LUNAR FIELD TRIPS: Space Exploration for Students

Go ahead, laugh. It is a funny, maybe hokey idea for today, but definitely NOT for tomorrow. The tomorrow, in this case, may be some years ahead, but for these field trips to become a reality we need to start planning for them today. So, in this context, even talking about it today is neither funny nor hokey.

The Moon-Base Prerequisite: Before we can even think of Lunar field trips for students we need to move ahead with plans for an International Lunar Research Base. This will be the site that will include the Lunar Student Training Facility (LSTF). It will support and conduct our proposed lunar field trips. A number of existing Lunar research organizations that support student involvement are expected to help operate the LSTF.

Getting it all connected: Additionally, in support of expanded solar system explorations we must intensify the research and development of space elevator technology for both Earth and the Moon. These elevators become key transport links that support both human and equipment transfers between the Earth, other planets in our solar system and our Moon. The key transfer vehicles that connects with the space elevators are super shuttles (link between Earth, Moon and nearby asteroids) and deep space vehicles (like a research spacecraft for Mars exploration).

Well, that is a lot of research and development. Yes, and those efforts not only advance our space sciences and technologies, but they provide an immense boost to our economy. Additionally, the entire concept of a Moon Base along with an education program brings the Earth's citizens into a greater appreciation of science and technology. This advance can only improve both our well being and our continuing evolution.

Some Field Trip Sponsors/Participanets: The following is a list of those we anticipate becoming potential co-sponsors of the program. This is not an all inclusive list. We are sure there are more. Please feel free to add your listing in our comments section of this blog.

• American Public University - Space Studies Program
• Challenger Center for Space Science Education
• Lunar Research Institute
• NASA space camps
• Sally Ride Science
• Space Explorers, Inc.
• Thornberg Center - Space Exploration
• Universities Space Research Association

A Climate Change for Science and Humankind: Nope this is not about global warming, this is about intellectual heating up. Setting and working toward goals like a Lunar Base and student program can incite an important rescue mission of American science and the science education of our young people. 

We must not let fear, superstition, spiritual misconceptions, political myopia, or an economic system that punishes most of us while rewarding only a few of us bar humankind's overall progress. Yes, we can back down, give up, become extinct and start the process of making Earth another dead planet. We have not evolved to this point to fail. We have evolved to this point to move forward breaking new ground across the universe. What a challenge, what an opportunity, and what a glorious reward for our efforts.

Let's go, lets take that next giant step for all humankind.

CREDIT:
Image of students at NASA facility, courtesy of NASA.

BACK TO THE MOON: A Real Back To The Future Expedition

Right now, as I look out my window, the full Moon is radiant. It casts a soothing light over the nearby river and shore. At the same time I cannot help but hear a long series of sighs and sobs as the Moon contemplates its place in future space exploration programs. With the cancellation of NASA's Constellation Program, the Moon was stuffed into the forgotten projects closet. Well, fortunately science and the persistence of NASA has not let the study and eventual long-term exploration of the Moon become forgotten. The motivating force behind this is WATER!


With NASA's successful launching of its LRO and LCROSS Moon exploratory spacecraft, interest in the Moon as an important first step into deep space was sustained. As we know these efforts were successful and water was detected on the Southern polar regions of the Moon. Not So claimed geo-scientists who insisted that the assessment of Moon rocks brought back by the Apollo astronauts indicated that water just could not exist on the Moon. WHAM, the closet door was slammed, but not locked. Just this week (the week of October 17, 2010) NASA scientists refuted those "no water" findings by providing clear evidence from the LCROSS impact analysis that water does exist in the polar regions of the Moon.

We Shall Return!

Inspired by these improved analyses and other research results NASA's Lunar and Planetary Institute has contracted with a commercial vendor to develop and deploy a robotic system to visit the Moon and further analyze both polar regions for water and methane. One of the key objectives is to fully certify that the discovered water can be processed to support both the astronauts and operations of an extended lunar expedition. The next step into deep space may now be back into play. To understand why a return to the Moon is such a vital step, we suggest you review an earlier blog article that addresses some of these important issues. You may click here to review that article.


