City on the moon...

[rightwinger]

With over 35 trillion in debt, a lunar colony is an extravagance

 

[progressive hunter]

 

[progressive hunter]

 

[Darkwind]

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein about a 2075 revolt by a lunar penal colony against Earth's rule. Three million "Loonies" (lunar inhabitants) live in underground cities where a virtually anarcho-capitalist society has developed. When the Federated Nations threaten the colony's resources, computer technician Manuel "Mannie" O'Kelly-Davis, political agitator Wyoming Knott, and rational-anarchist Professor Bernardo de la Paz join forces with "Mike," a self-aware supercomputer, to plan an independence movement timed to culminate on July 4, 2076.

The novel explores libertarian ideals, focusing on the concepts of individual liberty, voluntary association, and free-market economics. The book also popularized the term TANSTAAFL ("There Ain't No Such Thing As a Free Lunch"), which in the story underscores the Moon's harsh reality that every resource and every freedom carries a cost. The book is respected for its credible presentation of a comprehensively imagined future human society on both the Earth and the Moon.

Originally serialized monthly in Worlds of If (December 1965 – April 1966), the book was nominated for the Nebula Award in 1966 and won the 1967 Hugo Award for Best Novel. The novel went on to influence later science fiction as well as discussions of economics, politics, and hacker culture.
...

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It was a great story. I loved it, and I was reading that story at 11 in 1970. Heinlein is a favorite of Mine.

 

[LibertyWeeps]

Unless his purpose is to use that base for governmental operations.........like scientific study, mining for ores, and developing space tech................I don't see any reason for it.

A SMALL colony would be sufficient for even that.

Besides, I've read that the Chinese already have a camp on the darkside of the moon.

 

[LibertyWeeps]

This is a scifi movie about astronauts on the moon............and how they disappear.

It's a slow burner, and I usually hate slow burners, but it's pretty good.

Apollo 18 (2011)

Decades-old found footage involving three astronauts and an abandoned, secret NASA mission reveals why the U.S. has never returned to the moon.

tubitv.com

Click on the movie title to link to the movie on Tubi.
Or just go on Tubi and look it up to watch it.

 

[Stryder50]

Unless his purpose is to use that base for governmental operations.........like scientific study, mining for ores, and developing space tech................I don't see any reason for it.

A SMALL colony would be sufficient for even that.

Besides, I've read that the Chinese already have a camp on the darkside of the moon.

First, one has to think in terms of long range planning and investment. While initial technology and infrastructure could seem expensive, over time as start-up costs mature into normal habitation and operation, then there will be greater payoffs, returns on investments.

1) A long term project will be the incentive to develop economical and reusable transportation systems, ideally lowering costs per pound of payloads to and from the Moon.

2) Key is to establish durable and eventually self-sustaining colonies -habitats and industries.

3) Optimal will be a system of large orbital platforms closer to Earth orbits for fabrication and operations as intermediate points of Earth ~Lunar ~Earth transportation systems, and support for the close orbital solar power arrays.

4) One probable venture with excellent longer term rewards on investment will be to mine as much ores and materials as possible from the Moon, then refine and fabricate into usable components, which will provide the large orbital solar power arrays that then beam down energy to Earth's surface. Optimally these will be at Geo Synchronous Orbits.

5) These Projects would also include usage of the LaGrange points for Space Fabrication facilities and systems. There's been interesting speculations on what sort of materials and products of unique capabilities and structure nature that can be manufactured in vacuum and zero gravity conditions.

6) As travel systems start to reduce the cost per pound for payloads, tourism becomes one of the more promising industries for Lunar enterprises. Another promising potential is what low to zero gravity might offer for medical treatments of older and handicapped persons, possibly appealing retirement residences.

7) Also, Lunar operations and facilities might allow for more economical and profitable jump-off for interplanetary exploration, colonize and industries.

BTW, I think what was meant was the Far-side (opposite Earth) since the "darkside" revolves 360 around the Moon's surface in the 28 day Solar lighting cycle.

 

[Stryder50]

It was a great story. I loved it, and I was reading that story at 11 in 1970. Heinlein is a favorite of Mine.

