Customer Reviews

Lunar Outpost: The Challenges of Establishing a Human Settlement on the Moon (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)

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This is a well-researched and informative book, but don't be expecting a casual read. This is purpose-driven material, and reads like it. It serves as a firm grounding in the new thinking behind lunar bases and more, but does so in the fashion of a doctoral dissertation. This is not a bad thing, as the material, while dense, may be just what you need. Just don't expect to approach it as a Summer beach-chair read.

This book was published in late 2008, just as the Obama administration was taking over the White House... unfortunately, the book mainly focuses on the Bush Administration's VSE (Vision for Space Exploration), and the associated Constellation Program, both of which Obama tried to completely erase. Obama was only half-successful in killing off the complete Constellation Program -- Orion survived, for instance, while the Ares concept has evolved into the simpler Space Launch System (SLS).

While the current Administration's "beyond Earth Orbit" plans do not envision returning humans to the surface of the moon (they do include a manned trip around the moon in 2021; however), I believe these "plans" will get re-written again, once the White House changes hands in 2013, and we will see renewed commitment to return humans to the surface of the Moon within the next 12-15 years.