Why aren't we vacationing on the Moon by now?

When I was a kid I thought we would be going to the moon for vacation by now. What's holding us back? Is it the money, I know NASA gets hosed when it comes budget time. Or is it the technology? Or is it the technology that we have but won't admit to having? It seems to me if we actually spendt some major $$$ we would have some major advances by now. I'm not saying we could raise the shields and jump into hyperspace. But we should be farther along than we are. If we don't watch out we will be watching China and France build colonies there.

If we could start spending the money maybe we could work out some of the problems
1. Gama ray burst from the sun- some kind of shielding for the station. Or maybe some body can figure out a way to build a large magnetic field around the moon that would take care of that.

2. Quality of material. I've seen the weave method used on normal materials. (Microscopic weaves of ordinary materials are being made that are so strong they can stop a bullit.), and thats just taking the old weave that our grandma's used to make sweaters and improving on it. Why can't we do that with other materials, and make somthing light and strong enough to escape our atmosphere , and protect us in space.

Thats just some problems off the top of my head.

The main question is do we as a people not care, or is it just too impossible for us right now?

Originally posted by Royal76
When I was a kid I thought we would be going to the moon for vacation by now. What's holding us back? Is it the money, I know NASA gets hosed when it comes budget time.

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The main question is do we as a people not care, or is it just too impossible for us right now?

It's mostly just the money. We have the technology to get there and back (eg; Apollo), but NASA and other space agencies just lack the budget do develop spacecraft to get there. And the lack of money due mostly to a lack of political and public interest it seems.

Although this is changing now, but I think it was a mistake on the US Gov't to stop going after Apollo. But that's the way it is with politicians, who's vision only extends till the next re-election.

Radiation is also a concern for long term stays on the Moon, but again, it comes down to how much money is put into R&D to solve these problems.

We aren't vacationing on the moon by now because the aliens on the dark side won't let us build hotels there.

Seriously though ... people complain and complain every time NASA wants to do something. They complain about the money being spent. If people actually supported the space program it would be much further along - and we would have all sorts of wonderful things coming into our society from it. Not just new scientific knowledge, but more and better products for everyday use.

(velcro, spandex, the microwave .. etc etc etc came from the space program)

As soon as I have seen this topic I knew that jra will reply right away)))

Sometimes it is easy to read people, sometimes it is not. This time it was easy.

Of course it is the money, like jra says, what else could it be?


hahahahahahahahaha

We should be, Royal but NASA and the American Government had other plans. Once the Russians had been beaten to the Moon, the next step was a manned base.

Who ever controls the Moon, controls the Earth. Not sure what happened to change the plans and looking at the threads here, many reasons have been discussed.

I suppose it comes down to money. There are many other things the money could be spent on. Like the shuttle???

There isn't enough resorts.

I believe one of the main reasons that we arent already colonizing space is due to public and private interest! Soon how ever with natural disasters and the threat of nuclear, and biological war, big named people such as Steven Hawking, and private frontiers are starting to look more into space exploration and the need to colonize other planets and moons! I think in the near future once the Virgin Galatic goes off other companies & countries will start competing for space industries.

Originally posted by Royal76
When I was a kid I thought we would be going to the moon for vacation by now. What's holding us back?

Don't know about you, but I'd rather go to St Lucia or Martinique.

I think the problem up till now has been that space exploration was kept in the realm of governments. The politicians and bean counters kept a tight rein on everything.

Now that private enterprise is getting involved, I see space exploration growing by leaps and bounds.

You may not get to vacation on the moon, but I have no doubt your grandchildren will be able to.

Just my thoughts on it,

jra said it right.

Money. In the 1960s the Apollo program took up 9% of the US federal budget every year for ~10 years! That's a lot of loot. In the very early 70's NASA's funding was cut dramatically and its purpose diversified (read: more to do with less money).

If you want NASA to do X, Y and Z (and assuming you're an American) you've got to support politicians who support space exploration and who provide it with political directive*.

* I'm no Bush fan but Bush's "Vision for Space Exploration" is the most important political action in the realm of spaceflight since since Kennedy said the US was going to the moon in 1961. Fact. It came about after NASA got stuck without a definable goal for too long. The Columbia accident was the final wake-up call to US politicians that lingering in the status quo would be deadly and arguably not worth the risk involved.

[edit on 23-1-2007 by Space Guy]

Even with the $$ that would be needed how long before we would have the technology to actually travel with easy in space?

It's too freakin' cold!

If the Moon had some nice beaches I'm sure plenty of people would have cruised up there by now. There's enough that would be able to fund it out of pocket. They don't because it's too boring to them. Come on... you're confined to a suit or a bubble, all you see is gray and black, and the only thing to look at is home. What kind of vacation is that?!

maybe thats why they're looking for ice on the moon, in the craters, crevices, etc. ... anybody here willing to go ice skating on the moon, a lunar honeymoon perhaps (pun intended); the agencies involved may have to come up with a few more exciting adventures & experiences for prospective tourists other than sipping floating martinis beneath a skydome. would obesity be a huge problem in space or on the moon?

Heck, I'll go up there to join the mining that's going on up there, on the darkside.

I hear that they have a great retirement plan for the miners from there.

Then I'll come back down to Earth. (pun intended)

To enjoy my vacation.

Will my current Air Miles count if trips to the moon become possible

i think they'll count while you're travelling through the atmosphere. once in space thats a different story. i think you'll be able to rack up some vacuum miles that way though.

now they're talking about skiing on the lunar surface, what do u guys think?
Astronauts should ski the moon

Astronauts heading to the Moon should learn the art of cross-country skiing, a scientist who flew on the last lunar Apollo mission claims.

Harrison Schmitt, part of the 1972 Apollo 17 crew, said it would allow them to explore faster and more easily.

Addressing scientists in San Francisco, he said his knowledge of Nordic skiing had allowed him to glide effortlessly across the dusty lunar surface.

The US space agency (Nasa) will send manned missions to the moon by 2020.

"When you're cross-country skiing, once you get a rhythm going, you propel yourself with a toe push as you slide along the snow," explained Dr Schmitt.

"On the Moon, in the main you don't slide, you glide above the surface. But again, you use the same kind of rhythm, with a toe push."

Originally posted by antmax21
There isn't enough resorts.

I think that's pretty much it. The whole mission changes as soon as you stop thinking about orbiting the moon, and start thinking about landing on it.
The mission gets even harder if you plan on a space walk.
Ordering a drink with an umbrella in it ? Maybe in 150 years, but not in the next 50 I don't think.

Comes from all the Sci-fi books, etc.

What I'm really wondering is why don't we have a permanent base there?

Why have we revered back, instead on exploring.

I blame the US congress for lack of funding, and President who lack vision
to push the evelope into the future. This exploring could yield many
advances that would ulimately help us tremendously.

Obviously a big factor is money unfortunately; as of yet we haven't found anything that is deemed 'profitable'. The asteroid belt could provide a nice supply of metals but it's too far. Also another reason is the lack of serious competition between NASA and other space agencies like the European, Russian & Chinese agencies. Once other countries start seriously attempting to reach the moon and further, I think we'll see a more active NASA.

[edit on 27/2/07 by Flyboy211]