🚀 go-pugleaf

I agree that we should do a lunar rover before, or at least in
parallel with, doing a Mars rover.  There is in fact a proposal under
the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) called Artemis, that would land
small (300 kg) landers on the Moon which in turn would release
c. 100 kg rovers to run around and sample.  Each mission is slated
to launch on a Delta 2 and cost $200-300 million.  There are no current
plans for sample return, but that could be added with some extra
cost.  The most powerful pro-space lobby, NSS, has endorsed the
SEI and this mission; if the planetary science community endorsed
Artemis it would give a significant boost to deep space exploration
technology as well as being a political victory all around the table.

One of the big problems is political: SEI is not coming out of JPL, but
on the other hand NASA has been starving JPL projects, especially the
planetary projects. In turn, JPL has shown a lack of interest in coordinating 
with projects such as SEI on missions.  This has got to stop!  Artemis is a 
close cousin to MESUR and Mars Sample Return, and they should share technology 
to save costs and increase mission effectiveness.  Ditto for lunar orbiters 
and Mars orbiters.  Given the further fact that SEI has Mars missions as 
its major goal, it is completely ridiculous for this schism to 
continue.  JPL needs to give up its claim of monopoly on planetary
exploration, and NASA needs to start funding planetary exploration again.  
Stop the turf battles and get on with these projects!


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szabo@techbook.COM  	  Tuesday, November third  ##  Libertarian  $$  vote
Tuesday  ^^ Libertarian  --  change  **  choice && November 3rd @@Libertarian