Return to the moon...It's about time!

AstroGirl · Post by **AstroGirl** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:02 pm

Aye, it's been awhile since I've posted here

Anyway I heard that Bush WILL announce a return to the moon, as soon as this Wednesday. That is great news, but the Bush and space haters are already all over it like sharks on a bloody minnow.

You probably all knew that already but I thought I would post it lol.

I just hope that there is some way to make this work, not like the SEI of old...

Post by **Vincent** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:07 pm

I'll believe Bush (or anyone else for that matter) is really serious about it when NASA gets their budget doubled or so...5% (according to one rumor I read) isn't going to cut it.

AstroGirl · Post by **AstroGirl** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:12 pm

Actually, the Apollo missions were carried out with only slightly more money (in today's dollars) than the NASA of today. The difference is how they used it.

If we follow the Mars Direct plan (which it doesn't look like we are, but I'm just putting ideas out there), then a manned mission to Mars could be done within a decade, and a 5% increase would be more than enough.

Bush's plan might be a bit too much like Dear Old Dad's, but I still want to hang on to a shred of optimism that it *might* work...

Post by **Vincent** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:15 pm

But if you adjust for inflation, the amount of money NASA has to work with today is nothing like what they had in the 60's.

Adjusted for inflation, it cost roughly $130-$150 billion to go to the moon.

Current NASA Annual Budget: ~$14 billion

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:29 pm

Plus, NASA's main goal at that time was to get to the Moon and back. Now, NASA is much more involved with other projects centered around the Earth and its inhabitants.

AstroGirl · Post by **AstroGirl** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 12:52 pm

You may be right and you may be wrong, but this editorial from space.com suggests a slightly more optimistic viewpoint...

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 4:01 pm

I'm all for dropping the ISS and Shuttle program. Alpha has become a bad investment and, though they've served us well, the Orbiter fleet is aging. I think their plan is very feasable and I do hope it can be pulled off. Maybe Dr. von T is right, Mars could be our planet.

stargazer0105 · Post by **stargazer0105** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 4:12 pm

Well said Benji, I completely agree.

ApolloXI · Post by **ApolloXI** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 5:58 pm

My idea is to take one step at a time.

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:47 pm

This is from a NASA Press Release this evening:

PRESIDENT BUSH ANNOUNCES SPACE EXPLORATION GOALS

President George W. Bush joins NASA Administrator Sean
O'Keefe Wednesday afternoon to announce the space exploration
objectives for the agency.

This special event is scheduled to begin at approximately 3
p.m. EST in the main auditorium at NASA Headquarters in
Washington.

Due to limited seating and security considerations, media
representatives, who are U.S. citizens and want to attend the
event, must report to the registration table in the main
lobby at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW, from 1:15 p.m. to
NLT 1:45 p.m. EST. Please have your media credentials and a
second form of picture identification available for
verification. Only a limited number of media will be
permitted in the auditorium. Other media will be allowed to
watch the event from a conference room.

The event will be carried live on NASA Television, and on the
Internet at:

http://www.nasa.gov

Return to the moon...It's about time!

My Idea