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Pros & Cons of Returning to the Moon

In December 1972, Gene Cernan was the last human to step off the moon and the last manned mission to the moon was completed. Yet, there have been several planned crash landings and unmanned missions exploring the surface of the moon. In 2009, the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee was published and Mars was identified as the candidate that provided most opportunities for space exploration. Yet, a flexible path including a wide range of destinations was favored rather than a moon- or Mars-first approach.

What Has Prevented Moon Missions?
- During the 1960s and early 1970s, NASA spent billions of dollars developing a mission to the moon. The political climate was different, and a sizable percentage of Americans did not object to the idea of spending tax money on missions to stay ahead of the Soviet Union. Today, space missions are often not considered as vital and many people find it difficult to see direct benefits of missions to the moon. The technological challenges involved in moon missions remain considerable, and this, mixed with not so obvious reasons to return, has prevented any new programs from gaining political and popular support.
Positive Aspects
- Sending a manned mission to the moon will provide opportunities to test equipment and gather information that can be used to send a mission to Mars. Mars may be a more interesting destination since it is more similar to Earth, but the committee says Mars is not a suitable first destination. It is difficult to visit Mars using the existing spaceflight technology, and more knowledge and understanding about space missions need to be gathered. Missions to the moon will also help increase understanding of fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the solar system and the universe.
More Positive Aspects
- Space programs attract attention. Developing a high-tech workforce will benefit research in other areas not directly involved in space programs. A high-tech workforce also is needed to address challenges here on Earth. The Apollo missions led to the development of several technologies that are used today, such as satellite weather monitoring and global positioning systems. A mission to the moon could be less expensive in the long term if new technologies are created that can be adapted to broader uses. There are resources on the moon that can be used for other missions. Liquid oxygen can be extracted from the moon and stored. Possibilities to use the moon to build solar power stations, which could help power cities on Earth and spaceships, could also be explored.
Negative Aspects
- Manned mission are expensive. Sending a manned mission to the moon would cost about $3 billion per year, says the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, and even more funding is necessary to send a manned mission to Mars.
  
  NASA is committed to several other projects, and a mission to the moon would reduce the funding to initiatives such as the International Space Station, the space shuttle, and Juno. The aim with mission Juno is to study the formation, evolution and structure of the planet Jupiter.

Astronomy