This Should Amuse John Lear

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Bellisima
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This Should Amuse John Lear

Post by Bellisima » 09-18-2005 10:08 PM

Posted 9/18/2005 9:32 PM Updated 9/18/2005 9:39 PM

NASA to detail plans for trip to moon
By Traci Watson, USA TODAY
BAR T BAR RANCH, Ariz. — An aluminum buggy bristling with cameras and computers jolts across a rocky plain, kicking up clouds of red dust. Two passengers, clad in bulky spacesuits, steer the vehicle with a joystick.

Despite all its high-tech gear, the buggy covers less than 100 yards before halting unexpectedly. "This is base camp. I have no data," a voice says over the radio. Communication links have failed, stalling the vehicle's progress.

Luckily for the two men in spacesuits, the glitch takes place not on Mars but in the desert of northern Arizona. It's the first extensive tryout of a new rover loaded with features that could one day be used on the moon and Mars.

NASA will announce detailed plans Monday for sending humans back to the moon and eventually to Mars, an itinerary President Bush proposed in 2004. No human has trod the lunar surface since 1972. Humans have never visited Mars.

Three congressional sources who were briefed Friday on NASA's plans say the space agency wants to send a crew of four to the moon in 2018 for a one-week stay. The plan also calls for astronauts to return to the moon in a pod similar to the Apollo capsule. The pod and other equipment for a moon mission would blast off on top of rockets made from the same engines and boosters used by the space shuttle.

The plan focuses on the moon and has almost nothing to say about Mars, the sources said. The sources declined to be identified because they are not authorized to discuss the plan before its release Monday. NASA spokesmen could not be reached for comment.

None of the plan's technology exists in final form yet, and the whole package would cost billions of dollars to develop.

One key lawmaker expressed doubts Friday about the proposal's viability. "This plan is coming out at a time when the nation is facing significant budgetary challenges," said Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn, minority chair of the House Science Committee. "Getting agreement to move forward on it is going to be heavy lifting."

NASA chief Michael Griffin has long insisted that there is no other way forward for the agency. So despite the hurdles, NASA has begun research to allow astronauts to make extended sojourns to other worlds:

• Scientists at the Colorado School of Mines are using $15 million from NASA to study how to cope with the thick, abrasive dust that covers the lunar surface. Problems with dust led NASA to cut the final Apollo mission short by a day.

• The Hubble Space Telescope has been scrutinizing the surface of the moon for sites where humans might land or even camp. Results may be announced in a few weeks.

• NASA is also funding research on methods to help astronauts cope with the stress of long space missions. The research was on hold until Bush's announcement, when "suddenly people realized if we're going to go to the moon and Mars, we have to look at the psychological issues," says researcher Nick Kanas of the University of California, San Francisco.

"We've identified the risks for lunar and Mars missions, long-duration (and) short-duration," says astronaut Carl Walz, who heads NASA's research on some technology needed on the moon and Mars. "We're looking hard at what we need to do (for) exploration."

NASA's new focus on exploring Earth's solar-system neighbors is expensive. The space shuttles will have to be retired in 2010 to help pay for the new spacecraft, and research aboard the International Space Station will be slashed.

Griffin said this month that he wants to cut the staff at NASA's Washington headquarters by about 600 people and promised cuts in the rest of the agency, too.

"We are entering a development phase," he said. "It will not be possible ... to cover all the folks who would like to remain with NASA."

Even some of the studies underway to prepare for moon and Mars missions could be canceled once NASA makes the changes called for in Monday's plan.

Still, NASA isn't likely to cancel such research entirely. Though Americans have walked on the moon before, more study could help make the return trip a lot safer, says Ronald Turner, a physicist at the ANSER, a non--profit research institute. Two main risks:

•Dust. During the Apollo missions, lunar dust jammed the joints of equipment, ate through seals and infiltrated the astronauts' lander. Breathing enough of it can cause what one Apollo astronaut called "lunar dust hay fever" and even lung disease.

•Radiation. Astronauts exploring the moon's surface could be zapped by solar or galactic radiation, which can cause symptoms ranging from headache to death. NASA knows how to build space habitats that protect against radiation, but scientists still can't predict exactly when astronauts need to take shelter from such rays.

"You have to be aware that there are some unknown unknowns out there," Turner says. But "a few well-defined robotic missions (to the moon) will give us most of the answers that we need."

In the deserts of Arizona, NASA engineers are busy figuring out how to make a smart space buggy. First, they solve the communication problem, which is traced to overloaded computer networks.

They also show that their prototype can obey voice commands — such as "Follow me" — as well as simple hand signals and instructions transmitted from a computer at a distant base camp. That means an astronaut who was sick, or simply worn out by a hard day of lunar exploration, could get home on the rover without having to negotiate the terrain.

Astronaut Michael Gernhardt is paying special attention to the two spacesuits being tested. Earlier in the day, technicians had to spend precious time cleaning dust out of the suits' seals — an undesirable chore for equipment that might be used on hundreds of forays.

