the decision to establish an american
space station in the 1990s has had some
exciting consequences
in particular there is renewed interest
in using the space station to help us
return to the moon in order to build a
permanent lunar base
america's exploration of the moon ended
12 years ago with the flight of apollo
17.
astronauts cernan and schmidt
successfully completed a series of three
evas and brought back 250 pounds of
lunar rock samples
during the 12 years following apollo 17
nasa's goals for long-term space
exploration have been redefined
at a recent scientific conference in
washington dc plans for a manned lunar
base were discussed in the post space
station era
the lunar base is one of the more
obvious
of the bold exciting goals we can reach
through the space station doorway
the goal of a loader base has long been
our vision
the exploration and settlement of the
space frontier is going to occupy the
creative thoughts and the creative
energies of major portions of
generations for the indefinite future
with the success of the space shuttle in
providing new space capabilities
transportation scientific facilities and
satellite launch retrieval and repair we
are ready for the next step into space
a manned space station
the space station will serve as a
staging area for other major space
activities on the moon and beyond
all this technology we will have
with the space station takes us
virtually to the moon we see
the first base the very first thing to
go down will probably be something very
much like space station modules which
will be carted to the surface and buried
the transportation system will be such
that there will be largely unmanned
vehicles
derivatives of orbital transfer vehicles
that will go from earth orbit to lunar
space and then a lander which will go
between orbit and the surface of the
moon
the moon may become an important source
of raw materials for use in space
this lunar base concept shows a vehicle
mining lunar surface material
moon rocks are more than half oxygen and
could supply this vital component for
sustaining a lunar base and a space
transportation system
other important elements aluminum
titanium silicon and iron also exist in
quantity on the moon
the lunar base would serve as a
springboard for spacecraft to explore
our solar system
the moon also provides scientists
excellent conditions for astronomy no
atmosphere frequent periods of total
darkness and low amounts of radio noise
if a commitment is made for a manned
lunar base in the 21st century then it
is nasa's hope to make it an
international effort for all to benefit