Return to the moon by 2015

[VaBeachGuy 12]

 

President George Bush today announced a bold new program of space exploration.

 

It has been anticipated for several weeks that he would make this announcement but the reality of the announcement on Wednesday stirs a great deal of excitement in me personally.

 

President Bush outlined the United States space program's goals by saying that we the first goal will be to complete the International Space Station by 2010 and will focus our future research on the station on the "long-term effects of space travel on human biology".

 

The President went on to say that the primary mission of the Space Shuttle will be the completion of the Space Station and that when that is completed in 2010 the Space Shuttle will be retired from service.

 

The second goal outlined by the President was to develope and deploy a new space craft named the "Crew Exploration Vehicle" by 2008 and to conduct it's first manned mission by 2014. The "CEV" will be capable of taking on the mission of transporting people to and from the Space Station as well as taking on missions to the Moon and beyond.

 

The third goal that the President outlined was a return to the moon by 2020 and for the moon to become the "launching point for missions beyond". The President stated that extended human missions to the moon could be expected as early as 2015 with the goal of "living and working there for increasingly extended periods of time."

 

To view a video of the press conference click here. (Video from NASA.gov)

 

To read more about this story visit http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html

[Jaz4stfguy 0]

Looks like another "giant leap for mankind"!

 

 

[DrLeonardMcCoy 0]

It would be cool if they went to the moon, because then they would be able to do experiments, which would then let them go to mars hopefully.

[Guest Mike_Hines01]

Hmm, this all sounds very interesting, whether it's all done on time though is another matter. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Hmm, this all sounds very interesting, whether it's all done on time though is another matter.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I agree, I can foresee a cancellation after a couple of Presidential changes. I'd like to see them accelerate the program and do it faster.

[BakulaBabe 2]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but........

 

I agree with Pres. Bush on this!

 

I'm really excited about our serious return to space - it's about time!

[archerfan 0]

I am excited beyond words for this new direction for our space program. No one has stepped on to another planet in my lifetime so that in its self is long over due. I think that anyone who does not see the significance of these events has no idea of the importance of our need to explore and understand about life and how it began. All those negative nellies griping over the trillion dollar price tag don't get it. Yes it is costly but it will be spread over decades. Can you put a price tag on human evolution? If any other presidents try to kill this program during their term they will be killing the human spirit. But thats just my opinion.

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

Nobody had better get mad at me for saying this, but i think its just a bunch of bolanga, Pres.Bush just wants to get relected. but thats only my opinion, so dont sue me! i will have to see this "space program" when its finished, or getting started anyway, to actually say " i am wwrong and he was right"

[BakulaBabe 2]

That's certainly a possibility. Even if he goes through with it, and it goes better and faster than he says, I still wouldn't vote for him. If that's what he's up to, he'd better start NOW! It could stir up more interest in space exploration an research.

 

Hope I didn't get too far off topic!

[VaBeachGuy 12]

It really doesn't make sense that he would do this for re-election. There's really no huge swell of support for the space program from the "masses" and in fact could be seen as a negative in his re-election simply because of how much this program will cost.

 

Sometimes the reality is that not all things are political. Think about it, the election is next year. The earliest we will see anything of substance from this new program is 2008.

[trekzone 0]

and then Bush can stick a nuclear silo on there, but thats kinda good news

[edmcgon 0]

This is actually a very apolitical move for an election year. Polls have already shown a majority of Americans are against this.

 

However, this is one of the few of Bush's ideas I can get behind.

 

Following is an editorial about this from Charles Krauthammer:

 

Charles Krauthammer

 

Click for Spoiler:

I was very pleasantly surprised to see a conservative columnist in favor of this.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

and then Bush can stick a nuclear silo on there, but thats kinda good news

This kind of thinking displays a bit of a narrow mindedness, and lack of understanding of the US political process. But aside from the fact that President Bush won't be in office in 2015 (or 2010) when we do return to the moon, putting weapons on the moon would be a useless and pointless thing to do. Those weapons would take too long to reach their targets and would be dependant upon the time of the month and position of the moon.

 

These kinds of postings are here to discuss exploration, in this case the moon and eventually Mars. If a more political discussion is desired based on the topic of space exploration I would ask that they be made in Risa.

[starsinmyeyes 0]

Just a thought. Please don't shoot me down!

 

Further talk about using the moon as a launching pad for other missions to planets like Mars worries me. I'm in two minds. I'm excited about the new knowledge and understandings we will discover and can apply to our planet but then I'm worried about the management of these missions and their impact on our Earth's resources and the environment of the planets we explore.

 

I would like to see a 'mindset' and treaty like Antarctica where scientific research is conducted while keeping the protection of the environment and available resources in mind. (other planets' and the Earth's)

 

This may be way in the future, but when Riker in First Contact said he could see New Berlin (?) on the moon from the Earth, it sent a sinking feeling in my stomach.

 

Does anyone else have worries about the underlying motives of these missions? Maybe I'm just a worrywart.

[trekzone 0]

and then Bush can stick a nuclear silo on there, but thats kinda good news

This kind of thinking displays a bit of a narrow mindedness, and lack of understanding of the US political process. But aside from the fact that President Bush won't be in office in 2015 (or 2010) when we do return to the moon, putting weapons on the moon would be a useless and pointless thing to do. Those weapons would take too long to reach their targets and would be dependant upon the time of the month and position of the moon.

 

These kinds of postings are here to discuss exploration, in this case the moon and eventually Mars. If a more political discussion is desired based on the topic of space exploration I would ask that they be made in Risa.

my apologies....but buy 2010 we may have laser turrets...

[ussvaliant_co 0]

I think its about time a president put some Urgancy in the space program again. It's been slipping little by little since the moon landing it seams like. From what I've seeen it can't a be a Re Election scheme because usually pumping money into the space program is the last think the majority of America wants to do. Little do they realise one of these days Man kind is going to neeeed to get off the rock and our of the solar system if they the human race to suvive. So we should constantly be working to find ways to get further. But Majority rule and thats the way we work. Wouldn't have it any other way though.

 

[Jim Phaserman 0]

I have to agree that, from a strategic or tactical standpoint, weapons emplacements on the moon aimed at earth are stupid you want to try something productive as far as defense goes, why not just shoot cotton swabs at a tank?

 

 

Seriously, though, going to the moon is a good idea. and I have said this about many of Bush's plans, including, yes, the IRAQ WAR. as I posted in another thread along similar lines, I am too tall to be an astronaut, or I was anyways last time I checked the requirements.