Thread: Will Trump get USA to moon before other countries?

I was reading about the moon lately and it looks like a "new" space race might be unfolding right before our eyes. If so this should be a boon for space related jobs.
Earth-moon space: The US military's new high ground? | Space

Originally Posted by Rob F.

I was reading about the moon lately and it looks like a "new" space race might be unfolding right before our eyes. If so this should be a boon for space related jobs.
Earth-moon space: The US military's new high ground? | Space

Will Trump "get USA to moon before other countries"? Already, one of the few "missions accomplished."

More seriously, the opening of the arctic area is more likely a near term rush for dominance, with more resources at stake than hydrogen, rocks, etc. from the moon. China has been making claims - and started building nuclear icebreakers. Russia and the US (Alaska) have clear interests. Allies like Canada, Denmark (Greenland), and Norway (subjects of that other "moon" race) have some of the strongest claims.

Command of communications, which are increasingly near-space-based or subject to hacking and interference are a big deal -- and one could argue we've been relinquishing past leadership.

The gov types that decide these things seem to be taking this seriously.


Excerpt:

Race to the moon

More to the point, the recently published report observes that lunar resources — especially ice-derived hydrogen and oxygen, which can provide spacecraft propellant for civil, commercial and national security applications — are key for access to asteroid resources and Mars, and to enable overall space commercial development.

"Today's race to the moon has little to do with flags and footprints," the report states. "Strategically, it is a race to the great wealth of lunar resources which will fuel the greater space economy and enable future exploration and settlement in the solar system."

I think yes.

Not Trump, Elon Musk and SpaceX. You are going to want to land there and lift off again. Only SpaceX is practicing those landings until they they are perfect, under the worse conditions, earth gravity, not Moon or Mars. SLS will likely launch one time because they are building the first one that costs over a billion and they need to demonstrate it works. After that it is way to costly to build more when SpaceX can do most of the job with the Falcon Heavy and his BFR is coming along nicely no matter what the pundits are saying.

There is a great video on YouTube Is SpaceX's Raptor engine the king of rocket engines? - Everyday Astronaut comparing the SpaceX Raptor engine to others and it looks like a real game changer.

Not sure what this thread has to do with Additive Manufacturing/3D printing...

But...

BIG and NASA collaborate to design 3D-printed buildings for the moon

^^^ "BIG and NASA collaborate to design 3D printed buildings on the Moon"...

Or more precisely devise systems that enable the 3d printing of building from mostly lunar regolith (in situ).

To get to the moon would take a serious long term effort, by real scientists and engineers, lasting more then one week. So no trump will not support it long enough to get anywhere except maybe a new logo. I do not think twitter has any reach on the moon so why go there? I think the wall will be fully completed long before trump gets anywhere else.
Bil lD.

There is really no need ,at this time, to send people. I understand Russia has better moon rock samples because they sent a real drill not a cordless hand drill and a beach shovel.
Bill D

Moon Rocks Collected By Soviets Expected To Fetch Up To $1 Million At Auction

Originally Posted by cameraman

Not sure what this thread has to do with Additive Manufacturing/3D printing...

There's some connection, as a good deal of SpaceX's Merlin and Falcon engines use 3D printed parts in their construction. Doubtless this trend will continue...

SpaceX Reveals 3D-Printed Rocket Engine Parts | designnews.com

I agree, it seems to me that the only firm that can do this now is Space X. No one has the same experience of successful takeoffs and landings.

Originally Posted by Bill D

There is really no need ,at this time, to send people. I understand Russia has better moon rock samples because they sent a real drill not a cordless hand drill and a beach shovel.
Bill D

Bullshit, just like every other claim of Soviet superiority.