The Importance of Returning to the Moon
It may seem like we’ve already explored the Moon enough, but there are many compelling reasons to return to our lunar neighbor—and this time, we’re planning on staying. With new discoveries and new technologies available, we have the ability to learn more about our solar system and ourselves than ever before, with the Moon being key to that effort. We need to go back! Here are four reasons why returning to the Moon should be at the top of NASA’s list of priorities.
Our first attempt at returning to the moon was successful
NASA astronauts landed on the surface of Earth's nearest celestial body just over 47 years ago. They spent more than 21 hours exploring and gathered more than 20 pounds (nine kilograms) of moon rocks. Though it took three more missions before America would land humans on the moon again, it was still a major milestone in our exploration into space. As we start working toward making our mark once again on this barren, airless world, these three achievements from those first lunar explorers can serve as both inspiration and cautionary tales for today's pioneers. First, they got lost. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt were driving back to their base after completing an Apollo 17 moonwalk when they realized they had forgotten a laser-ranging device used to measure distances near the vehicle. After many failed attempts at finding their way back, the two set up camp for the night and left in hopes of returning early the next morning with enough time to get ready for liftoff. But the sun rose on December 13th, 1972 and there was no sign of either astronaut or their spacecraft. Fortunately, they found each other while walking around looking for one another – thankfully only a mile away from the landing site.
That could have been very unpleasant, said Gene Cernan in an interview decades later. If we'd not found each other when we did, I don't know what would have happened.
After that experience, NASA implemented backup plans that included pre-planned emergency sequences with abort points so that if one craft is unable to find its way back home safely without assistance then it could stop where it is and wait for assistance from ground control or another nearby craft while sending out emergency signals alerting everyone of its location. These preparations helped save astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert when their command module Odyssey experienced serious problems following launch from Earth orbit during the famous Apollo 13 mission. Second, all the equipment was nearly gone. In order to conserve weight for all the moonwalking tasks ahead of them, commander Pete Conrad left most everything behind but a flag when he climbed down off Eagle Lander. The problem came when Commander Alan Shepard reported some problems with his suits' life support system requiring him to return quickly because he might have less than 40 minutes worth of oxygen remaining by the time he made it back to earth's atmosphere. This forced the crew to abandon their moon walk and head back to the capsule. Luckily, it was just a leak in the suit and he managed to get back safely with enough air for himself and all of the equipment that was abandoned on the moon. Finally, they brought bacteria with them. One of NASA's earliest fears about human travel on Earth's satellite was that microbes from Earth could contaminate any future experiments done there, which would be hard to accurately analyze given how different conditions are on the moon. This fear turned out to be justified when scientists discovered bacteria on samples collected from astronauts after their trip that matched strains present in soil samples collected by Russian scientists who visited five years earlier!
There are still many unanswered questions about our environment
We cannot get answers to these questions on Earth because we are too close and gravity causes our sensors and experiments to behave differently. The high orbit around Earth, satellites and space telescopes can provide a more accurate glimpse into the environment around us. Telescopes from low earth orbit can see details that are not visible on Earth but one day, it is hoped, a telescope will be launched far enough away from Earth for it see without interference so that it may accurately analyze phenomena near and far. These plans have yet to materialize because funding from NASA was cut in 2013 but progress continues so that a mission can be conducted with or without federal funds. There is also hope in 2018 when NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launches (currently scheduled for launch on October 18th). The Hubble has shown us some incredible images but it only shows us an inch wide view of the sky; the James Webb will show a 3-foot wide view which means that this telescope should be able to measure objects 100 times smaller than what Hubble can measure. The James Webb also has longer wavelength coverage which means that while Hubble is limited to studying radiation in visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light waves, the James Webb will study radiation outside those ranges including gamma rays and X-rays - giving scientists a much clearer picture of both near-Earth objects as well as distant galaxies and black holes. It is said that if there were life beyond Earth, they would most likely live under water like here on Earth which makes oceanography important as well. With so many unanswered questions about our planet and other planets, it's important to continue exploring space with missions such as Galileo, Mars 2020 rover, Cassini/Huygens Saturn probe.
