The first man landed on the moon in 1969, and we've been obsessed with getting back there ever since. His heart would always melt at that sight. Understanding of climate change. But those were visits only. Neutrinos and gravity waves, together with other exotic cosmic manifestations, might be detected more easily and studied from the Moon than from the Earth. In space exploration, there are always benefits found along the way that are difficult if not impossible to predict. Other plans to live in space take various forms. * There are between 1.5 and 2 Billion “Moon People" (ET’s) living on the moon. In some ways, the very minimal gravity of the moon might actually be more conducive to life … The Moon, as an independent world, will represent a complete new turning in human history. More Space. Because in the end, we’re in space and we’ll be on the Moon. A day will come in the future after which there will never be a time when human beings will not be living on the Moon. March 10, 2016. For instance, there is the question of knowledge. Popular Mechanics participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. In March 1988, Popular Mechanics ran an article, written by sci-fi legend Isaac Asimov, exploring humanity's future on the moon. Getting the materials to the Moon is not hard from an asteroid mining operation. During the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972, 12 American spacemen set foot on the moon, and hauled back a whopping 842 pounds of rock and soil samples. Considering the travel costs and convenience, the moon seems to … Here's How We'll Terraform Mars With Microbes, How We'll Protect NYC—And Other Coastal Cities—From Flooding. This is the kind of mentality we need. Farther along the gently rolling floor, in the direction of the opposite side of the crater, was sunlight, too. Not a short-term goal, catering to the continuously shifting political whim, but a long-term plan where each step is achievable and sustainable. We need cheaper and more reliable access to space, and a pathway established so that the public has a clear understanding of how all this will be done. And, in fact, radio telescopes on the Moon and on the Earth could make observations in combination, allowing us to study in the finest detail the active centers of the galaxies, including our own Milky Way. Indeed, lunar building materials may one day be a principal lunar export. Humans will live on the Moon within 30-40 years, predicts Commander Chris Hadfield . And with no atmosphere to erode its surface, it’s like a history book of the solar system. If we can investigate the Moon's substance on the Moon, over extended periods and over every portion of its surface, we might learn a great detail about the early history of the Moon-and, therefore, of the Earth as well. We have been studying 800 pounds of Moon rocks astronauts retrieved, but merely bringing them to Earth has contaminated them, and the astronauts were only able to investigate isolated landing areas. Why are we going back, and how will we survive once we get there? Humans could set up robot-constructed mining outposts at the moon's poles. But I don’t like betting on breakthroughs. Obtaining breathable air, in the form of oxygen, is fairly easy on the moon. A day and a night there each last two weeks, and the temperatures are extreme. Haven’t we already been there and done that? Instantaneous broadcasting of radio and television. After humans become established on the Moon, some visionaries foresee a complex of habitable dwellings and research labs for geochemical, physical and biological research. So exploring space is not only a good idea, but has made real changes to life here on Earth. The moon is quite different from Earth. Solar collectors, photovoltaic systems and small nuclear powerplants positioned well away from lunar habitats would supply the power needs of an early Moon base. A much more specialized one existed on the Moon's far side where a huge radio telescope, insulated from Earth's radio interference by 2000 miles of solid Moon, was being completed. Okay, what we have here is the hydroponics bay. A much larger one existed near the lunar equator, where the soil was mined and hurled into space to be used as a construction material. Note that once there, humans can use local resources and save money in the long run. Because the Moon has no protective atmosphere, early settlers will cover their modules with up to 2 meters of lunar soil, or regolith, to protect them from solar radiation. After that, it may be that the Moon settlers will have developed their world to the point of being independent of Earth by the end of the 21st century. An experimental farm existed there, plus a chemical laboratory for the study of lunar soil, a furnace for baking out the small but precious amounts of volatile elements from appropriate ores. The Moon's slow rotation would allow objects in the sky to be followed, without interference from clouds or haze, for two weeks at a time. There could be more than a thousand days in one year! Second, a lunar gravity, though weak, will be constant. It would never quite reach the point where he was standing, nor ever quite recede out of sight. There you have an atmosphere. With the recent successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule to the ISS, we may very well be well on our way to those two steps. Because of the Moon's feebler gravity, it would be a particularly useful site for the building and launching of space vessels. People spend a lot of their time in here – there’s just something about the green, growing things, I … Government intelligence gathering (which has prevented far more conflict than people credit it for). Eventually, when space settlements are constructed, they may be even more efficient as places where space vessels can be built and launched, but the Moon will retain certain advantages. In a little over a decade, a small number of humans will be living on the Moon. Space Time takes a moment to conduct a thorough thought experiment about what could happen to humans when generation after generation continue to live, grow, and evolve on Mars. Humanity will have a second world. "In order to live on it, we need to have a way of keeping oxygen on the moon. The Moon can also be used for experiments we would not wish to perform in the midst of the Earth's teeming life. But if, at first, it’s only to make things easier after we establish ourselves in the asteroids, why then, that’s OK too. In recent