Russia wants to industrialize on the moon.

www.msnbc.msn.com...

It seems our cold war friends wants to jump in on another moon race. I never could understand just what exactly NASA and these other foreign space agencies are going to get out of all this. What does the moon have that justifies the spending of millions, billions and trillions of dollars? Even if all this is probable but is it plausible? Should we do it and why should we? The world economy right now is in shambles comparing to what it could be. People need medical, and food for heaven sakes, is that not important? This money needs to go into agriculture and things that make more sense. Apparently space is more at the top of the list then having the ability to breath clean air and eat non tainted food & water. It's scary wondering what our government knows that we don't. Is the earth in jeopardy, is our future grim? We are jumping way ahead of ourselves into thinking of touching other planets when we can't even take care of our own.

I never could understand just what exactly Isabella and those foreign governments are going to get out of this. What does the 'New World' have that justifies the spending of millions, billions, and trillions of reals? Even if all this is probable but is it plausible? Should we do it and why should we? The Spanish economy right now is in shambles comparing to what it could be. People need medical, and food for heaven sakes, is that not important? This money needs to go into agriculture and things that make more sense. Apparently the 'New World' is more at the top of the list then having the ability to breath clean air and eat non tainted food & water. It's scary wondering what our Queen knows that we don't. Is Spain in jeopardy, is our future grim? We are jumping way ahead of ourselves into thinking of touching other continents when we can't even take care of our own.

(Translated from a transcript of a discussion on "Sobre Secreto Superior", dated 12 October 1492. Spanish-language original in the Vatican Archives)

Let me guess...you don't see the point in my not-so-subtle sarcasm?
The fact is that even if there is no alien technology out there, and no alien civilization waiting to welcome us into the Galactic Federation of People With Big Heads and Funny Eyes...even if 'all' there is Out There is rock, sunlight, and vacuum...we have no more idea about the long-term benefits of space exploration than the early Europeans had about the long-term impact of exploring the New World. The exploration of space, even to the limited extent that we've managed it, has already paid for itself in more ways than I can list in a board posting....I'll just mention satellite weather forcasting and communications as an obvious pair that most of us benefit from and use on a daily basis. In the long-term, assuming that we can actually industrialize space, who knows? I certainly don't, but smarter folk than I have done some serious and seriously informed speculation. You might look at the work done by Gerard K. O'Neill just for starters. Using a 1970's technology baseline, he was pondering mining aluminum (from lunar regolith) and generating solar power (much more efficient Up There than Down Here). The benefits and resources from space (like space itself) are waiting for the human race to get off its collective a...err...backside and go after them.

If the spending of 'millions, billions, even trillions' of dollars bothers you, take some minor comfort in knowing that the US gives more cash away in foreign aid and wealth-transfer programs in a year than we spent on the entire Apollo program...and as far as I can tell, that massive deluge of money hasn't won the War on Poverty any more than it's won the War on Drugs or the War on Terror. In retrospect, Apollo looks like a *much* better long-term investment.


[edit on 15-4-2007 by Brother Stormhammer]