News: Nasa moon mission could include UK astronaut

James Randerson, science correspondent
Wednesday April 26, 2006
The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/arti...761376,00.html

UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.

The last mission to land on the moon was Apollo 17 in 1972, but no
British astronaut has walked on the surface. Andrew Ball, a space
scientist at the Open University, said the UK could provide a field
geologist to go to the moon on a new mission: "That would bring the UK
huge scientific benefits."

Dr Ball is part of a UK scientific delegation at Nasa's exploration
strategy workshop this week, where Nasa officials are outlining US
plans to return to the moon in 2018. David Parker, another delegate,
from the British National Space Centre, the UK's space agency, said:
"We have an open mind to see whether there are benefits from their
programme. We want to be at least involved in the discussions at an
early stage."

Dr Ball said the UK could offer expertise in analysis of
extra-terrestrial rock samples, designing portable equipment to carry
out analysis on the moon's surface, and building micro-satellites for
relaying communications to the other side of the moon. In return for a
significant contribution, the UK could claim a crew place on the
mission. "If the UK is providing help in other ways it would be a fair
exchange." Current government policy is for the UK not to take part in
manned space missions, but Dr Ball said there would be huge scientific
benefits.

Last year a report from the Royal Astronomical Society came to the same
conclusion. Ken Pounds of the University of Leicester, one of the
report's authors, said the moon, without an atmosphere or geological
activity, would have evidence of the solar system's history. The moon
is scattered with particles from the solar wind and ancient comets as
well as rocks thrown up from the early Earth by meteorite collisions.

"We were very impressed by arguments that the moon is a great museum of
everything that's been going on in the solar system," Prof Pounds said,
adding: "We were persuaded that, for the time being, the only way to do
this deep drilling was with humans with hard hats. It could be very
depressing if most of the developed countries in the world were
involved in a project and we were standing on the sidelines."

There would also be huge educational benefits. "Space projects
involving humans are something that is very attractive to kids and can
be a valuable hook to get kids interested in science."
-----

On 29 Apr 2006 04:00:23 -0700, "Rusty"
wrote:

Andrew Ball, a space
scientist at the Open University, said the UK could provide a field
geologist to go to the moon on a new mission

"And now, let's meet the geologist on our mission. He's from England,
and he's the best they have. Mr. Gumby?"

"Oi...I...am Mr. Pee...Tee... [thinks]...Gumby! Oi...am...going...to
the...[thinks]...the....the Sun! [thinks again] No, wait!....I am
going...to the Moon! The Moon, yes! Do you have any questions for
me...?"

"Yes, what sort of geological discoveries do you hope to find on the
Moon?"

"Geo...log...ical? [thinks longer]...My brain hurts."


OM
--
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] OMBlog - http://www.io.com/~o_m/omworld [
] Let's face it: Sometimes you *need* [
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]=====================================[

"Rusty" wrote in message
ups.com...
James Randerson, science correspondent
Wednesday April 26, 2006
The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/arti...761376,00.html

UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.



I don't think this is a good idea. We know the first thing a Brit would
do once they set food on the Moon is have tea and crumpets.

Rusty; "Nasa moon mission could include UK astronaut",
That's certainly one good way of exterminating the British, as in one
by one as they're sent to the moon.

Our moon has been well certified as being more than sufficiently
radioactive, as well as entirely reactive as all get out. Proof being
is that it's exactly of what our USAF accomplishes all the time, and
I'm certain the Russian air force does the exact same thing (whom
wouldn't?), as they calibrate their onboard radiation detection and
thus radioactive target tracking instruments via taking moon readings.
That's called double-duh and absolutely no kidding folks!

However, are we even all that certain that it's of the 5000 rads/m2 as
suggested by "tj Frazir", or is it based upon 5000 microrads/m2, or is
it otherwise pertaining to that of 5000 rads/km2/hr. I believe that it
makes a difference, even though technically remaining as moonsuit
lethal most any way you'd care to cut into it.

Our moon is in fact most certainly a rad hot and downright nasty
situation, but I do believe they may have been talking about 5000
microrads, or 5 mrem/m2/hr, which actually is still representing a damn
nasty TBI dosage environment if we're honestly considering the vast
numbers of available m2 from which such gamma/hard-X-ray dosage is
being contributed. Therefore, it's actually quite a nasty environment
that's perfectly capable of becoming much worse off than merely 5000
gamma rads/hr. At merely 5 mrem/m2/hr, try thinking along the lines of
16e3 rads/hr as easily seen by a given moonsuit and of the soon to be
quite DNA terminated astronaut that's within.

I believe that's good for a whole minute worth of EVA if there's a
sufficiently quick return to Earth and that of having a sub-frozen cash
of banked bone marrow standing by.
-
Brad Guth

Rusty wrote:
James Randerson, science correspondent
Wednesday April 26, 2006
The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/arti...761376,00.html

UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.

They should send Commander Clarke. He can hand out ID cards to the first
60,000,000 moonrocks he finds. LMP Prescott can amuse himself with CMP
Hewitt.

Von Fourche wrote:
UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.

I don't think this is a good idea. We know the first thing a Brit would
do once they set food on the Moon is have tea and crumpets.


Wrong. The first thing we would do is complain about how bad the tea is.

"Von Fourche" wrote:

Especially if the tea is instant....

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On Sun, 30 Apr 2006 23:09:11 GMT, Cruithne3753
wrote:

Von Fourche wrote:
UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.

I don't think this is a good idea. We know the first thing a Brit would
do once they set food on the Moon is have tea and crumpets.


Wrong. The first thing we would do is complain about how bad the tea is.

....and the weather.

Darren J Longhorn wrote:
On Sun, 30 Apr 2006 23:09:11 GMT, Cruithne3753
wrote:

Von Fourche wrote:
UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.
I don't think this is a good idea. We know the first thing a Brit would
do once they set food on the Moon is have tea and crumpets.

Wrong. The first thing we would do is complain about how bad the tea is.

...and the weather.


Only mad dogs and englishmen..

Von Fourche wrote:
"Rusty" wrote in message
ups.com...

James Randerson, science correspondent
Wednesday April 26, 2006
The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/arti...761376,00.html

UK scientists are in talks with Nasa about joining the US space
agency's plans to return to the moon. The mission could include a
British crew member who would land on the surface.


I don't think this is a good idea. We know the first thing a Brit would
do once they set food on the Moon is have tea and crumpets.


The really cool thing is that this time, we'll have some crisp live
digital video from the lander cabin, so we can just how slowly the tea
emerges from the pot, and how long it takes to hit the cup.

(I wonder how much research went into the scene in E2M where Aldrin
pours the holy water into the cup as he takes the first communion on
another world.)

I also suspect that loosely scrambled eggs and "bangers" will be just as
bad on the Moon as they are here.

--

..

"Though I could not caution all, I yet may warn a few:
Don't lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools!"

--grateful dead.
__________________________________________________ _____________
Mike Flugennock, flugennock at sinkers dot org
"Mikey'zine": dubya dubya dubya dot sinkers dot org