Gingrich promises 'moon colony' if he gets elected (twice)

[ChildofGallifrey]

[link]http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/gingrich-pledges-moon-colony-during-presidency/2012/01/25/gIQAmQxiRQ_blog.html[/link]

As it says in the story, Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has promised that by the end of his second term in office he will have established a permanent colony on dear 'ol Luna. He goes even further and promises to engineer a spaceship capable of reaching Mars.

Thoughts on this? It sounds like something a cartoon supervillain would promise to sway naive followers (or closer to "I got some yummy candy in mah van...").

 

[Aidinthel]

It sounds like something a cartoon supervillain would promise to sway naive followers

I'm not a fan of Gingrich, but the same might have been said about Kennedy when he made that famous speech. I think a moon base is entirely within current technological capability and is actually a pretty good goal.

I do worry about his apparent ignorance of and/or disregard for the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that states that "outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means", so no Moon colony could actually be part of any Earth nation. It would have to be run like the International Space Station.

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

I do worry about his apparent ignorance of and/or disregard for the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that states that "outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means", so no Moon colony could actually be part of any Earth nation. It would have to be run like the International Space Station.

He may have kept that in mind, because he never referred to it as "an American colony" (that I recall, at least). I think if it were run like the ISS it would be a grand idea, fostering friendly international relations and whatnot. I just think it would be obscenely difficult to construct, because it would have to be flown to the moon in pieces and put together up there.

I think it's a great idea, I just don't think it's a realistic goal with the state of the economy right now.

 

[Aidinthel]

He may have kept that in mind, because he never referred to it as "an American colony" (that I recall, at least).

From that article: "He also proclaimed that the "weirdest thing" he ever did in Congress was to introduce a "Northwest Ordinance for space" that would allow a moon colony to become a state once 13,000 lived there." A moon colony becoming a US state would pretty clearly violate the treaty.

Regarding the expense of such a project, obviously I don't have any numbers about it in front of me but I do know that NASA's previous operations were never a major percentage of the national budget. Compared to the amount of money tossed at, say, farm subsidies or those Bush tax cuts that refuse to die it was a drop in the bucket. In addition, NASA's research actually provided a net gain to the economy. I think another inspiring project like this could be a very good thing for the country. I just wish it wasn't a Republican saying it.

 

[theevilgenius60]

Shit. He just may have my vote on that alone. Though, that's not saying much in this stinker of an election.

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

The stuff that comes out of that man's mouth...

It's like this election selected the worst possible candidates (again).

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

He may have kept that in mind, because he never referred to it as "an American colony" (that I recall, at least).

From that article: "He also proclaimed that the "weirdest thing" he ever did in Congress was to introduce a "Northwest Ordinance for space" that would allow a moon colony to become a state once 13,000 lived there." A moon colony becoming a US state would pretty clearly violate the treaty.

Regarding the expense of such a project, obviously I don't have any numbers about it in front of me but I do know that NASA's previous operations were never a major percentage of the national budget. Compared to the amount of money tossed at, say, farm subsidies or those Bush tax cuts that refuse to die it was a drop in the bucket. In addition, NASA's research actually provided a net gain to the economy. I think another inspiring project like this could be a very good thing for the country. I just wish it wasn't a Republican saying it.

I missed that part (though, admittedly, I only skimmed the article). It probably wouldn't be allowed to come to pass, given that precedent. Like you mentioned earlier, it would probably be run in the same manner as the International Space Station (which I think would be much better, all things considered).

This would probably require a larger financial investment solely on the fact that it would be planned as a permanent (I'm assuming) living facility, rather than an operation like a shuttle/satellite launch. The start-up capital, the cost of maintaining and the cost of supplies (though I'd imagine they would set up some kind of renewable hydroponic garden or some such when they got up there); it would probably end up costing a pretty penny. Though, as you say, it would boost morale greatly, as incredibly ambitious projects tend to do. Based on the scope of the undertaking, it would also create a fair number of jobs as well, mostly mechanical and engineering I'd imagine.

I don't particularly care about his political affiliation (I'm technically a Republican myself, though I vote for whoever I agree with the most, partisan lines be damned), I just think it's a crazy campaign promise to make. I'm absolutely 100% behind it if people more intelligent than I say it's feasible. Any step that gets us closer to living in Star Trek (that doesn't involve radically altering your living space, like that one chap from an earlier news post) is A+ material in my book.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Yeah, let's all go live on the moon and get cancer!

You've got my vote, Newt!

 

[Thaluikhain]

Eh, I like how he promises that the first moon base will be American if he's in power twice.

So, if the Chinese are building one, what's he going to do?

Also, is this two terms in a row, or with other people in between for 20 years?

 

[Esotera]

I love that he wants to do it, whether he actually does or not, or even has a plan in place to do that, is another thing entirely. Current space exploration is in a sorry state.

 

[Random Fella]

Where does America find the money to build a moonbase?
And how would you build a moonbase in such a short time
Oh America, you so silly

 

[varulfic]

A moon base would be awesome, I don't care about the downsides or the costs, I wanna see it happen. Gingrich still sucks though, so no deal.

 

[Akimoto]

It sounds like something a cartoon supervillain would promise to sway naive followers (or closer to "I got some yummy candy in mah van...").

Sounds more like Pedobear.

OT: Is he desperate? Or is the Washington Post trolling? Awesome idea but I don't really see Star Trek in America's immediate future.

 

[zspartancats]

America is already in trillions of dollars in debt. Where in hell, would we get the money to fund another space program?

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

if only all the nations on earth united and became the SUPREME EARTH ALLIANCE...then we could conquer aliens and take all there resources instead of fighting amongst ourselves.

 

[ReservoirAngel]

I may not like Gingrich (like, at all. I hate the guy) but if he can get a moon colony established by 2020, I'm all in favour of that happening. Especially since, given the Moon cannot be claimed as territory by any nation, it would have to be an international thing. So anything that gives me the chance to live on the Moon in my lifetime I will support.

Though I find it funny that Republicans are all about cutting government spending, but then go and propose this.

 

[Thaluikhain]

About it being illegal to take possession of bits of the moon...even if international law flat out states that's its prohibited, do you really think the PotUS is going to be too impressed?

 

[Ruwrak]

Instead of focussing on extroirdenairy publicity goals, I'd like to know what he is going to do about the economy, inland political policies and you know.. stuff that is important -right now- instead of proposing a moneydraining space program that looks pretty..

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

It sounds like something a cartoon supervillain would promise to sway naive followers

I'm not a fan of Gingrich, but the same might have been said about Kennedy when he made that famous speech. I think a moon base is entirely within current technological capability and is actually a pretty good goal.

Yeah, but Kennedy made that speech because he had already bought the space travel technology from Yugoslavia. I kid you not. There's even a documentary about it coming in 2013.

Gingrich on the other hand is just a candidate. He has no technology, no influence, nothing! He is talking out of his ass. It seems that these Yugoslavians have a certain knack for science. I'm sure you all know that Tesla was from Serbia, which was a part of Yugoslavia once.

 

[Findlebob]

we cant even take care of this planet. Why start fucking up others just yet.

I know the moon is a moon and not a planet before you get quote happy on me.