[jessupjonesjnr87]

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/china-attempts-rovers-soft-landing-moon-21217539

State media say China has safely carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades.

State television showed pictures of the moon's surface as the Chang'e 3 lander touched down Saturday evening.

The lander carries a moon rover called "Jade Rabbit" that will separate from the lander and embark on a three-month scientific exploration.

China is the third country to carry out a lunar soft landing after the United States and the former Soviet Union. The last one was in 1976.

China's ambitious space program is an enormous source of pride for the country. China plans to eventually land people on the moon.

I suppose the US Government will start throwing cash at NASA again.

[Beren]

I suppose the US Government will start throwing cash at NASA again.

It would be too smart from them.

[Potemkin]

The Americans blew their wad on Iraq. They can't afford to go to the Moon now.

[Oxymoron]

Is their Oil on the Moon? Or any other resources we need? NOPE. Let the Han celebrate something we did 50 years ago lol.

[jessupjonesjnr87]

The moon is more important now than it was 50yrs ago as we actually have the potential technology to sustain human life on it for significant periods now.

[Potemkin]

As a nation, America suffers from a bad case of premature ejaculation. Haw haw!

[jessupjonesjnr87]

That must be why its so aggressive and bad tempered

[Potemkin]

Indeed, it all makes sense now....

[Akuma]

Is their Oil on the Moon? Or any other resources we need? NOPE. Let the Han celebrate something we did 50 years ago lol.

Yes there are enormous amouts of Helium-3. That would allow us unlimited energy production for advanced energy systems.

[Oxymoron]

I heard this 10 years ago, and its still a wild fantasy Akuma.

As far as bases on the moon..... WHY do we need bases on the moon?? what practical reason is theire?

[jessupjonesjnr87]

If we ever want to get to Mars the Moon would be either used as a way-point or even launch-site.

[Oxymoron]

Why would we want to go to Mars?? That's even a less practical use of resources.

[Akuma]

I heard this 10 years ago, and its still a wild fantasy Akuma.

As far as bases on the moon..... WHY do we need bases on the moon?? what practical reason is theire?

Wait...you say the FACT, that Helium 3 exists in enormous amounts in the Moon is a fantasy? You also ask why we want go to the Moon, Mars and beyond? Because we are human beings. From day one of our existance it is our destination to explore and push the fronteir forward. We are the tool of the universe to learn about itself.

You ask why we need bases on the moon. Well, why do you need a house? Why don´t you live in a cave in ethiopia? Because we develop. Our entire species is doomed if we would be locked on earth. Species who never develop space technology are guaranteed to go extinct in a very short period of time.

[Oxymoron]

No Akuma I am not doubting that Helium exists, but we have no use for it just yet, or in the foreseeable future. As far as pushing frontiers, hogwash there is nothing of use on mars, and terraforming is another mythological technology. How about we concentrate on more realistic objectives.

[Akuma]

No Akuma I am not doubting that Helium exists, but we have no use for it just yet, or in the foreseeable future. As far as pushing frontiers, hogwash there is nothing of use on mars, and terraforming is another mythological technology. How about we concentrate on more realistic objectives.

[Beren]

I'm afraid of the consequences of climate change more than any meteor hitting the earth.

However, colonising the Moon or Mars for no good reason could still be better than printing money to boost the economy.

[Akuma]

I'm afraid of the consequences of climate change more than any meteor hitting the earth.

However, colonising the Moon or Mars for no good reason could still be better than printing money to boost the economy.

what climate change? Are you worried about the current cooling period? Climate always change since 4 billion years. It is a constant process and stupid to think we could keep the climate like it is today.

[Heisenberg]

Is their Oil on the Moon? Or any other resources we need? NOPE. Let the Han celebrate something we did 50 years ago lol.

This ignores the spirit of human exploration, which is not solely for economic benefit. No one climbs Everest, or completes a solo Arctic expedition, looking for "resources". NASA has given us an incredible amount of knowledge and perspective on the solar system for a trivial amount of money (it was about .5% of the US Federal budget before being slashed at the behest of the Tea Party).

[jessupjonesjnr87]

It's damn Yellowstone that could do us in eventually. But apart from that it's good to see superpowers building rockets without strapping warheads to them for a change. It would be great if the likes of China India America Japan and Europe could use something like the colonisation of the moon to pool their resources and work together. And then when the moon base is built they can fight over that and give everyone down on earth a break for a change.

[Beren]

what climate change? Are you worried about the current cooling period? Climate always change since 4 billion years. It is a constant process and stupid to think we could keep the climate like it is today.

I'm worried about the fact that there is more carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere than there has ever been in the last 400,000 years, and that ratio is rapidly growing.