Ben Bova: Far-ranging civilization springs from moon’s water

Ben Bova
NaplesNews.com

Hundreds of years from now, when historians write about the year 2009, what will they consider to be the most significant event of the year just passed?

I don’t think it will be politics or social change or war, pestilence or artistic styles. The most important event of 2009 is the confirmation that there is abundant water on the moon.

You don’t believe that? Let me draw you a brief history of the next few hundred years.

Read the post HERE.

Ben Bova: Investing in space would stimulate earthbound economy

Ben Bova
Naples Daily News

The old adage says, “You pay your money and you take your choice.”

But when it comes to the space program, Washington most often makes its choice first, and then cheaps out on paying the money for it.

This is the major point of the report recently issued by the committee reviewing NASA’s plans for human space flight. The committee is headed by Norman Augustine, of whom I wrote a couple of weeks ago.

In typical Norm Augustine fashion, the report starts with a bang:

“The U.S. human spaceflight program appears to be on an unsustainable trajectory. It is perpetuating the perilous practice of pursuing goals that do not match allocated resources.”

President Barack Obama says he wants to support NASA’s plans for returning humans to the moon by 2020 and building permanent bases there, then going on to send human explorers to Mars, goals that were established by the previous administration.

But there’s another old adage that applies here: “Put your money where your mouth is.”

Read the rest HERE.