Because the fact that Newt proposed it wasn't good enough for you? what a waste of text. Anything that "man" proposes should be discarded out of hand.

In all fairness to Newt, he doesn't really believe that we need a moon base. He's just pandering to the aerospace employees in FL.

When the NV primaries roll around, he'll probably be advocating for a casino and whorehouse on Mars.

Eddie Adams from Torrance: When the NV primaries roll around, he'll probably be advocating for a casino and whorehouse on Mars.

With cheap domes that ensure mutations among the population.

Newt being a dingbat notwithstanding, I do have at least one issue with the article:

It took more than $100 billion to manufacture a white elephant in near-Earth orbit called the International Space Station, a large, smelly metal can that to date has produced no science, no manufacturing, and tourism that only billionaires could afford

No science? (warning: PDF, pops)

Because he can't officially speak on behalf of the Chinese?

timujin: Newt being a dingbat notwithstanding, I do have at least one issue with the article:

It took more than $100 billion to manufacture a white elephant in near-Earth orbit called the International Space Station, a large, smelly metal can that to date has produced no science, no manufacturing, and tourism that only billionaires could afford

No science? (warning: PDF, pops)

I came in here to add the same thing. Wiki's got a very extensive list of the science coming out of the ISS, here.

The author probably thinks because he doesn't have flying cars yet, there has been "no science" coming out of it. Other commenters on the article share a depressing lack of understanding of how science works, especially the guy who says that with the $100 billion the ISS cost you could "Create an HIV vaccine (probably)" and "Create a universal flu vaccine (probably)."

Eddie Adams from Torrance: In all fairness to Newt, he doesn't really believe that we need a moon base. He's just pandering to the aerospace employees in FL.

When the NV primaries roll around, he'll probably be advocating for a casino and whorehouse on Mars.

Oh yeah? I'll build my OWN moon base! With blackjack! And hookers! In fact, forget the blackjack and the moon base! Ahh screw the whole thing.

Useful factoid for assessing the feasibility of random space-based ideas: It costs about $5,000 to $10,000 (different estimates) to put one pound of whatever into geosynchronous orbit, let alone safely down on the moon's surface. Call it $20M/ton on the low end, assuming some research breakthroughs and economies of scale.

When people start talking about mining operations to build underground barracks, think about the equipment, people, food, water, and supplies it would take. One small John Deere backhoe for digging trenches? That'll be ~$160M for shipping and handling, and please bring your own fuel, and the oxygen to burn it in. And replacement parts. The warranty probably doesn't apply when lunar regolith scratches and fouls up anything with moving parts.

What a Newt Moon Base might look like:

1. I'm sure in the 1960s there were plenty of lists of reasons why we could never put a man on the moon. Still used to "prove" we never went.

2. The entire point of the Space Station is to prove (and learn how) man can exist in a hostile environments like the moon and long space travel.

So fark off.

/not defending Newt, puhleaze

Ozzie Pants go on your head and actually have pretty high defense



/guess this means Obama is Magus

In 1945 it cost $10 a minute to talk from New York to Los Angeles, and you couldn't do it all the time.

In 2011, I bought a whole telephone at Walmart for $10, and a card for $20 which lets me talk anywhere in the world for 18 cents a minute. I checked the phone by calling a guy at the next table ten feet away and there was a 1/4--second lag, because the call was bounced off satellite.

Your phone, your computer, your Innertubes, your banking and credit systems, all come from space research.

In 1961 the average life expectancy was 65 years, while today it is 78 for women, 74 for men---and rising. Most of that is due to space research.

Crops are better every year because space research has made for better weather forecasts, so don't talk with your mouth full---it is not polite.

If you really think space research is a crock, go ahead and braid yourself a grass skirt and chase your dinner with a sharp stick; the rest of us like the good things in life which scientific research has to offer. Take your horsesh*t opinions and wipe your ass with them.

I'm voting for Newt because of his crazy moon base promise. I've got no reason to vote for Romney or Obama so Newt wins.

Cut the DoD's budget in half, give that to NASA.

Build lunar facilities near the poles for easy access to a water supply.

Still can't come up with a reason to build a lunar base other than "Because it'll be cool!"