Slamming the Moon

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by Orleander, Feb 28, 2008.

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  1. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Why not learn how to "fold time" in order to get around the universe like in the movie Dune? A Star Gate type of device could also be invented as physics learns more about spacetime and what makes everything work. Why build things that aren't needed if we can travel other ways instead. Why only think in one dimension all of the time?
     
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  3. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Uh yea.. well go ahead, invent it..

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  5. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Give the physicists enough time and money and I'm certain they will!
     
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  7. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I doubt they are willing to wait for another 300 years.. lol
     
  8. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Why not? I'm sure if more money was put into advanced physics research today we MIGHT see results in a far shorter period of time.
     
  9. Letticia Registered Senior Member

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    I does not make sense.

    I am not at all convinced we need a moon base, and sorry to say it, but Enmos is not making a good case. The only plausible use I had seen for South Pole ice, assuming it is in mineable concentration, is to supply hydrogen and water for earth orbit. Once a mining operation is established (however many billions of dollars it costs), it is actually cheaper to ship hydrogen from Moon to LEO than to launch it from Earth. Of course this only makes sense if there is so much activity in LEO using all this hydrogen that cost difference eventually pays back for initial investment. And while the mining base will almost certainly have to be built by humans, continuous operation will probably be done by robots, with only occasional human visits. Much cheaper that way.

    BTW, while hydrogen is the most energetic chemical rocket fuel that there is, no satellite uses it because it can not be stored for long. Satellites, including ISS, use less efficient but "room-temperature" fuels. On-demand supply of hydrogen could change that.
     
  10. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Probably, if it is at all possible.
    I think they should hurry up finding a new world to ruin though..
     
  11. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Astronomers are always finding new planets today. By the time a "Star Gate" is available humans will know where many are located and how to "dial them up".

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  12. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Have you ever seen Stargate though.. lol that's not how it works..
     
  13. Letticia Registered Senior Member

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    I am very skeptical of space enthusiasts claims for in-orbit (or on-Moon) manufacture. Yes, it costs a lot to lift things from Earth into space. But first, these costs will come down (if they don't, we'll never see the level of space activity you envision anyway) and second, they have to be weighed against huge added cost of doing complex manufacturing in a very hostile environment, where just keeping people alive is an expensive challenge. There is a limit to how much can be launched from Earth in one piece, so some in-orbit assembly is unavoidable -- and bulk chemicals like water and hydrocarbons for use in space will probably be mined on moon or comets some day, -- but building complex machinery is best left in clean rooms on Earth. For foreseeable future, anyway.
     
  14. Letticia Registered Senior Member

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    Do you know that from experience?

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  15. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    If you mean if I've seen Stargate, yea I have. If you mean if I have ever traveled a Stargate I'll have to disappoint you lol
     
  16. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I was comparing a moon base against an earth orbiting space station though.
     
  17. Yorda Registered Senior Member

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    because scientists are interested about the moon and the world... they want to study it so they can understand more things. and more understanding of things often leads to some useful technology.
     
  18. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Humans will have to have a space station to travel in space stations if they are going to travel within the solar system anytime soon. That station would be better off built above the Earth because workers can easily travel back and forth, if trouble happens workers can return to earth within minutes and all materials that are needed to build the station are found here on Earth not on the moon.
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2008
  19. Wait, looksie, are you wookie.
    First, you want to punch, now soda + Pretzels. I don't get it.
     
  20. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    If you are talking to me, I was , at first, being silly then changed to show I had real interest in this subject. My last comment was trying to show that a space station built above the Earth would be a cheaper, safer, and faster built type of platform which to explore the solar system with rather than a moon base where not everything is available to build the station with and the costs are going to hundreds of billions more to just get there and try to mine for the minerals.
     
  21. sowhatifit'sdark Valued Senior Member

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    I think she is getting at
    what is the point of the whole project. yes, they might need a moon base if we are planning to work on the moon, but why are we doing that?
    Since she is suggesting Mars would be a better target, I would say she and I disagree.
    For me, the whole thing seems like a waste of money. We have problems at home. I am sure some techies will say that bases on the moon, etc. will help the problems at home, but I am skeptical in the extreme. We will just lay waste to more planets and moons. And the space program is not light on the environment.
     
  22. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Exactly! thanks
    I was just wondering why anyone cares if there is water on the moon. I can see spending the money on mars, but the moon?
     
  23. marnixR in hibernation - don't disturb Registered Senior Member

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    smaller gravity well + easy stop-off point before you go any serious distance
     
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