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How to get Back To The Moon By 2024

May 14, 2019 Rand Simberg 1 Comment

Make it a one-way trip.

So I'm having an interesting discussion with @ericgregersen about how to get someone on the moon by 2024. Easiest way to do it would be to not bring them back (at least not immediately). You want a sustainable presence, start out sustaining it.
— SafeNotAnOption (@SafeNotAnOption) May 14, 2019

Remove the need to return them immediately and everything gets much easier. Apollo was hard because Kennedy required "return him safely to the earth. Remove that requirement, and things can get interesting.
— SafeNotAnOption (@SafeNotAnOption) May 14, 2019

Basically, you'd just need to periodically resupply with food, water, LiOH, etc., just like ISS. No need to even have suits or EVA. It would be a partial-gravity research lab. Put off the rest for later. Recycling urine would be easier than ISS with some gravity.
— SafeNotAnOption (@SafeNotAnOption) May 14, 2019

So, how much does that change requirements? It means no need for ascent on the lander, or entry from TEI. It’s probably a Falcon Heavy mission. We eliminate the initial need for a suit, too. Hardest part would be how to resupply without EVA capability.

Could NASA do it? Probably not, politically, but a private expedition could.