Contents page 1 — to the moon and much more page 2 — Come to stay On a page
A footprint made by Neil Armstrong is an icon. His first steps on the moon by the Apollo missions are unforgettable, unique to this day. Soon, however, a new Generation of lunar astronauts, the heroes of old to follow and take up where Apollo 17 left off. The earth’s satellite is back en vogue. Not only among scientists but also among policy makers. This promise not only knowledge, but especially a national reputation.
So the Chinese ended up recently with the unmanned lander, Chang’e 4 on the back – a maneuver that has never been dared before. So you have stolen from the American space Agency Nasa for the time being, the Look, the power, together with the Esa and numerous private companies also to their most glorious times of manned space travel revival – 50 years after she left the first men in the moon dust convert.
The key difference to in 1969: This Time, Nasa wants to stay not only for months, the moon also serves as the first Station of the astronauts on the way into the Depths of the solar system. The core of the strategy, a new space station is in the vicinity of the moon, which is supposed to be a stepping stone for manned missions on its surface, in the thirty years of this century. Her provisional Name: Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway. Perhaps even more important task: as a blueprint for a possible Mars space ship.
Donald Trump wants to the moon
The idea, to land again, man on the moon, wandering for years through the minds of Nasa scientists. With US President Donald trump’s first space Directive by the end of 2017 it is now probably a reality. This is because, unlike its predecessor, Trump is aiming for the moon: “Starting with missions in low earth orbit, the United States will lead the return of humans to the moon by a long period of exploration and use.” Manned missions to Mars and other destinations would follow, says the paper. Support got a Trump of the National Space Council, has called a meeting of his Vice, Mike Pence, after nearly three decades of rest.
The Plan: Starting in 2024, the new is orbiting in an elongated orbit the moon, and up to four people. A sketch is that the Gateway is set to Station and the current International space station from individual modules together. At least once a year a Crew for about a month to look over.
During their stay, the crew must learn to work in the points far away in space, where you cannot escape quickly with a capsule on the earth, when it becomes dangerous.
unlike the ISS, the Gateway should not be inhabited Station but permanently, but almost as a robotic lab to host a series of automatic experiments. For future missions in Deep Space, scientists want to explore the interior, especially the local radiation exposure.
The Problem is: All for a moon mission-essential systems are still in development – or worse: It is so far. The Super-rocket, the SLS and the Orion capsule, which the Astronaut’s to the moon and back transport are almost done. But it’s still missing a lunar module to land on the moon, and the moon mobile is only available as drawings. Nasa, however, has commissioned several companies to develop concepts. The decision, at least for the space station, is expected to fall this year.