"There's a huge difference between having a paper study ... and coming out and making it work," Gernhardt says. "We're learning all kinds of things by doing. That's the real benefit of this."
ImageA silent mouth is sweet to hear.
Irish saying

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fabzilla
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Post by fabzilla » 09-19-2005 03:04 AM

They have to beat the Chinese....

:cool:


I don't think they would be able to spin their way out of disclosure after the fact.


Good pick up Bell.


:)
Ah drrr drrr drrr

palosheights
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Post by palosheights » 09-19-2005 10:31 AM

that's what i've been saying for a few years, the chinese will be there first, but i think the u.s. will nuke china before that ever happens because what's on the moon.

in one paragrah above it was stated:

• The Hubble Space Telescope has been scrutinizing the surface of the moon for sites where humans might land or even camp. Results may be announced in a few weeks

i know i read over the years that hubble was unable to focus on the moon because it the moon was too close for this.

there's something screwy here.

andy

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 10:17 PM

Acually I lookin!
For Jhons thread!!

Mummph


O crap
My doorbell is ringing it's ass off for no reason

And the ****ing little dog just started barking
\
Little Bastart

Mods or watachin and I can't even edit my post

So,,,,

YALL have a GOOD ONE

Whay the **** is a good any way?????
Almost sounds GAY to ME




Hehe heee hee LOL

Yall hve a good one
Snicker


I hate the GOD DAMNED Intenet :mad:

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SvladCjelli
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Post by SvladCjelli » 09-21-2005 10:19 PM

Originally posted by palosheights
• The Hubble Space Telescope has been scrutinizing the surface of the moon for sites where humans might land or even camp. Results may be announced in a few weeks

i know i read over the years that hubble was unable to focus on the moon because it the moon was too close for this.

there's something screwy here.

andy


I think I have heard Phil Plait claim that the moon is too bright and would damage the optics... I have heard teh claim many times, on Art's show a few times at least...
Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't following you...

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 10:26 PM

Bell!! Mudwoman!! Joolze!!
DEVASTASTED!!!!
You picked a god name babe.

I love all of yall for sure,

I just wanted to let you know.

Oh ****!!!
I just saw some ... BUG run under my key board ......I lifted it up and there wasn't a damn there..\\

Oh my
Oh deear

****!!
Sorry yall I cant side tracked.

--SHOOTZOO--

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 10:33 PM

I got lost from a damn BUGG!!!!


I pissed off about it, I really came here to repair my last post


I don't know what the HELL it was about now!!

Other than some really good girls

O love yall ! okay?

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 10:42 PM

Oh yeagh....
"Got side tracked"

I remember now,,,
Hummm
Actually I got side tracked again.

--Rick--

--Shootzoo--

I don't care!!! I'll give you My name Because I really do love
you.

I DO love yall and miss you
I love yall

--Rick--

Oh Brother!!!!!

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 10:48 PM

Goslin wrote: Acually I lookin!
For Jhons thread!!

Mummph


O crap
My doorbell is ringing it's ass off for no reason

And the ****ing little dog just started barking
\
Little Bastart

Mods or watachin and I can't even edit my post

So,,,,

YALL have a GOOD ONE

Whay the **** is a good ONE any way?????
Almost sounds GAY to ME




Hehe heee hee LOL

Yall hve a good one
Snicker


I hate the GOD DAMNED Intenet :mad:

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 11:03 PM

Sorry to mess yalls thread up.
My Sister is havening A bad time.
And I'm ploting ways to KILL the bastard.
But I really can't do that.
Cus the bastard WILL GIVE my Sister
same old home SHe's been livin in,

And not only that .......weekly money too..

BUT
If that don't happen
I WILL KILL HIM

I think my SIS has a very good case
I KNOW SHE DOES
I feel bad for her nowcus I know she love him
But,,,,she's gonna get a free house and a weekly pament on top of it
I've been worried... Cuz I know it's such a good case.. That He may try to Kill her.
Rest asured
I will track thaqt SOB downand Kill him
I'll ill him
No ddoubt. I'll kill him.
If he hurt my SISTER.
I WILL KILL HIM

--Rick--

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 11:08 PM

Sorry I haven't spoke very well.
I haven't ate scince monday
SNd most liky won't til Friday

Sorry I dumped on ya

Guest

Post by Guest » 09-21-2005 11:18 PM

Oh I can eat
I just choose not to right now

Gotrox
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Post by Gotrox » 09-21-2005 11:53 PM

not with a 10 foot pole----nope.

vigo
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Joined: 11-29-2004 01:35 AM

Post by vigo » 09-22-2005 12:48 AM

Gotrox wrote: not with a 10 foot pole----nope.


Not even with yours

drnewel
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Drag Hubble To Lunar Orbit!

Post by drnewel » 09-24-2005 04:55 PM

Too bad we don't hear any logical projects like: On the way to the moon we will drag the Hubble Telecope in to lunar orbit.
Dr. Newel

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