Schweickart has made to UNOOSA to present proposed measures and legislation that will globally address both the threat of Near Earth Objects, and the need for coordinated international plans for detection and deterrence of NEOs.  I know I have never read anything about this, but a recent interview of Astro Schweickart by Talking-Space clearly pointed out Schweikart's efforts on behalf of humankind.  You may access that interview here.

The entire idea of our spacefaring activities becoming a full-fledged global endeavor is exciting, and in my opinion a significant forward step toward world peace.  How totally exciting, fulfilling and rewarding it would be if all that surrounds us becomes truly a domain for peace.  Humankind would grow, prosper and most likely, enjoy many, many meet-ups with fellow residents of this place we call universe.

MOON RIVERS, OR ?

Image: frm News Around The Globe

Yeah, some refer to me as a moldy oldy, but regardless I boldly continue to enjoy 50s-80s music. One of those is most appropriate for this blog entry. It is "Moon River." The fact that I live right on the shore of a lovely river further supports both my music choice and belief that there is water on our Moon.


In the Fall of 2009 NASA announced that they had found a considerable amount of water on the Moon. This report came as a result of the successful flight of the LCROSS spacecraft which nose-dived into a selected area in the South polar region of the Moon. This was an exciting announcement that promised increased scientific attention to the Moon's geological history. That history is also a key marker in the history of our planet and our solar system.  Moon explorers were also encouraged because the discovery gave a hint of possible water resources to support a sustained human exploration of the Moon.


In June of this year, Reuters news service reported on the findings of the National Academy of Science which stated, "We found that the minimum water content ranged from 64 parts per billion to 5 parts per million -- at least two orders of magnitude greater than previous results."


Just less than two months later, the publication Wired Science reports that scientists that have been studying the Moon rocks returned from the Apollo missions indicate that because of the absence of Chlorine 35, which is directly related to the presence of Hydrogen, that there is no water on the Moon! There is no disputing the assays that were performed and their relevance to the chemical necessities required to support the presence of water.  Fortunately not all researchers are yet ready to fully agree that this latest analysis is representative of the water retention capabilities of the entire Moon.  


This is what is so encouraging and delightful about scientific research. It is what I call learned disputations that often help to eventually form real theory or scientific fact.  In the case of water on the Moon, I would think we need more samples, and also direct human exploration of the Moon.This must include drilling down into the deeper recesses of our lovely satellite.


There is some worry that the latest scientific findings will further discourage extended human exploration of the Moon.That decision would exclude the creation of a permanent Moon base. Moon exploration supporters will, I believe, move to point out that the latest results are important, but inconclusive and rather than serve to discourage further exploration, they promote the need for more extensive "on-site" research.


In time we will find that comets impacted our Moon and in that event they contributed to the currently hidden water resources on it. In my opinion, we have exhausted robotic investigations. It is time to start building our Moon base and getting on with a full human exploration. Shoving human exploration onto a back burner denies the processes of sound scientific research. We should not do that and should follow the ideas proffered by the Moon Society in developing and implementing an International Lunar Research Park. Are you ready?