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posted 10-15-2003 04:13 PM               

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With all the talk about China's spaceshot, and their talk of going to the Moon, I have a couple questions to pose.
#1 Do you think if NASA gets in gear and we go back to the moon we will use the old Saturn rocket design, or will they build on it or design something else?

#2 Who would you like to see ( in your own opinion ) be on this future moon mission? (Besides yourself of course)

From chilly Elmendorf,

Brian

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From: Belmont, NC USA
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posted 10-15-2003 04:50 PM               

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Brian -

I realize that this would never happen and that I am not really responding properly to your question, but I would love to see Dick Gordon finally get to walk on the moon!

Jonathan

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From: Huntsville, AL, USA
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From: Ridgecrest, CA - USA
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posted 10-15-2003 06:06 PM            

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quote:

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Originally posted by EagleKeeper:

#1 Do you think if NASA gets in gear and we go back to the moon we will use the old Saturn rocket design, or will they build on it or design something else?

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The Saturn and its design are history. If NASA wants to go to the Moon they will have someone design something new.

Of course, if they never shut down the Saturn/Apollo line and had been doing modifications and upgrades all this time it would be a no-brainer.

Danno

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From: Chester, Cheshire, UK
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posted 10-15-2003 06:20 PM               

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I think if anyone should get there on account of having come close before it has to be Fred Haise.

His 'near misses' were -

Joining Armstrong and Aldrin on the Apollo 8 backup crew. Had Collins' spinal surgery gone differently Haise may well have flown as Apollo 11 LMP (Aldrin had been moved to CMP in Collins' absence).

Serving as backup LMP to Buzz Aldrin for Apollo 11.

Apollo 13 - Nuff said.

Apollo 16 backup commander to John Young.

Prime candidate for the Apollo 19 commander's seat.

A few extra dollars, or poor health on the part of Aldrin, Collins or Young would have seen him on the moon. And I'm not even going to mention Al Shepard's ear...

Cheers,
Matt

[This message has been edited by Matt T (edited October 15, 2003).]

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posted 10-15-2003 07:07 PM               

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My "vote" also goes to Engle, assuming he would still want to go....and assuming the U.S. does too!

-chet

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posted 10-15-2003 07:41 PM               

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Engle would have a vote from me too. Lovell of course, and Haise is right there too.We've gone through the apollo guys, and I see it's been done before. But what about the shuttle era? I mean yeah Story was around before the shuttle, but someone like that would be interesting on the moon. He'd have a good insight. Or who knows who else. Hard to tell I guess.But there are some interesting thoughts on the subject. Could you have seen someone like Sally Ride, or even the First Teacher in Space getting the shot to be the first woman on the moon. Interesting for sure.

As for the rocket system, yeah they would more than likely come up with something else.

From the USAF,

Brian

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From: Killingly, CT
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posted 10-16-2003 08:03 AM               

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Chuck Yeager and Scott Crossfield as pilots.

Gene Kranz and Sy Liebergot as managers....

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From: Cortlandt Manor, NY
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posted 10-16-2003 09:50 AM               

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Gosh guys, don't you think these folks would be a bit old to establish a lunar base. All of the competent pilots, the ones willing to simply strap-it-on-and-fly, did not disappear after Apollo 17. I suspect the current astronaut corp. possesses a number of people who would be qualified and capable of performing the task. Names like Ashby, Bowersox, Foale, Melroy, Collins, Wetherbee, etc. might merit consideration.

It just strikes me that the answers above reflect part of the problem with perceptions today. Mercury, Gemini & Apollo seem to be viewed as the glory years and nothing after them comes close to measuring up. Having lived through and devoured everything about those missions, I fully understand the feeling. Space exploration, however, has moved on to a different phase. The work today is just as fascinating and just as dangerous (well, almost: sitting atop an Atlas was a far greater gamble than the shuttle). 1961-72 were the first steps into space; now we are learning how to work and utilize it. Unfortunately, this next step, as fundamentally necessary to any long-term base on the Moon as Gemini was to Apollo, simply lacks the excitement. Almost 130 years passed between Columbus and Plymouth Rock and another 156 years between the pilgrims and the Declaration of Independence. Those 284 years were not devoid of events and history. Space flight is now working on its own set of intervening years when it learns what can be done in space and, with any luck, how it can be done efficiently and effectively. These years may lack the uniqueness of that first footprint on the lunar soil, but they are just as important and should be viewed as such.

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