Re: Smart-1 Images of the Moon

SPAMtrap_at_Starry-Nite.net
Date: 01/27/05 

Date: 27 Jan 2005 08:28:16 -0800

Szaki - I love the idea of roving Luna; it should have been done long
ago!

But - why do you think that it can be done a fraction of the cost of
one Mars mission? In fact, the costs would be nearly the same, which
is why we have focused on Mars instead. (Given that we only have so
much to spend, which is the more interesting target, Mars or the Moon?)

1) The biggest challenge in space exploration is escaping the Earth's
gravity. It takes a similar amount of energy to get from Earth to the
Moon as it does to get from Earth to Mars. Any minor savings in fuel
to get there is more than offset by the fact that the Moon lacks an
atmosphere, so that we can't use aerobraking and economical parachutes
and airbags for entry and landing.

2) The Moon rovers would most likely be similar in design to the Mars
rovers. Where is the cost savings there?

3) As you suggest in another thread, a support orbiter would be a
logical data relay, as well as a recon tool to supplement rover
activities. We already have three sats in orbit around Mars that
provide this support role; your proposed Lunar exploration would
require a sat that does not yet exist, adding to the costs.

Given President Bush's space exploration initiative, I am confident
that we will soon follow a plan of exploration much like what you have
outlined. However, unless we have some breakthrough in economical
pricing of payload to orbit, the costs of exploring Luna will be
similar to what we have invested into exploring Mars.

Kudos to ESA's SMART-1!

*****
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Relevant Pages

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