We need further understanding before we can push forward into deep space exploration
It is well known that NASA's Apollo missions lead to many scientific breakthroughs in understanding space. Scientists and engineers learned how planets formed, how living organisms could endure space travel, how intense solar radiation would affect human beings on a long term mission, and the list goes on. These discoveries helped shape our current understanding of deep space exploration for decades to come. As we prepare for missions further into space, it is crucial that we continue our research in order for us to push forward with confidence. For example, sending one person at a time into deep space poses significant risk not only to them but also their crewmates and home planet Earth as well. What if something happens during the trip? Is there enough fuel onboard? How will they return safely? Will they even be able to find a suitable landing site after months or years in space? All these questions are difficult, if not impossible, to answer without continuing lunar exploration. With more information from lunar missions like the ESA's upcoming Luna 27 Mission, we can better understand what these challenges may be so we can better plan for them. We need more scientists involved in discussions about how best to explore space-especially those who have firsthand experience exploring the surface of other worlds. The moon can also provide invaluable resources for any future deep space expeditions such as oxygen, water, metals and minerals, which are all necessary for sustaining life. Luna 27 will help expand this knowledge by looking for answers to questions like What processes created the distribution of rocks? How did the moon's magnetic field evolve? Is ice trapped beneath the surface? In addition, over 50% of near-Earth asteroids within Earth's orbit are believed to contain water (a vital resource), according to NASAs Planetary Defense Coordination Office. Due to its proximity, the moon provides an excellent location for testing equipment and studying materials needed for deep space exploration before venturing out farther away. Our understanding of the Moon has been constantly evolving ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on its surface almost fifty years ago; we must keep up with our pace of discovery if we hope to thrive in outer space. To learn more about the importance of returning to the Moon, read Why Go Back To The Moon?
We must learn how to develop materials in space
Understanding how to process materials in space is crucial in learning how humans can live off-planet. Materials processing has applications both on Earth and throughout the solar system and may eventually be necessary for sustaining human life on Mars or elsewhere. The ability to live, work, and thrive off-planet will require having a wide range of capabilities. This includes everything from being able to travel through space, build habitats, grow food, recycle water and oxygen, develop an atmosphere suitably dense enough for people to walk around outside without pressure suits; it's about much more than just exploration. It's about breaking down our limits on Earth and opening up this vast new frontier for human enterprise and innovation. Space offers opportunities that are not available anywhere else. We're not talking about developing all these things here on Earth—the challenges would simply be too great. But we must start with the basics, like understanding how to process materials in space before we move onto anything else. To do so, NASA and other international partners have collaborated on projects such as testing 3D printing under microgravity conditions (see Additive Manufacturing Facility). After two decades of neglect, the Trump administration announced plans last year to return astronauts to the moon by 2024. They've also said they want Americans to go back to deep space within the next decade, putting missions into orbit around the moon. NASA said it wants to establish an extended human presence at lunar orbit. China says its focus is now on sending humans beyond Earth’s orbit for permanent settlement – meaning their long-term goal is lunar landings. And China intends to launch construction crews at least 10 years before 2030 when its fifth-generation rockets are due for deployment. We will provide Chinese citizens with more chances to explore space, Chen Lan Qiang, vice president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology Co., told Xinhua news agency. China's aerospace engineers are working hard towards making breakthroughs in many key technologies.
In addition to a base on the moon, where research and development could take place 24 hours per day without interruption from storms or earthquakes, Russia proposes a moon village concept: six modules orbiting together that could house 12 people each for up to six months. A project funded by Google Lunar X Prize could lead to setting up telecommunication systems and conducting experiments such as measuring soil composition and radiation levels on the surface
Experience and better technology will save lives
Engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs from all over the world have been dreaming about going back to the moon for years. A new space race is on, and this time it's for one simple reason - because we want to. We want more than just technology; we want a new place for humans to go when this world becomes unlivable. The environment on Earth is slowly getting worse. Floods, droughts, fires—they are all connected to our poor decisions in management of resources. When water is such a precious commodity, how can you imagine drinking tap water? Climate change and natural disasters have resulted in over 24 million people being displaced as they try to find a safe home. Sea levels will rise by nearly three feet, which means that 200-500 million people could lose their homes by 2100. But there is hope yet: the International Space Station has shown that we can create sustainable habitats with renewable power sources and controlled oxygen levels. And if we build these sustainable habitats in space, then humankind has a future! So even though there are many reasons why going back to the moon might be foolish or impractical, the most important reasons come down to saving lives. If we don't return to the moon, humanity may not make it much longer. What if tomorrow, the earth became uninhabitable? How would anyone know what to do without any experience living off-planet? Sure, living in outer space is dangerous. There are also plenty of other things to worry about like radiation exposure and how astronauts get around using rocket fuel. It's really difficult too, because finding affordable ways to launch anything into space is hard enough without having any real experience sending humans up there. Experienced engineers will be able to figure out a way around these problems so that astronauts can safely explore the solar system. They'll be able to design solutions like life support systems and recycling systems so we're not wasting everything when astronauts produce garbage or wastewater (like urine). Another problem that needs to be solved is access to space. Right now, rockets only have enough fuel for six minutes after takeoff before they need another type of propellant — an expensive undertaking when launching heavy objects like spacecrafts. Fortunately, some engineers are already working on solving this problem too, designing reusable rockets made out of carbon fiber composites rather than metal alloy so that rockets don't need any propellant at all! These innovations sound impossible right now but NASA and other organizations are already laying the groundwork for making them happen. All across the world today, experts in engineering and science who've dreamed about going back to the moon since childhood are working together to see it happen sooner rather than later. New lunar missions like the Google Lunar X Prize and the Chinese National Space Administration are showing us that we can live on the moon. Elon Musk is developing rockets that can land on Mars, while private companies like SpaceX are working to colonize the Red Planet. It's time for a new space race, and this time it's for one simple reason: because we want to.
