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.

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?

MOON SCIENCE, AN INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENT.

The following is a direct quote from the NASA Lunar Science Institute's (NLSI) mission statement:

1. "carrying out and supporting collaborative research in lunar science, investigating the Moon itself, and using the Moon as a unique platform for other investigations,"
2. "providing scientific and technical perspectives to NASA on its lunar research programs, including developing investigations for current and future space missions,"
3. "supporting development of the lunar science community and training the next generation of lunar science researchers; and,"
4. "supporting Education and Public Outreach by providing scientific content for K-14 education programs, and communication directly with the public."

Those four major tasks are certainly more than just a passing notice of the scientific importance of getting to know our Moon better and more fully.  It is a positive indicator that planetary scientists recognize the valuable contribution Lunar studies will make toward our understanding of our solar system.  The idea of a Moon Base is included in those mission plans and in actuality propose a practice that closely parallels the concept of an International Lunar Research Park proposed by the Moon Society.

NSLI is already living up to its commitment for an international representation on its staff. Currently the scientific staff membership includes scientists from Canada, Korea, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. The list of foreign partners will continue to expand as additional scientists join NSLI.  This commitment to an international research effort clearly and officially recognizes that the Moon belongs to all humankind and is not the unique possession of any one nation.

The LADEE project: An imminent mission is the launching of an investigative spacecraft to examine the lunar atmosphere and dust environment with the project acronym LADEE. The planning calls for a launch schedule for the year 2011. The purpose is to gather basic environmental data before it is disrupted by increased and extended human operations on the Moon.  The spacecraft is planned as an orbiter rather than a rover.

Want to learn more? Visit the NSLI website here, and also you can elect to directly address questions to a Lunar Scientist.  Most importantly as you can see, the Moon is not a forgotten mission objective, despite current political decisions.  We all have a responsibility in this regard to not let NSLI lapse into Moon dreams by being advocates for its programs and for full WhiteHouse and Congressional support of the international exploration of the Moon.

MOONSCAPE 2020

By the year 2020, somebody will be on the Moon. It may be just a few robots, or it may be the initial landing of the first Moon-base-creation team. They could be speaking one or more of several languages, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, but not English. This, at least, is the way it looks right now as far as the continued exploration of our Moon. It is our opinion this is dreadfully wasteful of international resources. We could also be looking at the national ego effect that pushes away each space oriented nation from participating in a program such as the International Lunar Research Park ( ILRP)

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.