Return to the Moon - edited by Rick Tumlinson with Erin Medlicott
From The Space Library
Featuring articles by Alan Binder (Manager - Lunar Prospector Mission), Andy Chaikin (Author - A Man on the Moon), Dr. Paul Spudis (Member of the President's Commission), Frank White (Author - The Overview Effect), Courtney Stadd (Former White House staffer and NASA Deputy Administrator), Allen Steele (SF Author - Clark County Space), Dr. Pete Worden (Former Brigadier General, Air Force). There is a war going on in US space policy that has been underway for many years, but became public with the 2004 announcement by President G. W. Bush that America is going to return to the Moon and go on to Mars. His speech caused a shockwave in the US space community and caused immediate controversy in a field that had been rocked by disasters, financial and bureaucratic scandals, and yet is witnessing the rise of a NewSpace industry in the form of private billionaire entrepreneurs such as MicroSoft's Paul Allen, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and others who are building their own spaceships, hotels and industrial space firms. Many asked: "Why?" Others, recalling the cost and failures of other large government space initiatives asked: "How?" Although both the public and private sectors are feeling a renewed excitement about going back to the Moon and on to Mars, the battle lines are drawn between the forces of the old school traditional NASA/aerospace community and those advocating an alternative “Frontier” approach to space. NASA has so far responded to their orders from the president with an expensive and bloated re-working of the old Apollo program, which critics such as controversial Editor Rick Tumlinson and many in this volume charge will result in yet another“flags and footprints” dead end unless dramatically changed. But there is still time and still hope that those advocating a new partnership that leads to the expanding human settlement of space can win. The differences are clear, and the winners will determine not just the future of America's future in space, but the future of the human race. This volume brings together some of the major top level players involved in creating this new push, and top experts from a wide variety of fields and points of view. From their different perspectives, and written in their different styles, they make the case for our return, point out different ways to do it, and explain just what to do when we get there. More than just a set of science essays, the book reaches into the core questions of why we go to places like the Moon, who will live and work there and why we should care. It is beautifully illustrated with over 30 colour images showing just what can happen on the Moon if the right choices are made. From telescopes to tourism, from pleasure domes to platinum mines, to building a new branch of humanity and saving the Earth, the case is made for our Return to the Moon - This Time to Stay! Buy This Book Click here |
