NASA Plans A Permanent Base On The Moon

Earlier this week, NASA announced its plans to build a permanent base on the moon. It sounds like science fiction, but oh no my dear readers, this is science fact. In a mere fifteen years from now, a group of lucky people will make humanities greatest voyage yet.

According to NASA’s timeline, astronauts will return to the moon (the last manned moon landing was in 1972) in 2020 where they will establish a rudimentary base. Right now, the idea is for the base is to be located at one of the lunar poles, where there is near constant sunlight to provide solar power. Initially, the astronauts will stay for weeklong missions. Eventually these stays will grow to 180 days and by 2024, the base will be fully operational so that humans can live there permanently.

In case you are wondering what we will do when we finally do make the big move, the New York Times quoted Shana Dale, NASA’s deputy administrator, as saying, “the door is open for international and commercial interests.” Observatories and other scientific laboratories may be built, or rocket fuel and other minerals found on the moon might be processed for use on Earth. If nothing else, it will be at least a stepping stone for other ambitious space exploration and research endeavors.