A recent article by Jurica Dujmovic from Market Watch estimated that it could take a mere $10 billion to colonize the moon, which he also said is cheaper than the price of one of the U.S.’s most recent aircraft carriers (an estimated $13 billion). But the bigger question is: should we?
The cost of traveling to and colonizing the moon is much, much cheaper than it used to be. It’s still expensive, but relative to previous projected costs, it’s a mere tenth of its original price tag. Thanks to NASA’s Chris McKay, new plans are being put together to make this idea a reality. But is the asking price worth it?
Right now, space is trendy again. We’ve got rockstar astrophysicists like Neil deGrasse Tyson; we’ve got all kinds of recent discoveries and theories pushing interest in the unknown; and we’ve got movies like The Martian that are making science and exploration cool again. If there was ever a time to push for space exploration, it’s now.
The main draw is using the moon as a launch pad for other treks; having a lunar base where ships can be constructed without the burden of gravity and where propulsion is much cheaper and easier than trying to break through the planet’s atmosphere. Getting to Mars would be a cakewalk from there compared to leaving from Earth.
Using VR to teach and simulate space missions and procedures could change how efficient we are. We could train astronauts on how to do complex tasks dozens of different ways before finalizing budgets, leading to more confidence about success rates and an optimized set of goals. We could not only launch missions to Mars, but perhaps, in the long run, launch ships or probes to investigate new mysteries, like the possible new ninth planet that borders our system.
But there’s one major problem: we don’t know much about the long-term effects on human bodies in space. This is what NASA’s recent twin study seeks to figure out, by studying the difference between two twins, one of which lived in space for 100 consecutive days, a record. Perhaps using mind-controlled technology would lessen the impact space has on our bodies, but that would only work over relatively short distances.
So is it worth it? Some would say that if we wait a little longer, technology will make the cost even cheaper. Already 3D printers are changing how we produce goods and communication is shared freely via the internet. But if we wait too long, are we preventing ourselves from understanding the universe at the cost of frugality?
The answer isn’t too easy. Let us know what you think in the comments below and tell us what you’d like to do with the money.