• Shrike502@lemmygrad.ml
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    1 year ago

    What are the advantages of a manner mission vs an unmanned one? Other than prestige, I can think of very few pros vs plentiful cons

    • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆OP
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      1 year ago

      From what I was reading, the long term goal is to make a colony. If we could make a colony on the moon that opens up a lot of possibilities. Especially, if it can be made largely self sufficient using local resources. It could also be a launchpad for exploring the rest of the solar system. You could build a space elevator on the moon much easier than on Earth for example, you can use nuclear energy without worrying about environmental pollution, etc. All of that is obviously far in the future, but you have to start somewhere.

      • Bloops@lemmygrad.ml
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        1 year ago

        You could make a space elevator easier that’s true. But due to the low gravity and lack of an atmosphere, you see mass drivers suggested more often. They’re also much simpler.

        • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆OP
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          1 year ago

          Mass drivers are definitely simpler and will almost certainly get built first, but they don’t quite fill the same role because space elevator allows for docking in orbit.

    • Life2Space@lemmygrad.ml
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      1 year ago

      National pride, perhaps? The 2nd nation in history to land a human on the Moon would be absolutely astonishing.

      Additionally, to help in the establishment of a lunar base to serve as a platform for rocket launches to Mars or for mining operations; tasks that cannot be fully completed - even by robots.

      • cayde6ml@lemmygrad.ml
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        1 year ago

        Exactly. China establishing a lunar base would pay off in dividends for future space exploration for decades.

      • 201dberg@lemmygrad.ml
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        1 year ago

        Pretty sure it would be the 3rd yeah? The Soviets also performed manned lunar landings.

        Edit: NVM my knowledge of that was incorrect it seems.

          • 201dberg@lemmygrad.ml
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            1 year ago

            I stand corrected. I did not realize they never landed cosmonauts. I swear I thought I had read they did but then I have not a lot of knowledge of that area.