Re: A lunar rover

Joe Strout (joe@xxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
: In article <deddd0$24mq$1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
: echomko_at_@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Eric Chomko) wrote:

: > : Well, this is easy to understand when you consider that (1) it takes
: > : years for any space mission to go from drawing board to touchdown, and
: > : (2) until very recently (i.e. the President's speech in January 2004
: > : [1]), the Moon was taboo at NASA, and had been since the close of Apollo.
: >
: > Nonsense, Clementine went up in 1994.
: > http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/clementine1.html

: Yes, after extensive lobbying that just barely managed to snatch it from
: the jaws of death several times. Clementine got off the ground DESPITE
: the Moon taboo; it does not demonstrate that the taboo does not exist.

Isn't Goddard working on a Lunar rover?

: > The poster makes a good point. We SHOULD have a lunar rover given the
: > great success of the MER missions.

: Well, sure. I wasn't arguing that we shouldn't; I was explaining why we
: don't (since that was, in fact, the question). If the question had
: been, "would this be a good idea?" I would have given a different answer.

: > : NASA's already planning renewed lunar missions, including rovers. We
: > : just have to be patient -- while consideration (2) above no longer
: > : applies, consideration (1) still does.
: >
: > Given that Clementine occurred a decade ago, it makes no sense that we
: > ignored the moon right afterward.

: It makes no sense until you understand the Moon taboo in NASA culture,
: which continued despite the excellent Clementine results.

Is that taboo related to GSFC having less clout than JSC and JPL in DC?

: > In short, we should have been sending
: > probes there all along.

: Sure, for all that should-haves are worth. In fact, since we're on the
: topic of should-haves, I'll do you one better: we should have kept right
: on exploring and developing the Moon right after Apollo, instead of
: turning our back on it and neglecting it for thirty years.

No argument there. My point is that if JSC or JPL don't get to do it, then
it isn't getting done. What is the fairness in that?

Eric

: Best,
: - Joe

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