[extropy-chat] Moon news

[David Lubkin]

Every report I've seen in the press on Bush's supposed plans has the 
identical quote from this guy, sometimes as an unnamed expert. This is the 
New York Times' version:

>One expert on NASA management, Harold E. McCurdy of American University, 
>said that if, in fact, the plan was to go to the moon, the overall goal 
>would be broader.
>
>"The ultimate purpose of going back to the moon is not to go the moon," 
>Mr. McCurdy said. "It's to go to Mars and explore the inner solar system. 
>It's like climbing Mount Rainier in preparation for an ascent of Mount 
>Everest."

No one quotes Zubrin or other prominent figures from the Mars Society, or 
even mentions that if you want to go to Mars, the answer might just be -- 
go to Mars.

The descriptions of Bush's plan so far sound like the same old NASA 
hooey.  Long, slow, expensive projects so that every NASA center gets a 
piece, the usual aerospace contractors get billions in contracts, and a few 
dozen humans at best get to go up.

I suppose we'll get some useful technologies and accomplishments but it 
will come at a heavy price.  I'm mostly afraid that it will interfere with 
private space projects -- particularly with legal restraints.

BTW, debka.com reported a while back that experiences with Afghanistan and 
Iraq made it clear to DOD that we have to invest more in protecting our 
space assets. This shows up as an understated aside at the end of the NYT 
piece, and may be the most important aspect of the news:

>Congressional aides also said they expected the announcement to detail a 
>reorganization of the nation's space effort, to bring the military and 
>civilian sides closer together to make better use of limited resources.


-- David Lubkin.