Exploring other celestial bodies could increase scientific knowledge and technological innovations in our society.
Researching other celestial bodies can give scientists knowledge about the formation and composition of our solar system. New technologies invented through research could have implications on Earthly matters, such as medicine or communications. For example, mercury's extreme temperatures and atmosphere make it inhospitable for living beings. Yet by studying its geology, scientists discovered a bacterium with properties that can destroy methane molecules in coal mines - breaking down hazardous gas into harmless carbon dioxide and water vapor. Astronomical research also led to a Nobel Prize-winning invention: MRI technology. Originally designed for use in rocket engines, this magnetic resonance imaging technology has helped doctors diagnose abnormalities by capturing detailed images of tissues inside the body without harming them or requiring invasive surgery. If space exploration is focused on finding new medicines, valuable minerals, or innovative engineering concepts, then some of these findings might prove useful back here on Earth.
Lunar research will produce jobs and opportunities for future generations.
It's no surprise that more and more space-focused companies are making their way into our everyday lives. If a certain sector reaches a point where it's virtually impossible for any other country to compete, why not invest in what we know? When considering the most recent evidence of lunar resources, commercial interest in space has skyrocketed. Many people have suggested that returning to the moon is important because it could be our next frontier as humans, or an opportunity for future generations. There is so much potential with space exploration and many benefits such as jobs and opportunities when considering all possibilities with coming back to this white orb that orbits around Earth. We can learn about how planets were formed and build up the expertise necessary to explore more places in our solar system. One major advantage that comes from going back to the moon is providing a stable environment on another celestial body. Unlike Mars, which changes drastically depending on its orbital position, Earth’s sister provides easier planning for prolonged stays by astronauts. Plus, if humanity wants to go anywhere else in the solar system after Mars (and it looks like we do), then first thing’s first: establish an outpost on the Moon! However, it seems that NASA might be reconsidering the return to the Moon. The new head of NASA, Jim Bridenstine said in his congressional hearing last week NASA does not now have a plan to return to the surface of the moon. For some reason, NASA changed course and announced plans to land on Mars within ten years instead. I personally think that this is a mistake and we should continue our focus on establishing an outpost on the Moon before heading off somewhere else.
Despite what some may say about staying within Earth’s orbit rather than venturing out farther into space, there is too much left unexplored right here at home. Even though launching rockets from Earth costs a lot of money, you get incredible views of the planet that you don't get from inside. And once you're outside, you can use all sorts of instruments to find out even more things about the Earth - things that are difficult to measure while still down here. Imagine what would happen if we were able to study climate change on other planets in close detail! And just imagine how valuable those insights would be for people who live down here who need a good climate and regular weather patterns in order to thrive. Think of it this way: Who knows when Earth will become uninhabitable? No one knows when natural disasters will strike again and force us away, but maybe they won't happen again until long after our generation has passed away.
New branches of science could result from lunar research
Science and space exploration have always been a powerful combination. Mars exploration has shown just how valuable it is to make contact with another planet. We know so much more about our own world because we've explored other worlds, but even such an achievement doesn't compare to the unexplored territory that exists within our own planet. With no time frame on when humans will visit other planets, research needs continue at a rapid pace here on Earth. Luckily, we can turn our attention back towards our closest neighbor and birthplace: the moon. The lunar surface is unlike any other environment in the solar system, making it perfect for observing firsthand how geological activity changes over time. It's also ideal for studying extreme environments like airless environments or ones exposed to high levels of radiation or low temperatures. Finally, there are practical reasons for going back; scientists need a place where they can test equipment and software before they send them into space. NASA could go back to focusing on the moon as one of its primary missions instead of putting all their efforts into getting to Mars. They could do that by partnering with other countries and private companies who want to invest in this area, which would both boost economic growth and bolster national security. The International Space Station hasn't found as many commercial uses as originally thought, so going back to the moon would be a good alternative if NASA wants to keep playing an important role in exploring space while still being relevant locally. Not only would the United States stand to benefit from the new knowledge gained from these explorations, but international partnerships and potential commercial enterprises can also expand their reach thanks to renewed interest in lunar exploration. Private sector involvement could speed up the process of returning to the moon - something government programs alone might not be able to accomplish without spending large amounts of money.
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