[ExI] Hawking urges Moon landing to 'elevate humanity'

[BillK]

On 22 June 2017 at 20:15, Adrian Tymes  wrote:
>
> Just extending the ISS's lifespan, or setting up the ISS's replacement (to
> be launched and manned before the last person leaves the ISS), would do
> more.  People are in space today, and that hasn't gone away yet.  That is a
> powerful, ongoing symbol.
>

The ISS is within the earth's magnetic field so the astronauts are
mostly protected from cosmic rays and solar flares. Their trips are
also of relatively short duration.
Radiation damage on a Moonbase or on long trips to Mars would be a
much greater danger.
Extended periods of low gravity also does weird things to the human body.

You could say the ISS is a powerful symbol that it is too risky (at
present) for humans to go further away.

Bring on the AI robot astronauts!

BillK