Race To The Moon

You may recall my post last August '06 concerning this subject.

Japan is finally going to launch it's Moon orbiter, SELENE, this August. Finally we will find out if the United States truly did visit the Moon from 1969-1972. The SELENE project is the largest lunar mission since the U.S. Apollo program.

"It involves placing a main satellite in orbit at an altitude of about 60 miles and deploying two smaller satellites in polar orbits." - Star-Telegram

Here is a very interesting article. It says that SELENE will use the latest, high performance instruments, as well as a high-definition movie camera. Among other things, they plan to map out the lunar surface and study the temperature and core in possible preparation for a "Deep Space Harbor".

In the meantime, China will launch a lunar orbiter in a matter of days, if it hasn't already launched, with much the same agenda as Japan. Both missions are to last one year.

Not to be out done, India, Russia and the U.S. are planning a similar joint robotic lunar mission next year.

I reiterate, IF the U.S. DID go to the moon from 1969-1972 with the Apollo program, why are we now, 35 years later, in a race to get back there?

If we had the technology in 1969 to send humans through the asteroid belt and land on the Moon, why are we sending un-manned probes now? You recall the Mars Rover debacle?

I do admit that I am extremely eager for China or Japan to map and photograph the Moon's surface to see if, indeed, the Lunar Rover and American Flag are there. Of course with technology these days, someone could "photoshop" a cocker spaniel on the Moon and it would look authentic.

If I am proven wrong, I will admit such here in this forum, however, the government may intercede to "protect" our feeble minds. They don't think we can handle the truth. They are afraid to admit that, during the cold war, we had to win the Space Race to keep morale up at any cost.

Time will tell.

And That's What I Think.