PROJECT ZETA: SENDING PEOPLE TO THE MOON (AGAIN)
If we ever make it this far, we recommend sending people to the Moon not with conventional rockets or shuttles but with technologically advanced, reusable ‘space planes’ (as pictured to the left), which can be housed and launched from any major airport. They should be well built to adequately protect human beings from the harsh conditions of outer space, which includes solar flares and intense radiation. They will, of course, require assistance to reach space using conventional methods or possibly new technologies that are yet to be invented.
Whatever the specifics, the idea is to create a vehicle that minimises the amount of times that people must leave it when in space or on the surface of the Moon, as both are dangerous, even when in spacesuits. These space planes should have all we need (in terms of human supplies, propulsion technology and fuel) to get us to the Moon, land on its surface, live there and then return to earth. Think of it as taking a campervan on a trip into the wilderness with all the creature comforts you could dream of instead of going on foot with only the bare essentials on your back. We believe that in space we simply cannot risk such things. One injury or casualty is one too many. For added assurance, if there is ever an emergency, another space plane can immediately be sent up to help or the first one can just return to earth. These are the sorts of reasons why we propose first colonising the Moon before Mars. Mars does have much more to offer in terms of resources and an atmosphere but it is so much further away than the Moon that we believe we should only conquer it when mankind has mastered space flight in the same way that they have mastered aviation today – and the Moon is the perfect hotbed on which to do this while still achieving so much. Besides, the Moon is what interests more people and still being able to see home so clearly from it will immensely help the morale of a young and developing Lunar outpost. In addition, once we are on the Moon, it is much easier to go to other planets because of its weak gravity.
Theoretically, life support systems can be made to make the Moon completely self-sufficient (as discussed earlier) but they will first have to be fully tested in practice, despite the amount of theories and calculations that back them up in the literature. An example that shows how things need to be fully tested and not just theorised is America’s famous Bio-dome project, which was made to be a fully self-sufficient ecosystem in an environment that was completely isolated from its surroundings. However, it later required extra oxygen to support it. Therefore, before we go about creating a self-sufficient colony on the Moon, we need to determine for certain if resources such as air and water, in limited supplies, can truly be continually recycled. In addition, we must remember that in practice things can and often do go wrong. Machines break down (anyone who used a home computer before 2005 will know exactly what I’m talking about) and people make mistakes. Some get sick. Some even go crazy. In the beginning, people should not even travel too far from the base to avoid getting lost and stranded with dwindling supplies. Instead, robotics (such as those mentioned on the previous page) should be sent out to conduct such exploration. Yes, it appears that the Moon may need earth for a long time before it can become its own independent colony but both can benefit from each other from the very beginning through inter-planetary trade. With the first colonists not being bogged down with the continuing ‘daily housework’ of operating their basic life support systems, they can freely adapt to their new surrounds, form a society and focus on lunar ‘exports’ to pay for the continual shipments of needed supplies from earth. Such exports can include but not be limited to:
- Lunar tourism and fun in weak gravity
- Potential space walks before landing (where passengers get to leave the space planes in spacesuits (while still tethered to them) and experience the indescribable exhilaration of floating in outer space!)
- Breath-taking views of earth and space from the Moon
- Research of the Moon and the universe through lunar exploration vehicles (as discussed earlier) and telescopic observations made from the Moon’s surface without the atmospheric disturbances found on earth
- Sales of lunar rocks, minerals and soil. In fact, with the Moon's lack of atmosphere to burn up debris from space, a lot of material would have accumulated over billions of years and would now be readily available. Such material could contain valuable metals and other elements for building and producing energy - for both the Moon and earth. One example is helium-3, which scientists believe has accumulated on the lunar surface from solar winds, which the Moon has no magnetic field to deflect against. This resource is incredibly valuable and could produce so much energy not only for the Moon but also for earth to assist it in its energy crisis and climate change problem.
- New cultural activities such as sports, games, pastimes, music, literature, film, photography, and even a live reality TV show starring some of the first colonists (my dear sister would immediately faint if she was ever presented with the opportunity to be on a live reality show!)
- Launching satellites with vast solar panels to continually orbit the Moon and not only generate energy that could be beamed down to its surface through microwaves but also to that of earth (through a series of satellites).
- Testing technologies that are deemed to be too dangerous to test on earth.
THE NEW ROUTE
It is proposed that these space planes are constructed in China or India with the utilisation of not just their own technology and innovation but also that of nearby Japan to create the best quality space planes and dramatically cut down on their costs under our Western currency. In addition, these countries already have strong space programs of their own.
We can start a manned lunar mission with two space planes (each with, say, six people and all the supplies they need for the entire trip) where both would reach the Moon together and then return to earth together. The reason for having two space planes instead of one is to provide each with a backup of everything (including parts). Each could be made to individually house and feed all 12 astronauts of both for the duration of the trip for added assurance. This process could then be repeated with launching two more space planes from earth, say, three months after the first pair. Upon their arrival the first two will return to earth for servicing (which will be easier to conduct on earth) and later reuse. The next two will remain on the lunar surface and will then return themselves for servicing when the first two arrive again. Repeating this process will establish a continuing human presence on the Moon.
