NASA Briefing Previews Lunar Mission

During a televised news briefing from NASA Headquarters on Thursday, Aug. 22, panelists discussed the agency's next mission to the moon, and the first lunar mission launching from the Virginia coast. NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission is scheduled to launch at 11:27 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va. Data from the mission will provide unprecedented information about the environment around the moon and give scientists a better understanding of other planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond.

[EMBpodcast]

it wasn't designed to leave Earth orbit. For one thing there's no radiation protection, nor traditional flight controls. It simply remains in a constant falling motion with a high forward speed to avoid any actual descent.

[joerobinson]

For the people asking about the technology used in the first landing. 1) There was no backup for anything, Buzz Aldren ended up using a pen in a circuit breaker to get them off the moon, If he didn't they most likely would have died there. 2) This time you probably should be able to do more than just pick up some rocks and bring them back considering the cost involved. 3) They need some way to deal with the lower gravity issues on the human body.

[duffman]

I've been a part of something to this extent. It makes everyone else a little more comfortable, speaking afterwards,

[pvtnum]

Good points; I had forgotten the radiation hazards. LEO is mostly safe from that sort of thing.

[ThomasTarrants]

We actually have several rockets that can send a human to the lunar surface, if you aren't concerned about soft landing or getting him/her back.

[arbyfiles]

"It simply remains in a constant falling motion with a high forward speed to avoid any actual descent."
in other words, orbit!

[pvtnum]

Solutions to the zero-g problem are less than ideal, also - running on a treadmill while bungie-corded to the deck may keep your legs from atrophying, but there's a lot more to deal with than just that. Some way to simulate gravity on the long-duration coast phase of the mission would fix a number of them, but they you're inside a giant spinning tin can for months at a time...

[karlseaton]

I know, this kind of info should be taught in Schools, the NASA, ESA, and CSA get no where near enough media coverage.
On TV you get the media talking about "Oh my god! Kim Kardashian wearing a GAP T-Shirt!" It's never anything like " European Space Agency start building the first Moonbase"

[MattHumanPizza]

Less sunlight, not designed for lower temperatures.

[joerobinson]

I doubt I will get an answer but I am curious if NASA has considered making vehicles that can be easily altered and reused in cases like the moon where we may return or even create a permanent presence there. In simple terms an erector set style vehicle.

[EMBpodcast]

Ever since NASA came over to YouTube for their Multimedia videos, for one thing I can no longer download the videos. Secondly, the latency on YouTube for me on WinXP is very annoying. i.e. a press conference 1hr video turns into an audio due to the difficulty in watching it with the latency! Wish they'd (NASA) switch back to their own video posting, as it were.

[pvtnum]

Doing that would require a huuuuge amount of delta-v to get it there, establish orbit and there are limited orbital inclinations around the Moon (almost typed Mun, lols) that are actually stable.

[jolgiiis]

The woman that spoke in the beginning was so nervous that I got nervous myself.

[Dysputant]

They just need to find a way to shield people from deadly solar radiation. ;)

[karlseaton]

We do have then tech to get to the Moon, just not the funding.
We went to the moon in 1969, a long time ago, we had the tech to get there, why wouldn't we now?

[xRose]

So uh, when is NASA gonna launch the Moon Bases programs?

[arbyfiles]

yes with SLS and Orion. but not for another 10 years or so :(
its been too long

[adammesser]

why not just take our space station to the moon and let it orbit it

[ChristopherEverett]

I wish a scientist from NASA would be willing to correspond to me.

[karlseaton]

But we could just go to the moon right now, build all the Propulsion systems, fuel tanks, etc.