On December 7th 1972, I was only 6 years old, but I have a vivid memory in my head to this day of Apollo 17 heading to the Moon in what would be the last of our visits to the lunar surface. 37 years ago Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt stepped off the lunar surface and came back to Earth and no human has set foot there since.
It's time to go back.
I grew up dreaming of the prospect of living and working in space. I was one of the first public members of the Planetary Society founded by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman in 1980 and the expansion of the SETI program. I wasn't one of those kids who just read about rockets, I actually built several ...and I still dream of retiring in "Luna City" - we just need to build it first.
The great news for all those like minded people out there is that NASA is actually working on it. So are the Japanese, Canadians and British along with supported efforts from a number of associated countries. NASA's "Moon and Mars" site describes a number of initiatives including the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter that will help us get there. With the expansion of the International Space Station comes growth opportunities and a chance for a pit stop between Earth and the Moon. The next Shuttle mission (STS 127) is scheduled to add yet more lab space to the station with the Kibo laboratory complex provided by the Japanese.
In November last year, NASA successfully extended the Internet into space and made improvements in the process. The new Disruption Tolerant Network currently only has 10 nodes, but that's quite a few when you consider there aren't a whole lot of humans out there yet. This and other efforts in space exploration centers around the globe point to a near future where many of us will live and work on the lunar surface and beyond.
I can hardly wait. I can have my bags packed and be ready to go in about 20 minutes, just give me the call! In 1972, you had to be a colonel in the US Air Force to even have a hope of stepping onto the lunar surface. In the next decade, I foresee science and commerce reaching out to build entire communities on the moon that will include a variety of professions. Where there is work, there must be play!
I have said to my wife many times - "Bury me in Mare Nubium!" I might actually get my wish.
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Find out more at nava.gov, canadian space agency, Japan Space Exploration Kibo Project
