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Author
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Topic: Returning to the moon: Where to land next?
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Max Q
Member Posts: 399
From: Whyalla South Australia
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 05-23-2012 09:47 AM
   
There has been much discussion about moon shots from America, China even India. Where do you think these missions would land? Would they take off where Apollo left off? How about a far side mission? What do you guys think? |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 1115
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 05-23-2012 09:48 AM
Would hope that the next series of explorations concentrated on the polar regions which have shown signs of water ice. |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1739
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 05-23-2012 09:48 AM
Where a landing would take place would also take into account the purpose of the mission — a short-term exploration, or the beginning of a moon base. |
Apollo Redux
Member Posts: 346
From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 05-24-2012 09:56 PM
Tycho |
Chariot412
Member Posts: 164
From: Lockport, NY, 14094
Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 05-24-2012 10:23 PM
Yep, Tycho. They wanted to land Apollo 16 there, but McDivitt deemed it too risky. |
LM1
Member Posts: 861
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-24-2012 10:52 PM
According to the Discovery Channel and Science Channel, if the next series of missions to the moon is made to establish a permanent moon base, the most advantageous location would have to be near the poles where the dark and bright sides meet. Apparently the temperature variations are better there. I am sure that there are other reasons for this. Apparently the terminator line is dangerously near to a large crater.If we do return to the moon in the future, it will have to be a mission to the safest location, not to a location that looks interesting. If we are returning to mine the moon for rare elements, this should be done by robots. Extended manned missions to the moon will have one major priority — staying alive. |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3604
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 05-30-2012 06:42 PM
If the purpose is to test the landing system, it would be advantageous to land at a known location, i.e. one of the Apollo landing sites where the surface characteristics are best known and understood. I would choose Hadley-Apennine, allowing the crew to explore the North Complex, which Scott and Irwin had insufficient time to visit.Second landing? Shackleton Crater at the south pole. |
Rick Boos
Member Posts: 851
From: Celina, Ohio
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 07-06-2012 12:48 PM
I for one would vote for Tycho if for no other reason then to put to rest the dispute over tektite origin. I for one still believe they originated from a lunar volcano. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50516
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-06-2012 01:43 PM
I'm not a geologist, but from those I've talked to (and from what I've read) there is no longer a dispute over tektites being of terrestrial origin. I note even the Britannica entry about tektites puts the discussion into the past tense ("...a generic connection between craters and tektite fields is now claimed by virtually all authorities.") |
randy
Member Posts: 2622
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 07-06-2012 04:11 PM
I would vote for either Tycho or Copernicus (with the famous blue gas sightings). |
BBlatcher
Member Posts: 57
From: Savannah, GA, USA
Registered: Aug 2011
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posted 07-06-2012 06:50 PM
The poles are often mentioned, because they get a lot light, which would be useful for power. Plus nearby craters probably contain ice.Ideally, tele-operated robots, controlled from Earth, would help in base construction. |
LM1
Member Posts: 861
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 07-22-2012 11:41 AM
quote:
Originally posted by BBlatcher:
Ideally, tele-operated robots, controlled from Earth, would help in base construction.
I agree with your comments. Robots should be used whenever possible for construction on the Moon and to obtain water from craters, if water exists there. As I mentioned above, we would need to land near the terminator line of night and day at the poles because of the temperature variant there. Apparently, in the north this would be near a large crater. The problem (according to the Discovery Channel) would be that everyone would want to land there - China, Russia, etc. The Moon is very large, but it is also very dangerous. Astronauts would need walls 10 feet thick in their shelters. They may choose to live in a shelter beneath the lunar surface with a roof at least 10 feet thick to protect them from radiation, micro-meteorites, solar storms, solar wind, asteroids, comets and space aliens. All of this construction has one goal — staying alive. |
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