South Polar Robotic Lunar Landing

[fhmiii]

A few days ago, Russia's lander failed to survive as it attempted to land near the moon's south pole.  Today, India accomplished the feat.

There's a lot of speculation that there may be water ice near the moon's poles, locked away in deep craters that are never exposed to sunlight.  It features as a plot point in the Apple TV program "For All Mankind."  Exploring this area and finding water ice would unlock the key to long-term missions and even permanent settlement of the moon.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-asia-india-66576580?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=64e600b6d7211212a459ba77%26The%20hardest%20part%20is%20over%20-%20space%20expert%262023-08-23T12%3A56%3A47.794Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:1fac1fe6-f3d3-494a-ac73-8458a582b4bf&pinned_post_asset_id=64e600b6d7211212a459ba77&pinned_post_type=share

[Road Hog]

Heard another Russia lander failed to survive today.

[SP Cook]

The USA, and the commies, spent billions of dollars to reach the moon.  The USA "won" and found a lifeless rock with nothing there of any value.   In fact if the moon were made of pure gold, it still would cost more to transport it than it was worth. 

It costs between $10K and $25K per kilogram to launch something into space.  One space shuttle launch cost $1.5B (that is just the cost of the launch, not counting all the amortization of the R&D). 

https://www.allthescience.org/what-are-launch-costs.htm

As to settlement, it costs the USA $208M/year to maintain less than 300 scientist (50 in the winter) in Antartica, a place that can be reached by conventional airplanes, has oxygen, etc.  The costs of a moon base would be more than the gross national product of every country.

https://www.nsf.gov/about/budget/fy2022/pdf/66c_fy2022.pdf#:~:text=In%20FY%202022%2C%20Antarctic%20Facilities%20and%20Operations%20funding,is%20increased%20by%20%248.72%20million%20to%20%24216.02%20million.

Build roads, research on better crop yields, improve schools, work on water desalinization, etc.

[Rothman]

The USA, and the commies, spent billions of dollars to reach the moon.  The USA "won" and found a lifeless rock with nothing there of any value.   In fact if the moon were made of pure gold, it still would cost more to transport it than it was worth. 

It costs between $10K and $25K per kilogram to launch something into space.  One space shuttle launch cost $1.5B (that is just the cost of the launch, not counting all the amortization of the R&D). 

https://www.allthescience.org/what-are-launch-costs.htm

As to settlement, it costs the USA $208M/year to maintain less than 300 scientist (50 in the winter) in Antartica, a place that can be reached by conventional airplanes, has oxygen, etc.  The costs of a moon base would be more than the gross national product of every country.

https://www.nsf.gov/about/budget/fy2022/pdf/66c_fy2022.pdf#:~:text=In%20FY%202022%2C%20Antarctic%20Facilities%20and%20Operations%20funding,is%20increased%20by%20%248.72%20million%20to%20%24216.02%20million.

Build roads, research on better crop yields, improve schools, work on water desalinization, etc.

Pfft.  Space program gave us velcro.  *drops mic*

[triplemultiplex]

Build roads, research on better crop yields, improve schools, work on water desalinization, etc.

Boooorrrinngg!!

[SP Cook]

Pfft.  Space program gave us velcro.  *drops mic*

Velcro was invented in 1955 in Switzerland.  Years before the space program.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2717437?oq=ininventor:%22Mestral+George+De%22

Boooorrrinngg!!

Most things that make people's lives better and longer and happier generally are.  We should do them anyway. 

[triplemultiplex]

Calculate for me the economic impact of millions of kids growing up to enter STEM careers because they were inspired by manned space travel in the 60s.

[Rothman]

Pfft.  Space program gave us velcro.  *drops mic*

Velcro was invented in 1955 in Switzerland.  Years before the space program.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2717437?oq=ininventor:%22Mestral+George+De%22

Eh, whatever.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies#:~:text=Well%2Dknown%20products%20that%20NASA,swimsuits%2C%20and%20CMOS%20image%20sensors.

[kkt]

Build roads, research on better crop yields, improve schools, work on water desalinization, etc.

Of course we were doing more of all of those things during the 1960s during the space race than we are doing now.  Good thing it isn't an either-or choice, and congratulations to India on a successful lander.