Talk:Lunar outpost (NASA)

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[edit] Gregg Easterbrook

  • Gregg Easterbrook is probably a great columnist, but why is he singled out among any other who editorialized about the outpost ? Hektor 20:40, 14 December 2006 (UTC)
I don't understand your argument. Because multiple people have offered criticism we shouldn't mention any of them? In any event, I have added several other critics, so if that is your argument it no longer carries such weight as once it might have. Jacob1207 22:25, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
  • The columnist quoted uses unscientific and inflamatory words, and provides no rational arguments. If humans are to colonize space, I would think the moon would be about the first place to go.
I have added the material back, albeit leaving out some of the more inflamatory parts. If you read the article, he does provide quite a few good reasons. He main argument is not that a Moon base is useless, but that the massive resources that must go into it could be better spent on other useful scientific projects. I think this is captured in the quotation provided and other remarks about his column. If you still disagree, let's talk. Jacob1207 22:25, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Rename to NASA's proposed lunar outpost? or merge with Colonization of the Moon?

In my opinion, lunar outpost is a horrible name for a page that describes NASA's proposed lunar outpost. Is it the purpose of this page to discuss all lunar outposts, or just NASA's? Several countries have plans to place human outposts on the Moon, and NASA's proposal is only the latest such suggestion. It is not obvious how this page is supposed to differ from Colonization of the Moon. Some explanation of what the rationale of this page is would be greatly appreciated. Lunokhod 22:31, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

  • Lunar outpost is a temporary name before an official name is selected by NASA. The goal of this article is to document the facility which has been outlined by NASA early december as its next major space project after the International Space Station. Hektor 05:06, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

I realize that this article has already been moved, however, I think its focus should be changed and the article renamed again. This article is about NASA's Lunar Architecture Study and the proposed base it outlines as a continuation of the Vision for Space Exploration and Project Constellation. Right now, there isn't a real plan for a lunar outpost, there have been many studies like this one done in the past, just look at the chapter on Lunar Architecture in the Exploration Systems Architecture Study for a partial list of previous studies. While this might materialize into a real lunar outpost, right now it shouldn't be represented as such. Grant 17:37, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

It's important to recognize that "outpost-duration missions" are the plan-of-record for implementing NASA's current vision for human visits to the lunar surface. That it is current makes it different (right now) from previous proposals. (Of course the article probably overemphasizes the likelihood of this mission being accomplished. Something similar may eventually get built but by that logic, ISS is "Mir 2". ;-) In any case, the first subsection of the article makes it clear the article is specifically about NASA's reference design for a lunar polar outpost. The chapter Grant mentions uses the phrase "lunar outpost" 38 times, but maybe the article should be renamed to "Lunar Outpost Reference Design (NASA)"? Sdsds 23:12, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] New page outline

I'm working on re-writing this article, making it about the Lunar Architecture Study. Here is my proposed outline:

  • The Studies Purpose
  • The Studies Recommendations
    • Sortie vs. Outpost
    • Polar Outpost Site
    • Outpost Buildup
  • Justifications for a Lunar Outpost
  • Post 2025 Opportunities

Please let me know what comments you have on the above outline. Thanks! Grant 19:43, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

I think there should be an article just like the one you outline, and it should probably be called "NASA Lunar Architecture Study". It would be great if the "Polar Outpost Site" section said "See main article at "Lunar outpost reference design (NASA)". Sdsds 23:15, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
both good ideas - there are many pages that need linking together - one thing I notice is that there is a good page on Project_Constellation - it would be a good idea to start there, linking to the new Lunar Architecture (NASA), and perhaps some kind of template like the one used here for easy navigation to linked topics sbandrews 13:04, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
The outline should include the "Criticisms" section that has been added back in. I think it fits in well after "justifications." Jacob1207 03:43, 11 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Importance to Space exploration

I have (with this edit) reclassified this article as being of "High" (rather than "Top") importance to space exploration. It seems like a close call, but establishing the outpost is planned for so many years in the future that making it "Top" importance today seems overly ... optimistic. (sdsds - talk) 21:14, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

  • This is the successor project of the International Space Station, which is Top, so it should be at the same level. It is also the first permanent settlement of humankind on another celestial body. Hektor 08:39, 26 August 2007 (UTC)