NASA moon base.

[0xide]

NASA is planing on making a base on the moon for further discovery of mars and possibly for travels to mars.

It is said to be around 2020 before the project goes under way though. Still pretty exciting.

[joshb]

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about this. Makes you think of all the possibilities... makes you want to become an astronaut as well. For me, anyway. I'd love to do it, but it'd be scary as hell.

[IceShark]

It would be kinda cool, reminds me of the movie with Arnold, with the mining base on Mars, can't remember the name of it.

[synthia]

It's exciting,  but I thought that was what the space station was supposed to do.

The whole space program has been such a disappointment in terms of manned exploration.  I worked on the Apollo project when I was in my early twenties.  When I look at what was accomplished between 1954 and 1969, I'm impressed.  When I look at what was accomplished from 1969 to now, I'm depressed.

NASA admits the shuttle was a mistake, but I think the mistake wasn't going with the shuttle, but not working on the next generation of  anything.

It is still nice to hear ambitious plans from the manned space program for a change.

[RageD]

I think it will be a major step for us. Soon we may be able to inhabit the moon and that would be cool (When I say soon I mean maybe the next 100 to 150 years if we're lucky )

-RageD

[IceShark]

Yes, investment in space exploration has not been the top priority for a long time now.  The US and other countries are too busy spending their money on war 

[Tasadduqkhan]

2020 is way too far I think
I've heard that some company has been selling the land on Moon. Anyone heard about this?

Mars is the dream of NASA people now as it is the perfect place for life after earth.

[0xide]

I think it will be a major step for us. Soon we may be able to inhabit the moon and that would be cool (When I say soon I mean maybe the next 100 to 150 years if we're lucky )

-RageD

Well we arnt planning on living on the moon, i think they are trying to find a way to get us to live on mars which would be equally as cool.

[joshb]

It's a real shame the government doesn't invest more money in the program. If you think about it though, they've done pretty well (in my opinion) on what they've been given.

[synthia]

The unmanned results have been amazing, especially since so many of the robots and probes have functioned so much longer than expected.  Scientists have had a chance to see and analyze results, and decide on new activities based on those results.  Without that extra time, the data would have been evaluated after the package had died, and a whole new mission would have been required.

I hope the moon base will be funded from additional money, and not come out of the unmanned program.

[sunmoon]

I think NASA is doing a great job to go to the moon and eventually Mars. China is having its own idea, which is great as somebody will eventually succeed. The other interesting idea is Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic (www.virgingalactic.com). Wow for $200,000, he can fly you to edge of the earth. I hope this comes true and more competition will create a better space industry (just like how Internet growed). Maybe we can make it to space as tourist ( 1 week vacation maybe?) faster than we thought possible.

[Aspire]

The idea indeed is fascinating. Sets the impulse level run high. This also opens up a host of other opportunities like futher exploration into the moon. I also think could there also be a commercial aspect to this. Like rights to land property at the moon and things like that...

[Tigon]

Yep,

They're also planning to land humans on Mars, but I don't think they're going to do this before 2020. It'll take some years to prepare for Mars. But, they've recently sent a rover to Mars on Aug.6.2007 and it'll land on mars next year in May. This rover will test soil to see if there's any life on mars or not ... 

[Arch3r25]

Ugg, that's pointless.

I don't know why people are rushing off to the moon when there are so many problems at home...on earth lol.