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Pence calls for human return to the moon by 2024

Vorpal

Administrator
Administrator
Source: Space News
Space News said:
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence directed NASA to return humans to the surface of the moon by 2024, a dramatic acceleration of the agency's human space exploration plans but a directive accompanied by few technical or fiscal details.
...
Pence went so far as to direct where that landing will take place. "To reach the moon in the next five years we must select our destinations now," he said. "NASA already knows that the lunar south pole holds great scientific, economic and strategic value, but now it's time to commit to go there."

That schedule would require a major acceleration of many elements of NASA's plans, which previously called for landing humans on the moon by 2028. Among them is the SLS, the heavy-lift rocket whose continued delays led NASA to consider shifting the next uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft to commercial vehicle
...
The underlying message to NASA seems to be: get Space Launch System intended to replace the Shuttle finally working or we're going to give it entirely to private companies (though they don't really have anything that can do it either yet). There's also some plans of a Lunar Gateway to Mars, which are a bit more out there.
 
They haven't been giving the kind of funding that NASA would need for that, so I'm just guessing that Trumpie is doing another "Russia, if you're listening..." moment to get somebody to the moon.

Don't tell them about my secret former Nazi moon base. It needs to be a surprise.
 
They haven't been giving the kind of funding that NASA would need for that, so I'm just guessing that Trumpie is doing another "Russia, if you're listening..." moment to get somebody to the moon.
I doubt it. Well, ostensibly (according to Pence), part of the intent is to remove dependency on Russian shuttling, as well as competition with China and their Moon projects. Though anecdotally, NASA doesn't seem see itself as in competition with either the Chinese or Russians.

Rather, I think it's more likely is that assuming this fails sufficiently, it will be a good excuse to accelerate government subsidies to private companies.
 
Rather, I think it's more likely is that assuming this fails sufficiently, it will be a good excuse to accelerate government subsidies to private companies.
Failure is probably the plan, and I would not be surprised at most of those companies having connections to this administration. There are just a lot of stated different plans for space, but not a budget to get it all done, even with NASA frugality.
 
Inb4 the chartering of a moon penal colony to planet deport illegal immigrants
Given the high costs of shipping past Earth's gravity well, it's far more likely that the moon colony will be for the rich & powerful so they could more easily disassociate themselves for the unwashed rabble back on that dirtball of a planet.
 
Failure is probably the plan, and I would not be surprised at most of those companies having connections to this administration. There are just a lot of stated different plans for space, but not a budget to get it all done, even with NASA frugality.
Yeah, moving the target from 2028 to 2024 makes it much more likely, which is why I think out of all the things Pence said, it's the 'get SLS done or else private companies' that's the actual message.
 
I hear NASA has a plan to send two people on the Moon, astronauts Donald T. and Mike P., before 2024. Their plan offers two big advantages over private ones:

- Due to a revised philosophy of the mission targets, the mission profile will require half the DeltaV needed by other competitors in the same market,
- Depending on the option to use lithobraking, even less DeltaV could be needed, further reducing the costs while ensuring the astronauts arrive to the Moon,
- The entire mission could be crowdfunded, as billions of people all over the planet have expressed interest in helping it happen.
 
1.) When I saw the thread, the first thing I thought of was the Newt Gingrich 'MOON PRESIDENT' SNL bit... which I can't find the full video of.

2.) Yeah, sounds like it is probably gonna be an excuse for privatization. The whole Republican Philosophy is to say government doesn't work and then, when they have power, prove it.

That or it's just a distraction, like SPACE FORCE
 
1.) When I saw the thread, the first thing I thought of was the Newt Gingrich 'MOON PRESIDENT' SNL bit... which I can't find the full video of.

2.) Yeah, sounds like it is probably gonna be an excuse for privatization. The whole Republican Philosophy is to say government doesn't work and then, when they have power, prove it.

That or it's just a distraction, like SPACE FORCE
Yep, I at least give the Libertarians credit for actually wanting to do what they claim they want to do, even if they are a bunch of loons.
 
Scratch a Libertarian and the odds are good (but not universal) you'll either find a Bigot, a Narcissist or someone who just loves their money so much they don't want to see it taxed. Or just someone who likes pot.

Now, granted, there are genuine Libertarians who just ideologically oppose "big government" or whatever, but in my experience, it's far, far from the majority of self-described libertarians.
 
Scratch a Libertarian and the odds are good (but not universal) you'll either find a Bigot, a Narcissist or someone who just loves their money so much they don't want to see it taxed. Or just someone who likes pot.

Now, granted, there are genuine Libertarians who just ideologically oppose "big government" or whatever, but in my experience, it's far, far from the majority of self-described libertarians.

To be perfectly honest, the Welfare State as we know it is unsustainable because there are not enough contributors and too many recipients. And even then, in the case of America it's been dying a slow death since LBJ discredited the Great Society with Vietnam ("You're equal with white guys, congratulations! Now go die in the jungles of southeast asia!").
 
To be perfectly honest, the Welfare State as we know it is unsustainable because there are not enough contributors and too many recipients. And even then, in the case of America it's been dying a slow death since LBJ discredited the Great Society with Vietnam ("You're equal with white guys, congratulations! Now go die in the jungles of southeast asia!").
Fun fact, the welfare system as we know it is much more cost-effective than the alternative, since it ensures a better productivity for the employees who aren't forced to face more unproductive illness time all the while eliminating the need to save a lot of money for possible medical expanses, money that can circulate in the economy.

The expances caused by the absurd healthcare system in the US are a demonstration that not going welfare is actually unsustainable.
 
Fun fact, the welfare system as we know it is much more cost-effective than the alternative, since it ensures a better productivity for the employees who aren't forced to face more unproductive illness time all the while eliminating the need to save a lot of money for possible medical expanses, money that can circulate in the economy.

The expances caused by the absurd healthcare system in the US are a demonstration that not going welfare is actually unsustainable.

I was talking more about Pensions and Geriatric care (Japan is already feeling the bite of this for instance), meanwhile the developed world has been going full Austeritron
 
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