We need to stay in a place where no one has discovered it previously. This is a suggestion from a planetary researcher. The Chang’e 3, which is the lander and its rover is known to be the initial rocket that landed on the soft surface of the lunar way back in 1976. With their collaboration, they consider China as the third state that has been landed on the moon.
Way back in the 1970’s, when the Apollo program has been finished, the Americans planetary scientists lost their interest to come back to the moon. But according to the planetary scientist Christopher McKay, this situation has been altered. He stated that different things start to increase when it comes to exploring lunar surfaces.
The issue about the New Space, McKay suggested that America should build a permanent moonbase. If you are asking if building a moon base from NASA is a good idea, then this article is perfect for you.
In this post, we are going to provide you with the pros and cons associated with the question stated above. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Advantages
- Maintain the United States Influence
For more than several decades, the members of the Soviet Union and the United States were the nations that have been landed on the lunar surface. But these days, there are additional players, which include India and China. There are also other private companies, which include the Moon Express and the SpaceX, that are now visiting the moon. As stated by McKay, if the United States wants to keep in touch on how those international communities treat the moon, then they need to be active.
- Learn More About the Moon
Even though the moon is the closest celestial neighbor to Earth, it still contains lots of mysteries, which include the history behind its formation. When a state has a moon research base, they can look for the lava tube caves of the moon and experiment it, discover the different geologic activity signs and explore the possible traces of water ices on the moon poles dark craters.
- Becoming an Interplanetary Species
According to McKay, it is time to prove that individuals can live on the moon as an interplanetary species. The moon programs of NASA contain 3 orbiters that are thoroughly looking for the water ice, study the tenuous atmosphere of the moon, and analyze its solar wind.
Disadvantages
- Ridiculously Expensive
It cannot also be denied that building a moon base from NASA is quite expensive. If America is going to build a permanent moon base, it needs more money to build one. America can use this money for a more productive activity that can increase its economy. - Low Gravity
The lunar surface only contains about 6 percent of the Earth’s gravity. This only means that individuals who will go there, without the proper suit and equipment might lose bone mass and muscle.
This is always true if they are going to stay there for a more extended time. This is also similar to individuals who were born on the Moon. Their lungs and heart cannot adapt to the gravity of the Earth.
Conclusion
To sum it up, the moon base from NASA is a good idea if the state has the proper equipment that will be used for their stay on the lunar surface. The pros and cons of building a moon base that we have mentioned above are just a few of them. If there are still pros and cons that we did not mention, do not hesitate to drop your comments below.