Another lunar leap? Humans visited the moon more than three decades ago. Now U.S. leaders want us to return.In 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong propelled himself into history books when he became the first person to set foot on the moon. It's been more than 30 years since Earth's dusty satellite (body that orbits a planet or star) had its last visitor. But this January, President George W. Bush announced a sweeping space plan in which Americans would revisit the moon and even set up a lunar camp. SPRINGBOARD TO MARS Why all the fuss over Earth's nearest neighbor See point sampling. ? Top reason: It's a steppingstone step·ping·stone n. 1. A stone that provides a place to step, as in crossing a stream. 2. An advantageous position for advancement toward a goal. for living on Mars, says planetary scientist Paul D. Spudis of Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University, mainly at Baltimore, Md. Johns Hopkins in 1867 had a group of his associates incorporated as the trustees of a university and a hospital, endowing each with $3.5 million. Daniel C. . Scientists have a vision of building a platform in space from which humans could lift off for Mars. But it would take a lot of mechanical muscle to lug (1) (Linux Users Group) A formal or informal organization of Linux users who gather together virtually or in person to exchange information and resources. Some groups maintain mailing lists and send out newsletters for their members. rocket fuel from Earth to the way station. "And it costs a lot of money to launch mass [fuel] up from Earth," adds Spudis. Solution: Mine fuel from the moon. Since the moon is a lightweight--its mass (weight) is 81 times less than Earth's--its gravitational grav·i·ta·tion n. 1. Physics a. The natural phenomenon of attraction between physical objects with mass or energy. b. The act or process of moving under the influence of this attraction. 2. pull (attraction between two objects) is six times weaker than our planet's. This meager mea·ger also mea·gre adj. 1. Deficient in quantity, fullness, or extent; scanty. 2. Deficient in richness, fertility, or vigor; feeble: the meager soil of an eroded plain. 3. tug means it would take much less energy to transport rocket fuel from the moon to the space platform. LUNAR FUEL STATION Rocket propellant pro·pel·lant also pro·pel·lent n. 1. Something, such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel, that propels or provides thrust. 2. with the most thrust (push) is made of oxygen and hydrogen--mid there are plenty of these elements on the moon. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Wendell Mendell, a planetary scientist at NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. , astronauts could get oxygen from lunar rocks. But not without a little work first. In moon rocks, oxygen is chemically bound to silicon, so geologists would have to separate the elements with high heat. And with some effort, astronauts could extract hydrogen from water frozen solid at the moon's poles. Here the combination of hydrogen and oxygen molecules (H20) hides in the depths of large craters. The sun never reaches these so-called cold traps, so the water is locked up as ice, explains Spudis. To mine the ice's hydrogen for fuel, Spudis says astronauts could use electrolysis electrolysis (ĭlĕktrŏl`əsĭs), passage of an electric current through a conducting solution or molten salt that is decomposed in the process. (passing electric current through a solution of charged particles) to split the elements. REALITY CHECK Does the President's plan mean you'll vacation on the moon's dimpled surface one day soon? Not so fast, says Howard McCurdy Howard Douglas McCurdy is a retired Canadian politician and university professor. Born December 10, 1932, in London, Ontario, McCurdy studied at the University of Western Ontario where he received a Bachelor of Arts and later at Assumption University where he received a , a space historian at American University American University, at Washington, D.C.; United Methodist; founded by Bishop J. F. Hurst, chartered 1893, opened in 1914. It was at first a graduate school; an undergraduate college was opened in 1925. Programs provide for student research at many government institutions. . Even if the $12 billion plan pans out within the next 20 years, you probably won't be beaming up there--unless you're a space scientist, He explains: "It would probably be for a research project, like people going to Antarctica to do research at the South Pole South Pole, southern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90° S. It is distinguished from the south magnetic pole. The South Pole was reached by Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, in 1911. See Antarctica. ." LANDING LOG With only six moon landings to date, astronauts have plenty of spots left to explore. 1. Apollo 11: Sea of Tranquility 2. Apollo 12: Ocean of Storms 3. Apollo 14: Frea Mauro Formation 4. Apollo 15: Hadley-Apennine 5. Apollo 16: Plain of Descartes 6. Apollo 17: Taurus-Littrow [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SPACE MOON TOXIC GLOW: A polycarbonate A category of plastic materials used to make a myriad of products, including CDs and CD-ROMs. (plastic material in some sunglass lenses) helmet shields the face from the sun's harmful radiation (high-energy waves). VITAL SUPPORT: There's no atmosphere (layer of protective gases surrounding a planetary body) on the moon. Tubes connected to a backpack carry needed oxygen to the astronaut. KEEP YOUR COOL: Temperatures on the moon can get fiery during the day--up to 100[degrees]C (212[degrees]F), A system of water-filled tubes helps the body maintain a normal temperature. BRACE YOURSELF: An outer layer of Mylar (similar to aluminum) shields moon walkers from tiny, flying space rocks. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] REACH FOR THE MOON Check out these landmark liftoffs in lunar exploration--and what the future may hold. TOUCHDOWN July 16, 1969, Apollo 11: Astronauts Buzz Aldrin (above) and Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon. To mark the feat, they planted an American flag in the lunar soil. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ABORT April 11, 1970, Apollo 13: Nearly 47 hours after liftoff, an explosion in the craft's oxygen tank caused the crew to abort the mission and splash down safely in the Pacific on April 17. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SMOOTH TREK July 26, 1971, Apollo 15: The first of three missions to explore the moon's rocks had an added bonus: wheels! A lunar rover cruised at speeds up to 16 kilometers (10 miles) per hour. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CLEAR VIEW April 16, 1972, Apollo 16: Astronaut John Young set up the moon's first telescope. Reward: The moon lacks an atmosphere, so images aren't blurred like they are on Earth. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ROCK'N'ROLL December 7, 1972, Apollo 17: Humans dropped onto the moon's surface for the last time. Jack Schmitt, the first geologist on the moon, came face-to-face with a huge boulder called Split Rock. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FUTURE SPACE CAMP? According to the President's plan, astronauts could return to the moon's familiar turf as early as 2015, and even build a lunar dwelling. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Did You Know? * Many scientists think the moon formed 4.5 billion years ago when a Mars-sized body slammed into Earth. The impact caused chunks of rocks from both Earth and the impacting body to hurl into space. The debris orbited Earth and eventually assembled to form our moon. * When the moon first formed, its gravity wasn't strong enough to hold on to volatile (gaseous at room temperature) elements such as oxygen and nitrogen. That's one reason the moon is missing an atmosphere (protective layer of gases surrounding a planetary body), according to NASA planetary scientist Wendell Mendell. Resources For more information on President Bush's new space plan, check out the White House press release at: www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/ 2004/01/200401141.html To learn more about the moon's geology, check out the Web site of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1960 by research institutions with doctoral programs in the atmospheric and related sciences. : www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/moon1html Find out more about the Apollo missions at NASA's Web site: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo |
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