The Moon Landing: 40 years later

[Capernicus]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...oon-facts.html

40 years? So why is it that we haven't made it to Mars yet?

 

I jest of course.

[Eris]

The moon landing is a bit meh. Too much focus on the politics of it, and not enough focus on the science.

[Miss Moonlight]

I actually just finished watching something on the science channel called "If there were no Moon". It explained what would happen to earth if it failed to exist, how the moon was formed, etc. Pretty interesting.

As for why we haven't made it to mars, i'm not sure. It would be probably extraordinarily cold there, though ...

[*Tsuki*]

Hmm . . . yes, yes. Come again. Kind of boring up here with no one around. XD

*Feeling stupid*
Isn`t Mars closer to the sun than us? Wouldn`t that make it warmer?
*not in the scientific mood right now*

Of course, the moon`s cooler than Mars.

Edit: I was also trying to figure out the google thing. The letters were hard to find. >.<

[aishiteru333]

It's probably the government fearing martians or unknown elements.
And also, aside from not making it to Mars yet, why haven't we populated the moon?!

[Miss Moonlight]

Hmm . . . yes, yes. Come again. Kind of boring up here with no one around. XD

*Feeling stupid*
Isn`t Mars closer to the sun than us? Wouldn`t that make it warmer?
*not in the scientific mood right now*

Of course, the moon`s cooler than Mars.

Mars is much farther from the sun than earth is, so it's much colder.

Exploratour: Life on Mars?

What would life need to exist on Mars

Warmth?

It seems that the temperature on Earth (room temperature, so to speak) is just right for life. More importantly, chemical reactions take place at just the right speed in temperature ranges found on Earth. The speed at which chemical reactions take place is relevant to the formation and existence of life. Really extreme temperatures such as -300 F or 5000 F won't work.

Thus an habitable planet can't be too cold or life won't be able to get started. Billions of years might pass before the relevant chemicals are exchanged because the chemical reactions take too long. And a planet can't be too hot or molecules won't stay together long enough to form solid matter.

[*Tsuki*]

Oh, okay. That makes sense, I think. Sorry, stupid question . . .

[Capernicus]

Actually, they say only carbon-based lifeforms (like us) are best suited for Earth. We wouldn't survive on the Sun, but say protein-based life forms could. So who knows, maybe there's life all around us and we just haven't found it yet.

[Haoie]

Space isn't meant for man.

[October.]

probably afraid of Martians...and the cold...
yea, why haven't we populated the moon???sure there's no water there but we can still bring some...=)

[Stripes]

Well, I think it's because they have got so indulged with the satellites interpreting mars that they forgot about visiting the planet hahahah. I wanna make fun of everything.

Hey, let's ask the spacemen and space students!!!!!!

Once I saw a news report in which it was shown that the martians are threatining the space men that there would be a great encounter if they ever create any commotion on their planet so may be that's the reason. Eathlings are scared of Martians. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!! But I don't think that's true. According to me it was a silly news.

But maybe, uhmm.......I don't know.......maybe uhmm.......my silly reasons are above teehehee. I am not getting it, maybe it's like the scientists haven't made a definite plan of any such journey yet 'cause they want to know the moon first in that kind of a way.

[KeijiMaeda]

I honestly never saw the point in investing VAST amounts of resources into exploration of desolate balls of rock and gas. I think it's pretty safe to say there are no other planets in our solar system that can sustain intelligent life. Scientists might discover a few new chemicals or whatever, but is it really worth it? Honestly?

Sure, if there's a planet in a solar system nearby that is similar to ours and might look like it could be supporting life, then it would be worth exploring. But right now we aren't at the technological level required to make such a venture. Space exploration, right now, is just for national glory and very little else. Every country wants to be the first one to put a man on Mars, or Pluto, or wherever. Not because there's anything there of benefit, but simply because it's a prestigious claim to make.

In my opinion the money should be spent improving our own planet before moving on to others.

[Acnologia]

I actually just finished watching something on the science channel called "If there were no Moon". It explained what would happen to earth if it failed to exist, how the moon was formed, etc. Pretty interesting.

As for why we haven't made it to mars, i'm not sure. It would be probably extraordinarily cold there, though ...

I heard somewhere that the max temperature on Mars is 5 degrees Celsius. Can someone (Eris) confirm this? I also heard it takes 3 years to get there.

@Keiji: But that's just it, they're trying to see if Mars CAN sustain life.

[DOOM!]

I don't see what's to celebrate, since we've never actually been to the Moon.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

Actually, they say only carbon-based lifeforms (like us) are best suited for Earth. We wouldn't survive on the Sun, but say protein-based life forms could. So who knows, maybe there's life all around us and we just haven't found it yet.