Yes, I am repeating arguments that have already been expressed by many. Regardless, these are valid arguments and demand serious consideration by our scientific and political leaders. There is NO argument that the exploration of Mars is important, but to make that effort the most successful and scientifically fulfilling we must first return to our Moon to learn all that it awaits to teach us.It is a virtual history book of the evolution of our solar system and especially of our planet Earth. Additionally, it holds many vital secrets that will help us to fully understand what happened on Mars that erased what may have been an evolving life. Lets not allow impatience and overeagerness to blind us to critical details that will expand our understanding of solar systems in general and specifically how we got here within this galaxy and within this universe. So, lets literally "go back to the future" by launching a full, long-term exploration of our Moon.




CREDITS:
Sad Moon Cartoon by natalja1 from Science Blogs > http://bit.ly/bx5YhG
Actual photo: Apollo 11 Lunar Lander with Astronaut. Courtesy of NASA and Apollo Project.

NOW GET THIS STRAIGHT, MOON! This Is NOT Goodbye!

Yes, we know we had beautiful plans to return and stay and learn from you. The plans were ample, but the funds were anemic! So now we are being forced to skitter around a bunch of asteroids when we could be gaining valuable lessons by being with you. Yes, we are discouraged but not defeated. There is so much you have to offer, and there is so much we need to learn from you before we dash off to Mars. In fact, the last thing we need to do is dash anywhere. Dashing usually leads to big pratfalls where nobody laughs. We don't need that.

Right now, one of our most valuable assets; our engineering skills and innovation, are being more misdirected than directed. We are flexible and can easily take all the good stuff we have already developed in our Moon program and mix it up, and come out with a realistic solution that will save money and make exploration progress. To get to this we need to have scientists and engineers deciding our program, not politicians and the appointees who listen with their wallets instead of their brains and hearts.To get started we need to speak out now in these few remaining days. We must do this before we elect more wallet-eared politicians who have little or no vision. Vision is all that can carry us forward and bring us back to greater economic and social strength. We must NOT take NO for an answer.

Yep, this is a political commentary and the spirits of every explorer throughout history who has had to reckon with the same stammering politics that never serve anyone but the politicians are at our side. Our goals are to serve all of us, and we cannot do that unless we first graduate from your school. Some see this as a delay, we see it as the NEXT STEP FORWARD. It is a vital step and to ignore it or try to move around it can set us back not ahead.

We are like energy, locked in useless vibrations, that is really going nowhere. To break free, we must come together with a strong loyalty to space exploration and our Moon program as the next best move forward. With the advances in propulsion systems chafing at the bit, we need to extend their development so that our travels from LEO to you are only an hour or two away.  This proximity insures that the exchange of data, researchers and new development between the Moon and Earth is realistic and timely. All of this sharpens our readiness for our visits to more distant planetary bodies; including Mars.  It also means that our commercial space friends have a solid set of goals to achieve and sustain that will more quickly enable all of our current space exploration goals and begin the building of a new space economy.

So Moon, we have not forgotten you. WE WILL BE BACK! The harder we work at making this happen the sooner it will happen. Meanwhile, be courteous to your Chinese, Indian, and Russian visitors as they too see your great value to all our space futures.

CREDIT:
Moon close up image taken from total astrophotograph by Waddell Robey (c) Waddell Robey and Slooh,com

NO DILEMMA: TO BOLDY GO..or..TO WISELY GO..WHERE?

Desert Rats Testing Lunar Rover - NASA

I love that Star Trek goal, but we are not yet at the trekkie level of space exploration. Shameful? Good grief, no! If all we needed were dreams and imagination then yes we would be there, but dreams and imagination are just incentives. We need hard, realistic science, engineering and new technology to materialize those visions. Right now, we are sort of stumbling and to prevent a serious fall, we need to focus. In our opinion the prime focus should be a return to the Moon. Why?

We have discussed some of the reasons in an earlier blog entitled, Been There, Done That..., but it is time to amplify the reasons and to point out that our return to the Moon is a vital and essential first step to our exploration of the planet Mars and other members of our solar system.

