Newt Gingrich wants a permanent Moon base & mining colony; manned mission to Mars

[rambone]

This has been a repeated plan of Gingrich's. I'm going to round up some relevant links.



He suggested a manned mission to Mars and a "permanent" Moon base at the NBC Florida debate (1/23/2012).

I guess this qualifies as one of the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSE's) that Newt favors so much.

[rambone]

From December:

One Small Step for Newt - 12/14/2011

During the debate last weekend, Newt's stance on space policy got Mitt Romney chuckling. "Places where we disagree?" Romney said in response to some prodding from debate moderator George Stephanopoulos. "Let's see, we can start with his idea to have a lunar colony that would mine minerals from the moon, I'm not in favor of spending that kind of money to do that." The Republicans in the crowd laughed it up with Romney, who had used a similar line of attack the day before during an editorial board interview with the Des Moines Register. "He even talked about a series of mirrors that we could put in space that would light our highways at night," Romney said of his opponent. "I’ve got some better ideas for our resources.”

[Brian4Liberty]

Well, at least this would be a huge expense for something productive instead of something destructive (like war). Newt's masters prefer war, and have wanted to end space expenditures for years now. Can't see Newt actually going against his benefactors.

[crh88]

Well, at least this would be a huge expense for something productive instead of something destructive (like war). Newt's masters prefer war, and have wanted to end space expenditures for years now. Can't see Newt actually going against his benefactors.

Yep. I think this is just pandering to make him look smart and scientific.

[rambone]

Gingrich suggested that the Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) model used for Freddie Mac would be a good way to run NASA and put Americans on Mars.

Freddie Mac interview (2007)

FREDDIE MAC: A key element of the entrepreneurial model is using the private sector where possible to save taxpayer dollars and improve efficiency. And you believe the GSE model provides one way to use the private sector.

GINGRICH: Some activities of government – trash collection is a good example – can be efficiently contracted out to the private sector. Other functions – the military, police and fire protection – obviously must remain within government. And then there are areas in which a public purpose would be best achieved by using market-based models. I think GSEs provide one of those models. I like the GSE model because it provides a more efficient, market-based alternative to taxpayer-funded government programs. It marries private enterprise to a public purpose. We obviously don't want to use GSEs for everything, but there are times when private enterprise alone is not sufficient to achieve a public purpose. I think private enterprise alone is not going to be able to help the Gulf region recover from the hurricanes, and government will not get the job done in a very effective or efficient manner. We should be looking seriously at creating a GSE to help redevelop this region. We should be looking at whether and how the GSE model could help us address the problem of financing health care. I think a GSE for space exploration ought to be seriously considered – I'm convinced that if NASA were a GSE, we probably would be on Mars today.

[rambone]

One of Newt's nicknames in congress was "Newt Skywalker."

Newt to the Future

[Lishy]

I believe NO ONE should be mining extraterrestrial resources, and that should be a UN agreement!

Here we have environments untouched by man, and our many mistakes. We must protect them at all costs! Nothing will follow but competition, and war!

However, if we protect its environment and explore places like Mars solely for science and research only, it will build peace instead!

[FreedomProsperityPeace]

This would be a great line of attack, especially by RevPAC or Endorse Liberty. Paint Newt as a kook who's into moon colonies, and include the Alvin Toffler futurist stuff.

[RickyJ]

I want Newt to go away. If he would volunteer to go to the moon I would help send him there for good.

Mining the moon is not practical because of the great distance between the Earth and the moon and the huge ships and amount of fuel it would take to carry back to Earth the materials. It would cost more in fuel, ship maintenance, and mining equipment and maintenance than it would be worth. This is Newt just saying what he thinks people want to hear, that is all it is. I can bet you money it would not happen with him as President.

[tommyzDad]

I want Newt to go away. If he would volunteer to go to the moon I would help send him there for good.

I hope the Moom will take him--Mars doesn't want his him.

[Moo2400]

I don't think it would be very practical to have any real mining operation on the moon with our current technology. It costs something like $4700 to put one pound of material into space. Can you imagine how much it would cost to get a full scale mining operation going on the moon? It would end up costing us far money than we'd get back from the value of the resources brought back to Earth. The taxpayer would likely foot the huge bill, the profits would go to some semi-private entity, and the benefits of a lower cost of material would be negligible at best for consumers.

Gingrich would need to get a space elevator operational before something like that could be feasible, and I'm not sure our current technology is yet able to build one, though I suppose it's a possibility. I can't say for sure, but it seems a bit risky - a high cost for a good chance of failure.

[torchbearer]

anyone seen the movie "Moon", it is one of my faves.

[JuicyG]

anyone seen the movie "Moon", it is one of my faves.

Haha, exactly. I`ve posted trailer last time this topic came up. I think that`s what Gingrich had in mind. He must have seen the movie.

[archangel689]

This has been a repeated plan of Gingrich's. I'm going to round up some relevant links.



He suggested a manned mission to Mars and a "permanent" Moon base at the NBC Florida debate (1/23/2012).

I guess this qualifies as one of the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSE's) that Newt favors so much.

Great...Space exploration will be nerfed again for another 30years

[torchbearer]

Haha, exactly. I`ve posted trailer last time this topic came up. I think that`s what Gingrich had in mind. He must have seen the movie.

i love that movie. gerdy.

