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Comment by redis_mlc | Hacker News Reader

Can somebody explain what the benefit of sending men to the moon is?

I mean science or engineering. I don't mean PR or funding visibility - you can get that by sponsoring a NASCAR ride.

Both the Space Shuttle and ISS have been huge money sinks with no benefit. How will another moon visit be any different?

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> Both the Space Shuttle and ISS have been huge money sinks with no benefit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_research_on_the_Int...

Because we now know there is water at the Moon’s poles, from which rocket fuel and life support consumables can be manufactured. Because of this, the Moon can be our first permanent foothold in space and the stepping stone to the rest of the solar system.

Why humans? Not just because we aspire spread humanity beyond Earth. Humans also accomplish science objectives much faster than robots. A single human mission can accomplish more science and exploration than a decade-long robotic campaign.

Astronaut Garrett Reisman on Joe Rogan show said something that resonated with me, we have plenty of experience with 1G of gravity and enough experience with 0G. They know the physical effects of both of those. What they do not know is effect of 0.2G or 0.5G in long term. Whether effect is linear or is it a curve. Etc.

That's just for exploring long term space habitation.

Another major reason to do it would be a potential mining/fueling base on the moon. Cost of any launch from Earth is quite prohibitive due to Earth gravity, Moon has gravity that is 6 times less powerful so if we managed to mine ice/hydrogen/oxygen from the surface of the moon it could be used to refuel rockets in space for missions to the rest of the solar system.

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