Katsuura , We Have a Problem

Japan has announced that its long delayed Moon mission may be scrapped. According to a MSNBC story, the Lunar-A probe, designed to place two seismic sensors on the lunar surface for the purpose of learning more about the origins of the Moon, has been delayed for more than a decade. The Japanese still have plans to put a man on the Moon by 2025. Maybe he/she can visit our new trailer park.

A Little Place on the Moon

NASA hopes to have humans landing on the Moon by 2020 and occupying the surface by 2024, at least for a week at a time. The base would be located on one of the lunar poles to allow for almost continuous solar energy (and access to the limited water below the surface). And we would allow other nations to visit and/or participate in the project.

Of course, the Moon would also operate as a staging ground for a trip to Mars, the strongest argument for setting up there in the first place.

"Using the space station and building an outpost on the moon to prepare for the trip to Mars are critical milestones in America's quest to become a truly spacefaring nation," Griffin writes. "I think that we should want that. I want that. I want it for the American people, for my grandchildren, for my great-grandchildren."

I still say we should have a new race to the moon, but this time by commercial companies. This does not mean a new homesteading program, but NASA could be a partner in some innovative projects. The Moon project will take considerable funding, so all options should be explored.

Besides, the International Space Station is not exactly the most successfully model. It seems to represent PR for space more than real science. Of course, the ISS could prove useful in that the space station modules might be reconfigured for placement on the Moon. Yes, NASA is creating a trailor park on the Moon's surface. But its a start. Did you expect the Jetsons?

For more, visit NASA's Moon site.

Also, take a look at the Space Foundation's publication "The Case for Space." This document offers some good support for the Moon and Mars missions.

Weird Tales from NASA

While some of us are concerned about water on Mars, the Great Space Race with China, and other mighty issues, the press seems to be quite concerned about astronauts in diapers and the latest boyfriend of Martha Stewart.

I suppose this is to be expected in a country where reality TV is still the rage, but maybe it is not such a bad thing. The more the austronauts seem like the rest of us the more we can relate to them. Maybe we are not looking for super people anymore. And the expansion of commercial space represents the movement towards the regular folks reaching the heavens.

I was even surprised to recently read that the circulation of National Geographic (8.5 million) is more than twice that of People magazine (3.7 million). So maybe we like our gossip, but we also like our science (and by extension, our scientists).

Save Our Science

The Planetary Society continues with its SOS campaign. According to the Society's site, they recently delivered a petition containing more than 5,000 signatures to the White House calling on President Bush to restore funding for space science and exploration in his 2008 budget proposal to the U.S. Congress. The Society is concerned about cuts in astrobiology programs and solar system research. White House cut also include a Europa mission to investigate a possible habitat for life beyond Earth and the Terrestrial Planet Finder, a search for Earth-like worlds elsewhere in the galaxy. In addition, the Administration earlier in the year cut all work on a Mars Sample Return mission and precursor activities for human exploration of the Red Planet. While we have heard a lot of talk about upcoming manned missions, let's remember that most of the real work (and science) is done by the less glorious yet more capable robotic missions. Maybe we need to increase the funding for our space program rather than eliminating the science. Follow SOS events by clicking here.