There's a report on the BBC site about ideas for a moon colony.
Although this is a very old idea, the claim is that all that is needed is the political will.
However, no doubt an incredible amount of investment would also be required - and I figure there are a lot of major concerns already pre-occupying the world's major powers.
Is it viable to really start laying the foundations of a moonbase now - or should we really wait another decade or so - at least - to ensure that we have a very viable set of technologies to start with, and thus make the project even more likely to move forward?
After all, look at the state of the International Space Station - born out of political wrangling, behind schedule and quite unfinished, cinapable of carrying out the most basic scientific missions - and now no shuttle fleet to even service it. Just how gargantuan an overhaul of our space ethic and supporting infrastructure would be required? Is it erally the right time?
Anyway, here's the article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3161695.stm
Moon colony 'within 20 years'
Humans could be living on the Moon within 20 years, says a leading lunar scientist.
According to Bernard Foing of the European Space Agency, the technology will soon exist to set up an outpost for visiting astronauts.
However, political will is needed to inspire the public to support the initiative.
"We believe that technologically it's possible," the project scientist on Europe's first Moon mission, Smart-1, told BBC News Online.
"But it will depend in the end on the political will to go and establish a human base for preparing for colonisation of the Moon or to be used as a refuge for the human species."
Ion drive
The unmanned Smart-1 craft, which is due to be launched in early September, is flying to the Moon to demonstrate that Europe has the technology for future deep space science missions.
Its main form of propulsion is an ion engine powered by solar-electrical means rather than conventional chemical fuel.
When it arrives at the Moon, after a 15-month voyage, it will search for water-ice in craters and determine the abundance of minerals on the surface.
In the process, it will look for landing sites for future lunar exploration such as a sample return mission planned by the US space agency (Nasa) for 2009.
"The Moon could be used as a test bed for future human missions," says Sarah Dunkin, a leading British scientist on the Smart-1 project.
"To actually live on another world would be quite a test of technology as well as human physiology. We don't know what the long-term effects of living in a low gravity environment would be."
Any long term plans to set up a lunar base are bound to rely on international co-operation.
They could include India and China, two nations which have recently pledged to send astronauts back to the Moon.
However, under current policy, the UK would not be included because it does not support human space exploration.
Although this is a very old idea, the claim is that all that is needed is the political will.
However, no doubt an incredible amount of investment would also be required - and I figure there are a lot of major concerns already pre-occupying the world's major powers.
Is it viable to really start laying the foundations of a moonbase now - or should we really wait another decade or so - at least - to ensure that we have a very viable set of technologies to start with, and thus make the project even more likely to move forward?
After all, look at the state of the International Space Station - born out of political wrangling, behind schedule and quite unfinished, cinapable of carrying out the most basic scientific missions - and now no shuttle fleet to even service it. Just how gargantuan an overhaul of our space ethic and supporting infrastructure would be required? Is it erally the right time?
Anyway, here's the article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3161695.stm
Moon colony 'within 20 years'
Humans could be living on the Moon within 20 years, says a leading lunar scientist.
According to Bernard Foing of the European Space Agency, the technology will soon exist to set up an outpost for visiting astronauts.
However, political will is needed to inspire the public to support the initiative.
"We believe that technologically it's possible," the project scientist on Europe's first Moon mission, Smart-1, told BBC News Online.
"But it will depend in the end on the political will to go and establish a human base for preparing for colonisation of the Moon or to be used as a refuge for the human species."
Ion drive
The unmanned Smart-1 craft, which is due to be launched in early September, is flying to the Moon to demonstrate that Europe has the technology for future deep space science missions.
Its main form of propulsion is an ion engine powered by solar-electrical means rather than conventional chemical fuel.
When it arrives at the Moon, after a 15-month voyage, it will search for water-ice in craters and determine the abundance of minerals on the surface.
In the process, it will look for landing sites for future lunar exploration such as a sample return mission planned by the US space agency (Nasa) for 2009.
"The Moon could be used as a test bed for future human missions," says Sarah Dunkin, a leading British scientist on the Smart-1 project.
"To actually live on another world would be quite a test of technology as well as human physiology. We don't know what the long-term effects of living in a low gravity environment would be."
Any long term plans to set up a lunar base are bound to rely on international co-operation.
They could include India and China, two nations which have recently pledged to send astronauts back to the Moon.
However, under current policy, the UK would not be included because it does not support human space exploration.
- but it is indeed a great place to do research on the issue.