We grab the moon because it is hard

[minestrone]

JFK was a serial pederast.

[Paddy]

Manned moon shots should be pretty much routine by now.

Trump should setting his sights on a manned mission to Mars, before the Russkies get there!

I think the Chinese will be there first

[d000hg]

If your gonna waste money then better it be on space travel than windmills.

Windmills aren't a waste, we've been using them for centuries if not longer. Space travel should be focused on something useful - if the moon is useful then let's do that. Maybe a moon hotel.

It's a bit like the invention of the laser. It had no use at first but later it has infinite uses.

That's a pleasingly empty statement. Because lasers had no obvious applications but turned out to have lots, anything else that has no obvious applications should do too?

Mars or asteroids seem more useful. The only benefit of the moon appears to be it's close by and easy to get to. Places where you can mine your resources after landing are the key.

[minestrone]

I think the Chinese will be there first

Good for them

The Soviets and the USA realised in the 70s there was bugger all up there, if they want to spend their money on flying dogs up to space rather than eating them well it might be a sign of progress.

[OwlHoot]

Mars or asteroids seem more useful. The only benefit of the moon appears to be it's close by and easy to get to. Places where you can mine your resources after landing are the key.

The Moon will be a very handy jumping off point for missions to Mars and asteroids.

For a start, it has sizeable deposits of ice, which can be broken down by solar energy to Hydrogen and Oxygen.

[Paddy]

Good for them

The Soviets and the USA realised in the 70s there was bugger all up there, if they want to spend their money on frying dogs up to space rather than eating them well it might be a sign of progress.

FTFY

[meridian]

The Moon will be a very handy jumping off point for missions to Mars and asteroids.

For a start, it has sizeable deposits of ice, which can be broken down by solar energy to Hydrogen and Oxygen.

And as a staging post for missions to Mars it has less gravity than Earth, so less fuel is wasted (and needs to be carried) for getting to other asteroids/planets.

[NotAllThere]

Earth orbit habitats and factories, colonise the asteroids. Forget Mars and the Moon. By getting major industry and a large number of people off earth, you can a) save the Earth b) save humanity should the Earth get wiped out by some major event.

[vetran]

Earth orbit habitats and factories, colonise the asteroids. Forget Mars and the Moon. By getting major industry and a large number of people off earth, you can a) save the Earth b) save humanity should the Earth get wiped out by some major event.

If earth gets destroyed by an asteroid etc anything in direct orbit will have a rough time.

other than that I agree with you.

[MyUserName]

Hasn't the world decided a moon base isn't that useful since the environment is so hostile and there's not much there of use?

That won't stop anyone, we have people in Scotland for crying out loud!