Most proteins break down well under the boiling point, maybe you're thinking plasma-based life? Of course, the case for plasma based life has always been "Wouldn't it be cool if there was life made of plasma?" rather then any sane chemical explanation of how such a thing could exist.

probably afraid of Martians...and the cold...
yea, why haven't we populated the moon???sure there's no water there but we can still bring some...=)

Because water is heavy, and space flight is extremely expensive. Sending water into space is an extremely inefficent process. The same problem applies to the building materials that would be needed to establish a base. There probably won't be a base on the moon until we can remotely construct one via robots (or nanites) with materials mostly procured on-site, ideally by Von Neumann machines.

I honestly never saw the point in investing VAST amounts of resources into exploration of desolate balls of rock and gas. I think it's pretty safe to say there are no other planets in our solar system that can sustain intelligent life. Scientists might discover a few new chemicals or whatever, but is it really worth it? Honestly?

Sure, if there's a planet in a solar system nearby that is similar to ours and might look like it could be supporting life, then it would be worth exploring. But right now we aren't at the technological level required to make such a venture. Space exploration, right now, is just for national glory and very little else. Every country wants to be the first one to put a man on Mars, or Pluto, or wherever. Not because there's anything there of benefit, but simply because it's a prestigious claim to make.

In my opinion the money should be spent improving our own planet before moving on to others.

This of course is ignoring the XBOX HUEG amounts of technical innovations that were born from the Space Program and it's Russian equivalent. A mission to Mars would require extreme technical innovation, and these innovations are frequently applicable to more mundane problems. The mission to Mars is basic research. The point of basic research isn't to produce better toasters, but to increase human knowledge. Once we have more knowledge, better toasters become trivial.

[_-Anonymous-_]

Actually, they say only carbon-based lifeforms (like us) are best suited for Earth. We wouldn't survive on the Sun, but say protein-based life forms could. So who knows, maybe there's life all around us and we just haven't found it yet.

Well when someone says there is life beyond earth , i get goosebumps .
just imagine how will they look like ?

[Sophonax]

Man landed on the moon!? :O

Oh man, I've missed out on so much fun.

... laff.

[Capernicus]

Most proteins break down well under the boiling point, maybe you're thinking plasma-based life? Of course, the case for plasma based life has always been "Wouldn't it be cool if there was life made of plasma?" rather then any sane chemical explanation of how such a thing could exist.

Maybe that's it. I just remember my modern algebra professor (who has two PhDs in math and physics) saying something to that effect.

[Forgotten Show]

The moon landing is a bit meh. Too much focus on the politics of it, and not enough focus on the science.

Hear, hear. For reasons MP2k brought up, we've already benefited greatly from our exploration of space, and stand to gain a lot more the more we study and travel in space.

Unfortunately, right now the United States is in no position to try another 'Space Race'. Until we stop playing the gambling addict with nothing left to bet, we won't be in such a position for some time, I'm afraid. The European Union is in only slightly better circumstances, facing the same threat of economic collapse we are, and I don't know enough about Russian economy or its space program to formulate an opinion one way or another.


Bad Memory

[Memento Mori]

probably afraid of Martians...and the cold...
yea, why haven't we populated the moon???sure there's no water there but we can still bring some...=)

You can pay for it then.

[MercenaryMERC]

Play this game and get to Mars. Then you will understand why we have not. ( At least get to the moon. )
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Armo...gehog-launch-2

[*Tsuki*]

Well when someone says there is life beyond earth , i get goosebumps .
just imagine how will they look like ?

*gasp* . . . but think about what we would look like to them, though . . .

[Eris]

I heard somewhere that the max temperature on Mars is 5 degrees Celsius. Can someone (Eris) confirm this? I also heard it takes 3 years to get there.

The incident sunlight on mars is in the same ballpark as it is on earth, so when you do get sunlight, you can get up to 27 C (according to wikipedia). The atmosphere is different though, so when it gets cold on mars, it gets REALLY cold (wikipedia says down to -140 C), with average temperatures around -55 C. The main difference between the climate of the earth and the climate of mars is that mars has a pretty thin atmosphere, which makes it heat up very quickly in the sun, and cool down very quickly in the shadow, so you can get 100 C temperature differences over the course of a day (whereas 10 C temperature differences is what you'd expect to see here on earth, at most).

I think 3 years is the round trip. The sources I find says it takes 500 or so days to reach mars.

[Diocletian]

I'm one of (apparently) few people that believes the space landing actually happened. What could one gain off of lying about it besides lulz?

It's believed that there is alien bacteria, and to me that qualifies as organisms living in space.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

Hear, hear. For reasons MP2k brought up, we've already benefited greatly from our exploration of space, and stand to gain a lot more the more we study and travel in space.

Unfortunately, right now the United States is in no position to try another 'Space Race'. Until we stop playing the gambling addict with nothing left to bet, we won't be in such a position for some time, I'm afraid. The European Union is in only slightly better circumstances, facing the same threat of economic collapse we are, and I don't know enough about Russian economy or its space program to formulate an opinion one way or another.


Bad Memory

To be fair, America wasn't really in the condition to build the TVA dams or Hoover Dam in the great depression either. Much of the Mars Mission is simply logistics, and is negligible as far as overall impact on a national budget goes if it becomes an actual priority.