Media state NASA will stay 6 months on Moon in 2020. Incorrect!

William Atkins
Sunday, 20 April 2008 21:29

Opinion and Analysis

Part of the AFP article states (with bold added for emphasis):

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“The US space agency hopes to build moon bases that can house astronauts for stays of up to six months, with an intricate transportation and power system, Carl Walz, director of NASA's Advanced Capabilities Division, said Friday.”

“NASA is examining different designs for lunar outposts but that they could be inspired by the orbiting International Space Station (ISS), he said.”

"We need to establish a long, extended presence on the moon, up to six months -- same as the time we spend at ISS," Walz, a veteran astronaut, told AFP during a forum on the future of NASA at the University of Miami.”

"I would anticipate that we would build something similar as what we are building for the ISS, but maybe something different," he said.”

“The station usually houses three scientists, although it can accommodate more when astronauts arrive aboard NASA's space shuttle on missions to expand the orbiting laboratory.”

“… NASA plans to finish construction of the orbiting outpost in 2010, when it is scheduled to retire its three shuttles and replace them with a new spacecraft capable to taking humans to the moon and eventually to Mars.”

“US space officials plan to return to the moon by 2020 and build permanent outposts on the surface of Earth's natural satellite.”

“The space agency will also need to design transportation, communication and power systems for the lunar surface as well as give the astronauts the ability to venture out of their bases for scientific research, Walz said.”

"We will live at the moon, work at the moon, do sites at the moon and use its resources," he said.”

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AFP reporters do not even state when six-month missions to the Moon will occur.

However, its one sentence “US space officials plan to return to the moon by 2020 and build permanent outposts on the surface of Earth's natural satellite.” maybe should be clarified.

In my opinion, it could be restated as: “US space officials plan to return to the moon by 2020 and build permanent outposts on the surface of Earth's natural satellite at a later date.”

The year for the first long-duration stay on the lunar surface is undeterminable right now because at this early stage of development of Project Constellation --NASA’s new manned project that will replace the space shuttle fleet (Space Transporation System) in 2015--it is only mere conjecture when long-duration stays on the Moon will occur. (STS and the space shuttle fleet will cease operations in 2010.)

However, NASA has indicated in the past that these long-duration stays on the Moon are necessary in order to prepare for its first long-duration mission to the planet Mars.

In addition, in order to stay on the Moon for six months, NASA astronauts will need a large supply of oxygen, fuel, food, equipment, and other necessary supplies.

They will not have that amount of materials in 2020, the first possible year of a manned Moon mission by the United States.

The exact year of the first six-month long stay on the Moon will also be determined in large part by the amount of money funded by the U.S. federal government to NASA over the next several years and the amount of international support in its manned lunar endeavours by other space agencies around the world.

NASA recognizes the complexities involved in housing several astronauts in space for months at a time. The International Space Station, only a fraction of the distance from Earth when compared to the Moon, is a prime example.

Extended stays on the Moon by U.S. astronauts will not occur in 2020, but most likely will occur several years past this year. I'm sure NASA wants to keep its options open at this early point in its development of a manned lunar outpost.

I thought it was important to clarify this point to all readers.