• Despite our ongoing satellite and robotic testing as well as our ISS experience, we need to evaluate extended human exposure to low gravity, low atmosphere and high and variable cosmic rad environments to perfect our safe habitat and spacesuit designs. We need to do this on a planetary body (the Moon) that is close to Earth and therefore more quickly accessible for extra support or even emergency evacuation with a reasonably quick return to Earth.
• Many of the geologic explorations that we can perform on the Moon are not just a preface to our efforts on Mars, but will present us with vital data on the solar system's formation that will definitely benefit our understanding of conditions on Mars and other planetary bodies within our solar system.
• The construction and utilization of a Moon Base habitat will evaluate these designs with the overall goal of a standard design suitable for Mars and perhaps other planetary bodies, including other moons. If design changes are necessary, they can be more readily evaluated on the Moon where access is faster and less expensive. The idea here is when we do set out for Mars, we do so with more answers than questions and experienced preparations for both the journey and extended human operations on that planet.
• In line with the first item above, all of these planetary bodies are hostile. We need to gather as much data and acclimation to this kind of setting before venturing further out into the solar system. In fact it is highly possible that our Moon will be more hostile in many ways than Mars. Our preparation for that situation certainly arms us to handle Mars with more assurance and skill.
• Geological, geophysical and geochemical analysis of the Moon will inform us about many features that we will find common on other non-gas-giant planetary bodies. Finding this out at a convenient location and then making necessary adjustments to our deep space plans increases both our success and safety on Mars and its moons.
• Although we will be able to view Earth from Mars (with telescopic help) our view of Earth from the Moon will greatly enhance our global efforts to preserve and protect Earth's vital environment. Yes, this is more emotional than logical, but highly valuable as an important incentive. For years to come, Earth will be our key operational base, wherever we go, and if we let it decay through our negligence we directly endanger both the success and scope of our entire deep space exploration plans.

So we not boldly go? Well we always go into space exploration boldly and bravely, but we should never go blindly. The above observations and suggestions improve the chance that we would never venture into the unknown, unawares. We then should go boldly and wisely? Of course, and again we always strive to do so, but as experience has shown us, some of our wisdom is acquired in process rather than before hand. This is a solid justification for going to the Moon first.  There will be moments of acquired wisdom, just as we had on our first exploration of the Moon. This time we will use all of that past experience to further extend our ability to meet the unexpected effectively and safely. Doing this on a Moon exploration program will definitely increase our success when, wiser and bolder we then move on to Mars.

Lastly, we currently have a sense of urgency because we are facing a severe cutback of our exploration goals. Deciding on a well researched and designed Moon Base program could allow us to get back on track. Additionally, by recognizing that what we accomplish on the Moon will enrich our efforts on Mars, makes it all worthwhile and refreshes our focus. Anxiety is replaced by purpose and sound planning. Eagerness is channeled productively rather than remaining an itch that irritates when it should motivate.

Yes we will go to Mars, and when we go, we will be better prepared, and wiser. Therefore.we go with great confidence that our boldness and courage are never misdirected or unsuccessful.

CREDITS:

Image of the new Moon/Mars Rover and the Desert RATS crew. Image courtesy of NASA.

A TRIP TO THE MOON ZOO

Astronaut Gene Cernan checks out the Moon Rover (LRV) before taking off for an exploratory ride. He is at and on the Moon and a contributor to the Moon Zoo through samples and photographs. All of the Apollo astronauts who made the trip to the lunar surface have contributed to the Moon Zoo. If you are an advocate for returning to the Moon for a longer stay and for more detailed research, then you are encouraged to be a regular visitor and participant at the Moon Zoo

Not sure where you are here in this image? Well a visit to the Moon Zoo will help you find out, but additionally this is an image from the Lunar Lander of the Apollo 10 CSM and Mount. Marilyn on the Moon.. Mount Marilyn was named by Astronaut Jim Lovell. In the image on the right, it is in the upper left section of the picture.

Being active at the Moon Zoo and helping out in the detection and annotation of Moon craters and mounds helps in our understanding of our Moon. It will also more fully equip you with the knowledge to become an even more effective advocate for our next exploratory mission to the Moon. While you are at it, please also consider joining the Moon Society and completing the certificate course. You will really be on your way to becoming a lunar expert.

In this last image, which we have entitled "GOING UP" we show the very last Saturn V launch of Apollo 17 which ended the human exploration of the Moon.  We need to go back there, and begin to really understand that lunar environment which in turn will teach us a great deal more about Earth and the solar system.  There is great history and many resources waiting for us up there.

If you would like to review and download (with credit to NASA) any of the many great images from the Apollo mission and more you should visit the Project Apollo Image Gallery. You will be inspired and your advocacy for more lunar research and exploration will receive a terrific boost.

Can you hear and feel the power of that mighty Saturn V?  I can.

CREDITS:
All images in this blog issue are courtesy of NASA and can be found at the Project Apollo Image Gallery. Special thanks also goes to those courageous astronauts who took most of the photographs.

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.