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The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced an ambitious plan to build a space base between Earth and the Moon, which astronauts could use as a kind of halfway house on lunar missions – or as a launchpad for new explorations elsewhere in the Solar System.
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In addition to providing a "crossroads in space" to help with lunar research missions and other space-faring expeditions, this base – situated approximately halfway between Earth and the Moon – could also serve as a successor to the International Space Station (ISS).
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"This is our deep space habitat, a new place to live and learn how to work in space, a kind of base camp for exploring the Solar System and reaching back down to the surface of the Moon," he said. "[Astronauts] can look down on a Moon untroubled by humans in more than 50 years. We want to go back there, we've barely scratched the surface."
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Part of me thinks . . . at least wonders . . . if that location would be more STABLE with less artificial adjustments needed to maintain a stationary position??? i.e. neither the earth's nor the moon's gravity would be constantly degrading it toward crashing into one or the other eventually.
Earth–Moon
Earth–Moon L1 allows comparatively easy access to Lunar and Earth orbits with minimal change in velocity and this has as an advantage to position a half-way manned space station intended to help transport cargo and personnel to the Moon and back.
Earth–Moon L2 would be a good location for a communications satellite covering the Moon's far side and would be "an ideal location" for a propellant depot as part of the proposed depot-based space transportation architecture.
originally posted by: Kashai
a reply to: BO XIAN
After WW 2 the Unite States of America was in the reality of the time the only industrialized Nation with its Economic Infrastructure left intact. What was then known as the Marshal Plan was implemented. In essence the resources of pretty much all the countries of the world were sent to the US for processing.
We know this as the 50"s where the US economically flourished.
The question of what it would mean if Mankind were afforded with near unlimited mineral resources in comparison, should result in a similar Economic Boom.
But on a scale that would be World Wide.
originally posted by: TheBulk
This should have been done a decade ago.; We need to get on the ball! I say lets go, but I'm not getting my hopes up.