years, scientists, engineers, industrialists and scholars have met to discuss scientific, industrial and sociological issues in connection with living on the Moon. China is building a space station (the first module is already in orbit) and has plans to go to the Moon; India and Russia have made similar musings – but it would be a big mistake to think of this as a second space race. Their idea is to mine near-Earth asteroids for material, creating depots of air, water, and other supplies for future space missions. Why Mining the Moon Seems More Possible Than Ever, Trump Makes It Official: We're Mining the Moon, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. The moon rabbit or moon hare is a mythical figure who lives on the Moon in Far Eastern folklore, based on pareidolia interpretations that identify the dark markings on the near side of the Moon as a rabbit or hare.The folklore originated in China and then spread to other Asian cultures. Ms Griebel predicts humans could live sustainably on the moon by 2028, if Nasa can find a way for us to survive the freezing lunar night. Which will lead to the hugely important third step: this needs to be sustainable. One company, Planetary Resources, has already announced plans to do exactly this. Tapping into a water supply on the lunar surface is critical for humans to live on the Moon for extended periods of time. It is a large super-Sahara. 2. Weather prediction. We could obtain energy in copious quantities for use not only on the Moon, but for transfer to space structures and even to the Earth. I can think of many possible scenarios that could lead to us colonising the Moon: an extended economic boom that allows us to fund ambitious space exploration; a breakthrough in launch costs which makes them drastically cheaper; or the discovery of some vital natural resource on the Moon. The NASA Scientists say that is could be possible to construct a base that can accommodate 10 astronauts for more than a year by 2022 as the technologies required for it already exist in present. But it is now 1988. We have visited the Moon six times between 1969 and 1972, and 12 men have trod its surface. Examples abound, including big spacecraft to use for crewed exploration of the planets, giant telescopes in orbit, space stations, and more. Can people live in such a place? Before we talk about settling down on our rocky neighbour, we have to ask why we should head there in the first place. The Moon, as an independent world, will represent a complete new turning in human history. Some challenges that will need to be faced include dealing with the amount of radiation on the Moon—because on Earth, a majority of radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere, which the Moon does not have—and dealing with the large range of temperatures on the Moon’s surface. Quantities of lunar soil can be hurled off the Moon by a "mass-driver,” powered by an electromagnetic field based on solar energy. That makes it seem that these "volatiles” will have to be imported from Earth (which has plenty), but there may be places where they can be found in small amounts on the Moon, especially in the polar regions where there are places where the Sun rarely shines. There was no motion anywhere, no sound of living things. Naturally, we can't tell because so much of it depends not on technological ability but on unpredictable economic and political factors. From the Moon's soil, we would obtain various elements. Super-Sahara or not, the Moon would be useful, even vital, to us in many ways. To support a starting population of a few hundred people on the moon, we'd have to start by transporting air to the lunar surface, pumping it into sealed structures in which humans would live. This was not the only Moon base. Quite a bit of work has already been done in this area, and its potential is bright. He had come from Earth and when his 90-day stint was over, he would return to Earth and try to readjust to its strong pull of gravity. It has raised questions as to whether the human race could survive the harsh conditions of the Moon’s surface. The far side of the Moon would allow radio telescopes to work without interference from human sources of light and radio waves. Their ultimate goal is not to mine asteroids as such, but to create a permanent human foothold in space. This would not be difficult because the Moon is relatively small and has a gravitational pull much weaker than that of Earth. The rocks also revealed some of the moon’s possible origin: As one theory goes, a Mars-sized planetoid rammed into Earth 4.5 billion years ago, and … He tried not to think of Earth. And it wouldn't actually be that expensive, thanks to robots, 3D printing, and SpaceX. The Lunarian thought: It is the year 2028 and the Moon has become our second world. Uh, About That Black Hole at the Center of Earth, Wax On, Wane Off: A Guide to All the Lunar Phases, The Air Force's Project Blue Book, 50 Years Later, How to Track and Photograph Secret Spacecraft, Small Yet Mighty Mercury Is Still a Mystery, Isaac Asimov: 'How We'll Live on the Moon'. Their plan is not pie-in-the-sky; in fact they think – and I agree – that in the long run they can make money in this venture. Watch the video to find out. Former astronaut Dr. Sally K. Ride, America's first woman in space, recently produced a report outlining this nation's space goals. Going to the Moon itself has many benefits, and I think in the long run it will prove itself a worthy venture. But in this case, the answer probably isn’t as interesting as the question itself – more specifically, when, and why, and how will we do it? Literally. The planet could offer humans a "brand new life with brand new vistas," Green said. He said: "This really might come down to: Are we going to create a self-sustaining city on Mars before or after World War 3. Treatment with hydrogen can cause the oxygen of ilmenite to combine with the hydrogen, forming water, which can be broken up into hydrogen and oxygen. Environmental monitoring. And those are just concrete benefits from looking down from space. Why Didn't the Soviets Ever Make It to the Moon? First, but not necessarily foremost, the Moon is a marvelous platform for astronomical observations. Surely this will become possible sooner than much smaller settlements elsewhere in space can achieve true independence. Detailed mapping of the Earth. Finally, of course, our Moon, with its enormous supply of materials, may eventually become a self-supporting, inhabited body in