I've reread that one frequently. I understood and appreciated it more in recent years.
I also started reading Heinlein in mid 60s when I was a teen. He's been one of my favorite Sci-fi authors.

I think there might be a thread or two around here on sci-fi authors and/or Heinlein.

 

[MostBoringManInTheWorld]

 

[shockedcanadian]

I see no reason to keep a colony on the moon
The logistics of supplying it would be overwhelming for very little scientific value

It is about control of it before China decides to take it and prevent any other nation from access. Also, apparently there are means in which to more easily interfere with and even destroy other nations satelittes from the moon. If China or Russia get there first there are risks to U.S satellite network.

 

[rightwinger]

It is amazing that we landed on the moon when we did.

We were in the middle of the Vietnam War and all our resources were going to support the war effort. Who in their right mind would maintain a lunar space program while we were at war ?

But we were in a race with the USSR to be the first to walk on the moon and we were racing to meet JFKs promise to land on the moon by the end of the decade

 

[shockedcanadian]

It is amazing that we landed on the moon when we did.

We were in the middle of the Vietnam War and all our resources were going to support the war effort. Who in their right mind would maintain a lunar space program while we were at war ?

But we were in a race with the USSR to be the first to walk on the moon and we were racing to meet JFKs promise to land on the moon by the end of the decade

People talk about the 7 Wonders of the World. To me the moon landing is just as impressive as the pyramids for its time.

500 Years from now, assuming our species is still here or history is honest, the citizens of that time will ask themselves the same questions we ask of the pyramids, "how did such a primitive species find a way to get to the moon"?

 

[Churchill]

So, if you look in the right places, you can get a glimpse into some of the plans Musk has for space. He wants Mars, but it looks like some cooler heads talked him into the importance of a moon base to support Mars.

A fascinating watch.

Good Lord, you people actually take that doofus seriously?

 

[Churchill]

People talk about the 7 Wonders of the World. To me the moon landing is just as impressive as the pyramids for its time.

500 Years from now, assuming our species is still here or history is honest, the citizens of that time will ask themselves the same questions we ask of the pyramids, "how did such a primitive species find a way to get to the moon"?

Every educated person knows how, his name was Wernher von Braun, he was instrumental in bombing Great Britain during WW2.

 

[Darkwind]

Every educated person knows how, his name was Wernher von Braun, he was instrumental in bombing Great Britain during WW2.

View attachment 1230763View attachment 1230765

Guess that rules you out.

 

[Darkwind]

I've reread that one frequently. I understood and appreciated it more in recent years.
I also started reading Heinlein in mid 60s when I was a teen. He's been one of my favorite Sci-fi authors.

I think there might be a thread or two around here on sci-fi authors and/or Heinlein.

Yeah, it was sort of a golden age of SF writing. Heinlein, Asimov, Clark, Dick, Bradbury. Which can be kind of ironic in this thread, with the goal being to go to Mars.

 

[Captain Caveman]

A moon base would act as only a staging area for Mars. Eventually, the resources and tech will catch up to the point where they can sustain a colony and start harvesting the moon's resources for us.

I was just reading the implications about the moons 16% gravity. Not good for humans, so stays would have to be a few months max at a time. Mars slightly better at 33%.

 

[Stryder50]

I was just reading the implications about the moons 16% gravity. Not good for humans, so stays would have to be a few months max at a time. Mars slightly better at 33%.

That could be a problem.
Even more so is prolonged time in weightless conditions.
There are a few astronauts who have over a year in such habitation.

There might be surgical and eventually genetic adjustments for current and future persons living such.

 

[toobfreak]

plans Musk has for space. He wants Mars,

Sorry, but Greenland and Denmark already own Mars and they say they ain't budging on giving Trump an inch of it.

but it looks like some cooler heads talked him into the importance of a moon base to support Mars.

Mars may be a one way trip but I'm not sure why after establishing the basic base there, our next ships cannot focus on sending doctors and a medical team so that if one gets sick there, you don't NEED to come home!

What I wonder is how do you pay someone to go there? Surely, they need income, hazard pay, but who do you send it to? How do they get it? How do they cash the check and what do they spend it on?