ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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Private companies aim to help blaze a new trail to the moon

By JoAnna Wendel - Space.com contributor

NASA isn't the only U.S. entity with eyes on the moon.





WASHINGTON — NASA is far from alone in shooting for the moon. Private companies like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Tokyo-based iSpace, for example, are eyeing Earth's nearest neighbor, with visions of a thriving space economy in their heads.

Representatives from both companies, as well as from Northrop Grumman and NASA, appeared on a panel on Jan. 30 at the 23rd Annual Commercial Space Transportation conference here to detail all the ways that private enterprises are aiming for the moon, how they'll get there and how they will be key to making lunar exploration a sustainable endeavor.

The panelists envisioned a lunar research outpost akin to McMurdo Station in Antarctica (click to see image) that would allow future astronauts to explore and live on the moon. But first we need to develop the architecture, said Charlie Precourt, vice president and general manager of propulsion systems at Northrop Grumman. We can look to the International Space Station (ISS) for guidance, he added — how international partners came together to create an infrastructure for successful research and technology demonstrations in low-Earth orbit.
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Note from Bud: You'll love the five-minute video that was included with the above article, It's composed mostly of beautiful Disney-like animation to illustrate the plan to set up a lunar space station called Gateway, which will server as a stopover and staging point for lunar missions arriving from and returning to Earth.

It's an awesome plan!

_____________ How We Are Going to the Moon


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)