How much money have we got for this?If we go lunar too early, we might be stuck there.Too expensive, and then: done that, didn't work.A small station, MCT sorties, why not.
Powered descent and landing does not need to be tested on the Moon first; this is well understood technology on both Earth and Mars.
As much as I would like to go to Mars. I would rather be stuck on the Moon, than in LEO...https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/55583main_vision_space_exploration2.pdf
Antarctica and Northern Canada would be much less expensive (and safer) places to test a lot of this stuff, except hab reliability in very low pressure. Everything else that is specific to Mars (ISRU chemistry) either can't be done on the Moon either, or can be simulated on Earth (such as living with 40 minute communication delays). Indeed, some people have already been doing this.Powered descent and landing does not need to be tested on the Moon first; this is well understood technology on both Earth and Mars.
{snip}What certainly can not be tested on moon: Greenhouses. 14 days daylight, puts some plants under severe stress. 14 days night, and quite a lot of plants just die.{snip}
In what ways could the Moon serve as a convenient testing ground for things that might be used on Mars?What things could be tested on the Moon before trying them out on Mars?
What kind of projects might be beneficial for lunar science even while supporting greater goals for Mars?
Yeah I think the important thing is that you are stuck somewhere that forces a moderate fraction of your budget to go to LS, self sufficiency and ISRU. In this case being stuck may actually be a good thing. It would trap some budget into actually being applied to space settlement despite politicians actively fighting money escaping to any useful technology development.
Arctic plants may be able to take the midnight sun.Curtains and lighting can be used to simulate the 24 hour day. Particularly if we move the plant house underground to protect against radiation.
Quote from: A_M_Swallow on 01/23/2016 11:02 pmArctic plants may be able to take the midnight sun.Curtains and lighting can be used to simulate the 24 hour day. Particularly if we move the plant house underground to protect against radiation.And the relevance to Mars?
However, if you are "stuck" on the moon, it would mean that the program specifically didn't deliver those things.Just as Constellation, as VSE, was originally meant to develop ISRU fuel technology, but instead quickly devolved into an equatorial base. Then devolved further to a handful of flags'n'footprints Apollo-on-steroids landings before being cancelled entirely.A non-cancelled Constellation, stripped of everything useful while still somehow consuming all available funding. That's what "being stuck" means.