Celebrating 50 years since the moon landing. Should we, will we return?

[TriplexDread]

Thanks to 'cnet' for the article

"Next time we go to the moon will have full high-def, 3D images coming back, and we'll be able to receive those images with no problem at all," says Glen Nagle, outreach lead at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex."

One small step: What will the moon look like in 50 years?

A scientific outpost, a graveyard, a stepping stone to Mars: It all starts with the moon.

www.cnet.com

 

[Ian]

I'm really looking forward to humans returning to the moon . I can't see it being done by 2024, as hoped by NASA and the US administration - but at least the ambition is there. Hopefully I'm wrong and someone will set foot by then!

It's expensive and there's little immediate return on investment, but I believe it'll be well worth it in the survival of humanity over the very very long term.

 

[TriplexDread]

I understand the section about astronauts becoming overly emotional when they look down from the ISS. It would certainly put me in my place realising how important this little blue marble really is to us. After all we ALL come from the same dust. Well most of us do anyway

Not sure about Trump

 

[nivrip]

"Will we return?" It's inevitable and plans are already being made by the US, Russia, China and possibly even Europe. When mankind sees something in the distance it just has to go there even though we know, or think we do, that there is not much of value there. But, maybe, one day, there may be something we need or want so we will keep going.

And, of course, it will be a staging post to Mars.

 

[Abarbarian]

We have to go back. Even if it is just to see what the Chinese are up to on the dark side of the moon.


Jan 3, 2019China Makes Historic Landing on 'Dark Side' of the Moon

It is the first spacecraft in history to attempt or achieve a landing on this unexplored area, which is never visible from Earth.