Manned mission to the moon planned

[Jonk]

Russia and Europe are planning a manned mission to explore the moon, and potentially setting up shop too.

"exclusive" bbc report: Europe and Russia plan Moon mission http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34504067

[Cornelius Varley]

The first missions will be unmanned, exploratory ones.

[JB80]

About time too!

[pipnina]

Making any part of the moon suitable for proper human colonisation (aka, indistinguishable from earth-living aside from the lack of ability to go outside without a space suit.) is one heck of a task.

You need to have power, food, water, waste processing, air, recreation and preferably pressurised public areas.

You'd also need medical facilities, and a method of getting to and from the moon that doesn't cost more than the average person earns in a lifetime.

Are we capable of that yet? No.

Should we be thinking about it seriously and taking steps to get to the point we are capable as quickly and safely as possible? Yes. But the barrier for entry is quite high unless you only want temporary visits.

    ~pip

[seo]

Lets see what really is going to happen....

[andrew63]

Just been on the news - why has it taken so long ?  Good to see the UK taking a prominent role and will give a huge boost to the space industry.

andrew

[Zakalwe]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[xtreemchaos]

well, i must say i heard it all before, but it would be great if it happend, i think a base on the moon is something what must happen before we even  think of going to mars.  thanks for the link,  clear skys  charl.

[laudropb]

It will be very interesting to see how this develops.

[Guest]

Got to get over the huge amounts invested in warfare at the moment.That could take a generation.It's a realitic view sadly.I am now 56 and I donot see any blue chip missions in my life time.I think that we have vastly under achieved in human space exploration.

[Zakalwe]

Given that Russia is thumbing it's nose at Europe and the US over Syria, Ukraine and a whole host of other issues, I would think that the political will is highly unlikely to be there. As someone once said, we generally pay little to what Russia says, but pay a lot of attention to what it does.

Besides, are there even any boosters powerful enough to put a manned mission available? Plus, one of the biggest problems for any Lunar mission that will stay on the surface for more than a couple of days has yet to be overcome-namely the Lunar dust. It's highly abrasive, will travel readily along magnetic field lines and possibly carcinogenic. The suits seals and bearings on Apollo 17 were having major difficulty after a couple of EVAs.

I feel quite confident that this report will go the way of HOTOL, Skylon and the UK spaceport (which is due to be live in 2018!)....

[Garethr]

You also need someone to build the facility and as someone who works in the construction industry add 10yrs too what ever programme nasa come up with. We are the slowest people in the solar system to adapt to any new project. Mind you I'm up for a site visit.

[RichM63]

It would be great to see some manned missions to the surface. I remember being glued to the box and inspired by the previous series. Youngsters today are missing out on such adventure.

(mind you, I can see a planning application for a permanent structure involving a coalition of countries being rejected by the 'Soup Dragon')

[triton1]

I,m sure the Clangers will sort him out

[mcolbert]

maybe this is talk (vapourware comes to mind) related to the announcements by I believe both India and China, about landings on the moon.  That was a while ago though.

michael

[DaveS]

I think AN had an article a while back about using lunar lava tubes as ready made underground bases. How practical it will be I don't know.

[Dave Lloyd]

The first missions will be unmanned, exploratory ones.

Isn't that unpersoned?

[pipnina]

Isn't that unpersoned?

unhuman'd*

[mcolbert]

maybe they will be 'manned' by a clever AI (now there's an oxymoron!)  

michael