[Razmear]

Also here with fresh video from Florida:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/2...me-51st-state/

[Sublyminal]

[Natural Citizen]

Newt said.."Getting to Mars as soon as possible"

Get it? That means in a fraction of the time that it takes to get there now. That means that the way he wants to get there, we don't need rockets.

The science of the matter is where focus should be. Education. New energy for this type of propulsion technology that will come from the private sector. Either educate accordingly or have God's gift of science remain a trade secret. Take your pick. Either Ron wakes up or the owls hijack space flight. Star Wars revisited to be clear.

[tommyzDad]

anyone seen the movie "Moon", it is one of my faves.

Have you seen "Apollo 18", Torch?

And while we're on a moon theme: Anyone else read Robert A. Heinlein's "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress". My favorite of his works.

[torchbearer]

Have you seen "Apollo 18", Torch?

And while we're on a moon theme: Anyone else read Robert A. Heinlein's "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress". My favorite of his works.

seen apollo 18, wasn't imressed with a watered down history movie. hienlien's book is a libertarian masterpiece. they all are. stranger in a strange land.
moon, has a special place in independent films.

[Sublyminal]

seen apollo 18, wasn't imressed with a watered down history movie. hienlien's book is a libertarian masterpiece. they all are. stranger in a strange land.
moon, has a special place in independent films.

Moon was a kick ass movie. Apollo 18, that was a joke flick if I have ever seen one. Waste of $12

[rambone]

Gingrich promises moon base that could become 51st state

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Wednesday vowed to build a lunar colony that he said could eventually become the 51st state.

Speaking to Republicans on Florida’s Space Coast, the former House Speaker explained that the “grandiose” idea would be possible because the government would fuel innovation by awarding prizes and incentives to private businesses.

“At one point early in my career, I introduced the Northwest Ordinance for Space,” Gingrich recalled, referring to it as the “weirdest thing” he’d ever done. “I said when we got — I think the number is 13,000 — when we have 13,000 Americans living on the moon, they can petition to become a state.”

“By the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American,” the candidate insisted. “We will have commercial near-Earth activities that included science, tourism and manufacturing.”

“I accept the charge that I am an American and Americans are instinctively grandiose because we believe in a bigger future!” he exclaimed. “I want you to help me both in Florida and across the country so that you can someday say you were here the day it was announce that of course we’d have commercial space and near space. Of course we’d have a man colony on the moon that flew an American flag.”

Gingrich later joked to reporters about his chances with voters stationed at the lunar colony.

“I think the moon primary would come late in the season,” he said.

[idiom]

The moon is an economic waste of time. Worst destination in the whole solar system.

Russia completely privatised their space program in the '90s. Thus they are currently flying humans into space and have paying customers.

The Space Program is the most capitalistic government operation in Russia and the most socialist one in the U.S.A.

[AFPVet]

You guys laugh; however, the Moon and Mars have considerable resources....

[alucard13mmfmj]

The Moon has a lot of resources, but its economically unfeasible to build a mining base htere and to send the minerals back to earth.

It would literally take trillions of dollars to do something of this magnitude.

[playpianoking]

[randall_burns]

The moon is a poor source of materials for earth. However, the moon is potentially an interesting source of materials for lower earth orbits.
Existing materials mean a "space elevator" shipping materials into lunar orbit are fairly feasible-and even gettting into a midpoint between earth and the moon is an interesting idea.

It is hard to predict what that kind of infrastructure would mean. Having a cheap source of materials for orbital space stations changes a lot of economics very, very fast.

Much of this could be done via teleoperation though.(Gerard O'Neil wrote about this).

One big role of the US government is in assuring property rights and protecting investments in such a scenarios. We may need to look at tax laws
because capital investments are so huge-and return would be very long term. I actually think Newt's Prize ideas have real merit here too.

The current tax code prevents these kinds of long term, speculative investments-and we need careful thought on how to address that.

I don't think it would be very practical to have any real mining operation on the moon with our current technology. It costs something like $4700 to put one pound of material into space. Can you imagine how much it would cost to get a full scale mining operation going on the moon? It would end up costing us far money than we'd get back from the value of the resources brought back to Earth. The taxpayer would likely foot the huge bill, the profits would go to some semi-private entity, and the benefits of a lower cost of material would be negligible at best for consumers.

Gingrich would need to get a space elevator operational before something like that could be feasible, and I'm not sure our current technology is yet able to build one, though I suppose it's a possibility. I can't say for sure, but it seems a bit risky - a high cost for a good chance of failure.

[rockerrockstar]

He is just trying to get votes by saying he support NASA and space exploration. Not surprising he will do anything for a vote right?

I think space is important but we are near bankrupt and we should focus on saving the country versus saving NASA. I am sure NASA can keep doing things on the small budget it has tell we turn the country around.

They should fund job training and unemployment benefits over increase NASA budget.

[idiom]

Deep Space > Earth Orbit > Asteroids > Lagrange points > Mars Surface >>>>>>>> Moon Surface.

Let the Chinese expend their resource in the hole that is the moon. Most serious billionaires who actually know how to close a business case are looking straight past the moon to the Asteroids and Mars.

Space X have independently put a re-usable capsule into orbit and retrieved it. Their *entire* program to date has cost less than a single Shuttle Launch.

Even if NASA wanted to go back to the Moon or on to Mars, at this point they will probably find private industry there ahead of them, wait to charge for parking and gas.

[alucard13mmfmj]