Fly me to the Moon: NASA shows it's new spacecraft ...

[WhiteCrowUK]

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Nasa unveils new space ship

This is an article showing the Orion, the spacecraft which will be replacing the Shuttle for near-orbit and possibly future Moon missions.

NASA - Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle

From the design of the Space Shuttle, it looks almost a step back, looking like a larger Apollo capsule.

However the Space Shuttle hasn't exactly had a great safety record.

Will his take the world back to the Moon? Or are China going to get their first, and cheaper ...

[ken]

Oh how we need to waste money on the moon.

[David]

Yep, we need to waste money on the moon. One may question the timing (nasty recession and all that), but any serious science and space exploration of the future needs to based away from the earth's expensive gravity. Will the moon suffice as a base for that purpose? We don't know yet...only one way to find out. If I were younger, I'd sure want to go!

[mambrose1986]

It has been said that the main goal behind this potential revisit to the moon is for nuclear weapons testing. The goal is to test the so-called "Armageddon theory" where they will drill into the moon's core to plant and detonate a nuclear weapon.

It is believed that if this were to be successful and the moon be destroyed then the same action can be taken against the comet Apophis, which has been estimated to come within 20,000 miles of the Earth in 2029.

It also fulfills a campaign promise by president Barack Obama, who on the campaign trail last August said, "The moon has provided another global threat that affects us all. It has been tampering with the cycles of our tides throughout the entire course of human history, and it is time that we faced this threat with courage and resolve, ending this threat once and for all so that our children may live better lives."