the solar system, completely independent of Earth. Turning to the heavens, special detectors would analyze rays from astrophysical sources, and Moon-based particle accelerators would give new insight into the nature of matter. Smelting material in the near-weightless environment of an asteroid is one thing, but creating complex components of spacecraft is another. The terrifying reality of actually living on Mars The first spaceships that could carry humans to the red planet are being developed now, but we need to discuss accommodations once we… You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io. Musk says humans will live in glass domes when we … You would still get a fair bit of radiation exposure, though. If Earth should be struck by an unexpected catastrophe from without, say by a cometary strike such as the one that may have possibly wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago—or if humanity's own follies ruin Earth through nuclear war or otherwise then a second world will exist on which humanity will survive and on which human history, knowledge and culture will be remembered and preserved. Circling the Sun between Mars and Jupiter are billions of asteroids, chunks of rock ranging in size from footballs to gigantic Ceres, 1,000 km (620 miles) across. Tucked away in high-tech laboratories, a team of 30 researchers are studying new ways to keep humans alive on a potential moon or Mars. Planetary Resources, on the other hand, has the right idea. Think of the nuclear power stations we could build (both fission and, eventually, fusion) where safety considerations did not bulk so large. Lunar hydrogen can then be used to obtain oxygen, and lunar nitrogen can be used to dilute it. Naturally, you will have no Moon to sparkle in your night sky, because…well, you are … To build observatories, laboratories, factories and settlements in space, it would make sense to use lunar materials, especially since Earthly resources are badly needed by our planet's population. In addition, silicon can be obtained for making computer chips. If you already have those pieces in space, the cost is far less. According to my sources, the Moons gravity is about 70% to that of Earth, therefore it can hold down an atmosphere (which is breathable). moon. The plan is to send someone to the planet by 2040. It's envisioned that early lunar pioneers will reside in pressurized modules and airlocks—not unlike the modules currently being designed for the space station but with a significant difference. After humans become established on the Moon, some visionaries foresee a complex of habitable dwellings and research labs for geochemical, physical and biological research… There is no air that people can breathe. Four decades after the Apollo missions, the idea of colonising the Moon is still the stuff of science fiction. Civilization inside these domes could be … You’ll want to pack heavy coat. He was not a true Lunarian, of course. They look identical to “Earth People” but more advanced. The absence of an atmosphere makes telescopic visibility far more acute. Latest. Think of the efficiency of the solar power stations we could build on a world without an interfering atmosphere to scatter, absorb and obscure light. See how a moon colony could work here . NASA is already planning Moon bases. Even Apollo 17, the longest of the missions, was only there for three days. Wheeled lunar rovers powered by the Sun would provide close-in transportation and cargo handling. Will mankind once again walk on the lunar surface? Looking back on nearly 60 years of space exploration, the answer is obvious. And wherever we go, people will have skies like that. "Moonmovers," adapted from Earthmovers, would excavate building and mining sites. But the "Ride Report” also stresses a manned permanent presence on the Moon before we embark on a manned mission to Mars, hoping to fully exploit the Moon's resources and scientific opportunities —while boosting our own interplanetary learning curve—before engaging in a Mars space spectacular. A critical aspect of this is being able to mine asteroidal material and process it, which Nasa and its contractors are studying. Already, dozens of human beings were housed there and in his lifetime it might well rise to hundreds. We came, lingered and left—so that the total time human beings have spent on the Moon is less than two weeks. But how? Whether or not we choose to follow the Ride recommendations, the Moon will probably play an important role in man's future space explorations. These modules may give way to larger structures positioned beneath regolith archways or buildings made of lunar concrete as requirements change. By 2005, the first outpost could be established, and by 2015, a permanently occupied Moon base may be in existence. Of course, going there is expensive – realistic estimates are about 35bn (27.9bn euros). Since far less power would be required to lift a vessel off the Moon's surface than off the Earth's, less fuel and oxygen would be needed and more weight could be devoted to payload. Initially, astronauts will live there for six- to 12-month stints like they do on the space station. NASA has confirmed that the Moon definitely has water - boosting hopes that a lunar base could be built there.. Then, too, since the Moon exists and is already constructed, so to speak, it can surely be developed first and be used to experiment with artificial ecologies. Even though the benefits of terraforming the moon might outweigh its risks, scientists continue to dismiss it because, at the end of the day, it is a cold, harsh, barren and dangerous place to live. Humans could live on the Moon within 10 years to "help solve Earth's problems", a leading space expert has sensationally claimed. Some scientists think humans could survive comfortably on the moon. Water is trickier. In a major breakthrough, research has suggested that water could be distributed right across the lunar surface. The Moon has 38 million square kilometres of real estate, so we’ve literally only scratched the surface. But we have been sharpening our space abilities, and when we return to the Moon, it will be to stay. How We Detect Chemical Weapons Before They're Used. Some of those ways are not material in nature. There was light along the crater top, as perpetual as the dark at this portion of the crater floor. Manufacturing is likely to be easier in gravity, and the Moon is a perfect compromise for this.

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