News: Nasa moon mission could include UK astronaut

James Randerson, science correspondent
Wednesday April 26, 2006
The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/article/0,,1761376,00.html

UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.

The last mission to land on the moon was Apollo 17 in 1972, but no
British astronaut has walked on the surface. Andrew Ball, a space
scientist at the Open University, said the UK could provide a field
geologist to go to the moon on a new mission: "That would bring the UK
huge scientific benefits."

Dr Ball is part of a UK scientific delegation at Nasa's exploration
strategy workshop this week, where Nasa officials are outlining US
plans to return to the moon in 2018. David Parker, another delegate,
from the British National Space Centre, the UK's space agency, said:
"We have an open mind to see whether there are benefits from their
programme. We want to be at least involved in the discussions at an
early stage."

Dr Ball said the UK could offer expertise in analysis of
extra-terrestrial rock samples, designing portable equipment to carry
out analysis on the moon's surface, and building micro-satellites for
relaying communications to the other side of the moon. In return for a
significant contribution, the UK could claim a crew place on the
mission. "If the UK is providing help in other ways it would be a fair
exchange." Current government policy is for the UK not to take part in
manned space missions, but Dr Ball said there would be huge scientific
benefits.

Last year a report from the Royal Astronomical Society came to the same
conclusion. Ken Pounds of the University of Leicester, one of the
report's authors, said the moon, without an atmosphere or geological
activity, would have evidence of the solar system's history. The moon
is scattered with particles from the solar wind and ancient comets as
well as rocks thrown up from the early Earth by meteorite collisions.

"We were very impressed by arguments that the moon is a great museum of
everything that's been going on in the solar system," Prof Pounds said,
adding: "We were persuaded that, for the time being, the only way to do
this deep drilling was with humans with hard hats. It could be very
depressing if most of the developed countries in the world were
involved in a project and we were standing on the sidelines."

There would also be huge educational benefits. "Space projects
involving humans are something that is very attractive to kids and can
be a valuable hook to get kids interested in science."
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