MORE MOON ICE
Wednesday, December 4, 1996
Source: Drew Williamson
SOURCE: The Toronto Star - p.A8
DATE: Wednesday, December 4, 1996
SKEPTICISM SURROUNDS MOON ICE 'DISCOVERY'
But Pentagon claim exciting for those who dream of lunar colonies
WASHINGTON (Reuter) - he possible discovery of ice on the moon may
be the "Holy Grail" for those who dream of moon colonies.
But some scientists doubt it will dramatically transform human
space exploration in the pear future. And some doubt the ice exists at all,
despite confident claims from the Pentagon.
Scientists working with the U.S. defence department yesterday
announced the Pentagon's Clementine satellite had found evidence of what
appears to be ice in a deep, dark and very cold crater on the south pole of
the noon.
"There's a community that's very anxious to talk about going back
to the moon and living in a colony-they are very passionate about that,"
said John Wood, a scientist at Harvard Smithsonian Centre for Astro
physics.
"One of the keys to that venture is to be able to find water, so
those people will be very excited,' said Wood, "Personally, I've always
been skeptical of that whole proposition. I think it's a lot of wishful
thinking. I can contain my enthusiasm."
For those who envision human outposts in space, either for
scientific study and exploration or as full-scale colonies, water is
essential-not just for human consumption but for making everything from
cement to rocket fuel.
"Water is one of me most valuable strategic materials we can find
in me solar system," said Paul Spudis of the Houston-based Lunar and
Planetary Institute, and one of the lead re searchers on the moon water
project.
The discovery, based on radar signals and mathematical models, must
be independently con firmed and several scientists interviewed at
observatories and universities said they were skeptical.
Even if it does prove to be ice, opinion was mixed on whether it
would have practical use for space exploration.
"I think it will be very useful -not in me next decade but a
century from now," said lunar researcher John Burns of Cornell University.
Wendell Mendell, a physicist and astronomer at NASA's Johnson Space
Centre in Houston, believes that with adequate investment, there could be
"a really robust" human presence within a decade or two. But he said it is
an open question whether ice trapped in a deep remote crater has any
practical relevance.
"I am not clear what the impact is on human exploration," Mendell
said. "Even if it's there, how do you exploit it and transport it? And it's
non-renewable. If the first person uses it up, the second person doesn't
get any."
Gordon Pettengill of Massachusetts Institute of Technology said if
there is ice, it probably is in large enough quantities to make a
difference to humans some day.
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