Starship Asterisk*

How many men walked on the surface of the Moon?

This happened over 30 years ago and nobody has been there since. I think the exploration of space begins here. Evidently; there is no urgency about going here since Mars is getting all the attention. I think going to the moon would be more logical place to set up a base on first;as much could be learned by doing this. the technology learned by using the moon would make the trip to mars a lot safer.
Orin

I believe there were 7 walking missions sent to the moon with 6 landings of 2 men each for a total of 12 men. Appollo 13 didn't make orbit.

BMAONE23 wrote:I believe there were 7 walking missions sent to the moon with 6 landings of 2 men each for a total of 12 men. Appollo 13 didn't make orbit.

They were:
Apollo 11; Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin
Apollo 12; Charles Conrad and Alan Bean
Apollo 14; Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell
Apollo 15; David Scott and James Irwin
Apollo 16; John Young and Charles Duke
Apollo 17; Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan
Orin

I was watching the Science channel the other day and it sounds like the plans are to go to the moon and setting up a base there before sending a mission to Mars. I'm not familiar with the time line on these plans.
Orin

I think some other countries - Russia? China? India?? the European Union??? - have announced plans, in one form or another, for putting people on the Moon (whether men, women, or something else, I don't know).

IIRC, there was an article on this in a recent Planetary Society magazine ...

orin stepanek wrote:I was watching the Science channel the other day and it sounds like the plans are to go to the moon and setting up a base there before sending a mission to Mars. I'm not familiar with the time line on these plans.
Orin

It would make a lot of sense to launch a mission to Mars from the Moon (or even space). The increase in the size of the possible payload due to the difference in the magnitude of the gravity well would probably justify the expense of establishing a moon base. I just hope any efforts to do so are truly international.

bystander wrote: I just hope any efforts to do so are truly international.

My question is this: if various nations go back too soon, will there been an all-to-familiar brand of "international relations?" What happens if and when countries start claiming regions of the moon and disputing those claims?

There are times when I am glad we haven't moved into space too quickly.

Orca wrote:My question is this: if various nations go back too soon, will there been an all-to-familiar brand of "international relations?" What happens if and when countries start claiming regions of the moon and disputing those claims?

There are times when I am glad we haven't moved into space too quickly.

There would be a race for prime real estate and a lot of duplication of effort. Kind of like antartica, only a lot more expensive. I think a collaborative effort amoung the space faring nations (USA, European Union, Russia, Japan, India, and China) would be more cost effective. Getting all those people to cooperate with national egos on the line would probably be too much to hope for, but maybe efforts with the International Space Station will help pave the way.

bystander wrote:

Orca wrote:My question is this: if various nations go back too soon, will there been an all-to-familiar brand of "international relations?" What happens if and when countries start claiming regions of the moon and disputing those claims?

There are times when I am glad we haven't moved into space too quickly.

There would be a race for prime real estate and a lot of duplication of effort. Kind of like antartica, only a lot more expensive. I think a collaborative effort amoung the space faring nations (USA, European Union, Russia, Japan, India, and China) would be more cost effective. Getting all those people to cooperate with national egos on the line would probably be too much to hope for, but maybe efforts with the International Space Station will help pave the way.

The cost would be formidable! Besides who would be deemed the owner that would have the right to sell real estate on Luna? Maybe a new homestead act would have to be enstated?!!!
Orin