METH@USC-ISI.ARPA (03/26/84)
FROM AVEATION LEAK, MARCH 26, 1984, P. 15: NASA Administrator James M. Beggs, speaking at the US Naval Academy last week, said he believes the agency's future could include a manned space station in lunar orbit within about 20 years and a manned colony on the Moon's surface by about 2010. Beggs also predicted that by about 2030 an initial station on the surface of Mars could be under construction, and by 2060 a manned colony on Mars would be "healthy and growing." -------
flinn@seismo.UUCP (E. A. Flinn) (03/30/84)
--- Al Globus speculates: >> Here I go out on a limb: Manned presence on the Moon, Mars, et >> al. will be a side show. The real action is in orbit. For once I agree with Al. Fabricating structures with metals mined and smelted on the spot on other planets is a pipe dream, and after the political demonstration of people walking around on Mars, there's not a great deal to be done on the surface of Mars or the Moon that can't be done much more inexpensively with unmanned landers.
al@ames-lm.UUCP (Al Globus) (03/31/84)
Everyone seems very exited about manned bases on the Moon and Mars. That's all well and good but I suspect that once we get used to space stations and space colonies we will turn up our noses at living on uninhabitable planets. I mean, if you go to all the trouble to build a life support system, the least you want is permanent sunshine and control of gravity. Here I go out on a limb: Manned presence on the Moon, Mars, et. al. will be a side show. The real action is in orbit.