"Newt Gingrich has promised a manned moon base by 2020 if he is elected"
As happy as that makes me I am feeling somewhat nauseated. Newt Gingrich wants a moon base? Newt? Really? Why couldn't it be coming from a more respectable candidate? <forehead plant into desk>
Ok lets talk about it...
1) What makes a moon base different from the big trash-can in orbit now?
I know my answer may be a bit more thought-out and farther reaching than Old Newt is thinking of.
2) What is motivating this action?
Newt? a supporter of the US space activities? Doubtful! I think its a banner in a parade or a kiss on some random baby's forehead... something that makes a nice splash and is soon forgotten and then moved to the side of the budget that gets sliced and diced.
3) is this going to be a sustained endeavor?
I also know the answer to this... If I were doing it... YES it would be... Newt? (see slice and dice above) sorry Newt, you would be too busy ruttin your next gold-digging whore to actually DO anything with a moon base.
This is what I know... a moon base needs to have something valuable to offer...
1) He3 (Helium-3) would be a start it is an awesome source for clean energy.
2) A whoppin awesome space observatory on the night/day line... probably at a pole. Make this Whoppin awesome observatory do more than one or two things... let it grow and take on more and more science.
3) A HUGE Research and Development complex. The need to develop new and better space technologies - Environmental, Power generation, Heat dissipation, micro-gravity and zero-gravity mining, construction (see Contour Crafting)... the list goes on.
IF we are to build a moon base... a new vision must be molded from the quagmire of NASA and Washington. (though with the performance of our Senate I'm surprised they can agree on which toilet paper to buy for the private senate powder rooms.) AND it can not be just a US endeavor it MUST include the entire world the same way the International Space Station program works. Even though I'm disappointed in the ISS I am very proud that we were able to get it done. The vision for a moon base must include longevity and sustainability... not to be used for 20 years then abandoned (or allowed to burn up in re-entry... remember Skylab?) it must give back something tangible like Tang only a gazillion times better... It needs to give the people a new purpose.
I think a moon base is a great idea and fits well with the space port in New Mexico, Virgin Galactic, and Bigelow Aerospace. Russia and China would also benefit by adopting new long range goals like this.
But Newt? OMG really... lets see if we can begin with a whole lot more credibility than Newt shall we??
As happy as that makes me I am feeling somewhat nauseated. Newt Gingrich wants a moon base? Newt? Really? Why couldn't it be coming from a more respectable candidate? <forehead plant into desk>
Ok lets talk about it...
1) What makes a moon base different from the big trash-can in orbit now?
I know my answer may be a bit more thought-out and farther reaching than Old Newt is thinking of.
2) What is motivating this action?
Newt? a supporter of the US space activities? Doubtful! I think its a banner in a parade or a kiss on some random baby's forehead... something that makes a nice splash and is soon forgotten and then moved to the side of the budget that gets sliced and diced.
3) is this going to be a sustained endeavor?
I also know the answer to this... If I were doing it... YES it would be... Newt? (see slice and dice above) sorry Newt, you would be too busy ruttin your next gold-digging whore to actually DO anything with a moon base.
This is what I know... a moon base needs to have something valuable to offer...
1) He3 (Helium-3) would be a start it is an awesome source for clean energy.
2) A whoppin awesome space observatory on the night/day line... probably at a pole. Make this Whoppin awesome observatory do more than one or two things... let it grow and take on more and more science.
3) A HUGE Research and Development complex. The need to develop new and better space technologies - Environmental, Power generation, Heat dissipation, micro-gravity and zero-gravity mining, construction (see Contour Crafting)... the list goes on.
IF we are to build a moon base... a new vision must be molded from the quagmire of NASA and Washington. (though with the performance of our Senate I'm surprised they can agree on which toilet paper to buy for the private senate powder rooms.) AND it can not be just a US endeavor it MUST include the entire world the same way the International Space Station program works. Even though I'm disappointed in the ISS I am very proud that we were able to get it done. The vision for a moon base must include longevity and sustainability... not to be used for 20 years then abandoned (or allowed to burn up in re-entry... remember Skylab?) it must give back something tangible like Tang only a gazillion times better... It needs to give the people a new purpose.
I think a moon base is a great idea and fits well with the space port in New Mexico, Virgin Galactic, and Bigelow Aerospace. Russia and China would also benefit by adopting new long range goals like this.
But Newt? OMG really... lets see if we can begin with a whole lot more credibility than Newt shall we??
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