Space agency reportedly being pushed to focus on Mars, a priority of commercial partner SpaceX founder Elon Musk

  • branno@lemm.ee
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    4 days ago

    NASA’s new priorities being giving Space X as much money as they possibly can.

  • BigMacHole@lemm.ee
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    4 days ago

    This would be REALLY Corrupt if the Current President, Elon Musk, had PRIVATE Business Interests in focusing on Mars! FORTUNATELY that’s NOT the Case!

  • TerranFenrir@lemmy.ca
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    4 days ago

    Mars is so incredibly useless from the point of view of advancing civilization.

    We can do so much stuff on the moon a lot better than on Mars. In short, the moon is MEANT to be industrialised by us.

    Here’s a video, cuz I’m too lazy to type out everything. Also, sorry for the YouTube link. I don’t think this fellow uploads anywhere else.

    Also don’t get me wrong. Mars is really cool as a scientific curiosity. It’s just not suitable for advancing civilization yet.

    • LarmyOfLone@lemm.ee
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      4 days ago

      Yeah just dig tunnels for living space. And no atmosphere so you could manufacture or mine resources on the moon and just shoot them towards earth with an electromagnetic railgun.

      • TerranFenrir@lemmy.ca
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        3 days ago

        Nono no need to LIVE on the moon. Living in microgravity is bad for health. Living in rotating space habitats is the only realistic way we get space cities.

        But yes, the moon definitely has the advantage of no atmosphere. Basically, the moon is where we place our industries (for the orbital and interplanetary economies).

        • LarmyOfLone@lemm.ee
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          3 days ago

          You could also use a rotating space habitat to catch cargo pods shot from the moon and use or redirect them. I believe you can balance your rotation speed and orbit velocity by catching cargo pods on different positions in the orbit around earth and on what side of the space habitat you catch it. Basically making it a giant battery of rotational energy that can throw pods without needing chemical energy.

        • LarmyOfLone@lemm.ee
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          3 days ago

          I’m “kinda hoping” that 1/6 gravity might be ok to live on, at least with some medical intervention, physical exercise or drugs. Even for space habitats it would be cool if we could adapt the human body to lower gravity like 1/2 g.

          Hmm, also, if you can build rotating space habitats (which the moon would also enable to be build) you could also build rotating moon habitats underground. Like one continuous subway maglev train endlessly driving in a circle. Although building in space could be cheaper haha.

  • ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Artemis is about Mars. Exploring the moon is a bonus but we still need to run a space station outside of Earth’s magnetic field to figure out how to protect astronauts from radiation and ֆքǟƈɛ ʍǟɖռɛֆֆ or whatever fresh Hell space has to offer. We won’t be bathed in glory even if we make it to Mars if everyone dies.