Russian Moon Base in another 20 years, then Mars!
2nd September 2007

Russia have fuelled speculation of a new "space race" by announcing that they plan to launch a manned lunar mission by the year 2025, and build a "station" on the moon somewhere between 2027 and 2032, according to the space agency Roskosmos.

It is also hoped, if all goes to plan, that Russia will be able to use the moon base as a stepping stone for a manned mission to Mars (perhaps around 2035).

The United States have already expressed a wish to do the same, but have said they will try and return to the Moon in 2020. It has been more than 38 years since man last visited the Moon (1969), but there are some that dispute the landing ever took place.

Many have wondered why it has taken so long to consider another lunar landing, or why more effort hasn't been made to develop a base there, rather than spend so much time and money on the International Space Station. There have been theories that astronauts encountered aliens on the last visit and were warned to stay away, but this is probably one of the more fantastic reasons on offer?

Both Russia and the United States will need to make some improvements to their crafts before any mission to Mars can be considered. We have already seen the problems NASA have had with the Space Shuttle, and it is something of a miracle that lives have not been lost. Hopefully, this will not be seen as a "race" and encourage the respective Space Agencies to take the risks they did in the first one.

Unfortunately, just like before, some fear that Russia may achieve this space target first and suggest that the reason behind their ambitions is politically motivated, adding that they have been flexing their military muscles of late. In truth, Russia is simply returning to a space program that has been neglected since Soviet times, and they are just as interested in space exploration as the United States.

Russia understand that a manned mission to Mars will be no easy task, not just because of the technology required, but the strain on the crew who undertake such a journey. With this in mind, Russia plan to place volunteers in a capsule on Earth for two years and monitor the effects.

The prospect of a Moon base or a manned mission to Mars is obviously an exciting one (no matter who achieves this challenge first), but this is a project that is still many years away. A problem that could dash these dreams and become a much higher priority, is the potential effects of Global Warming. Should temperatures continue to rise as they are at the moment, sea levels are sure to increase as a result of the melting ice. This in turn will reduce the habitable land available (and the quantity of crops grown), putting many millions of people in serious danger.

Perhaps some thought should be given to this possibility, rather than wait until the last minute? You can obtain some idea of what we might face in the book "Global Warming - The Final Solution".