Using the moon as a world dump may not be a bad idea, It has no life, no air or water to polute, no endangered spieces. If we ever start mining minerals from the moon, we'll have to replace the mass of the matter we take from the moon. I'm not a physist, but it seems to me that less mass on the moon would cause a change in it's orbit over time. It would be great place to put nuclear waste, no worries about anything leaking into the ground water, and killing us all.

You are generalizing, cruel and harsh.
Consider that you may act worse than what you criticize.

Good point. Its not like the locals are going to complain. And if nuclear waste is going to go anywhere, where better than the moon? Of course, just dumping it at random would be no good. Youd want to keep track of it. Make sure that furture expeditions dont land in the middle of the stuff. Something like the pico vault in 3001 : Final Odyssey.

The moon may be a world treasure, but earth is slightly more important.

Good point. Its not like the locals are going to complain. And if nuclear waste is going to go anywhere, where better than the moon? Of course, just dumping it at random would be no good. Youd want to keep track of it. Make sure that furture expeditions dont land in the middle of the stuff. Something like the pico vault in 3001 : Final Odyssey.

The moon may be a world treasure, but earth is slightly more important.</font>[/QUOTE]Yeah, we'd have to keep an eye on where everthing is, we wouldn't want an explosion is space and releasing any bad guys like in Superman II :D
I think the biggest problem right now is the chance of the rocketships having an accident.

[ 10-06-2002, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: John D Harris ]

Of course, the problem with using it as a waste dump is that it has little to no gravity.

I can just see, 300 years later, some alien spacecraft being knocked out of the air by a Snickers wrapper, and declaring intergalactic war. ;) :D

[ 10-06-2002, 12:26 PM: Message edited by: True_Moose ]

It has 1/6th G.Its escape velocity is 1 1/6 mile/second. More than enough to keep the snickers out of orbit. And its not like theres any wind to stir thing up.

There is orbital junk however, things that have been discarded over the years but theres been very little activity in lunar orbit. Might be a few bolts and that.

Compare to earth orbit where theres thousands of bits of junk and NORAD has an entire department devoted to making sure nobody gets hit.

<font color = lightgreen>The more I think about it, the more the moon poses some fascinating questions. With no indigenous people, no one can claim ownership. Since international accord prevents any terrestrial nation from claiming ownership, there is no government or agency with which to register land purchases for lunar property.
Since no nation can claim to own the moon, when permanent bases on the moon happen (someday that will happen, you know) will the nation own the part of the moon upon which the base is built? This will contradict the previous accord--if you cannot claim the moon, you cannot claim a subdivision of the moon.
Anyway, it will go straight to the heart of what "property" really means. You own your car only because everyone else accepts the fact that you do (except car thieves). [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img] </font>

Gabriel, you've been here long enough to know which part of your post I am not happy with. It is the LAST part. I couldn't care less what you think of the USA - contrary to what uss thinks people have been able to constructively criticize the USA in this forum before, as long as they do so in a way that a) doesn't incite a flamewar; or b) isn't racially insulting.

But calling someone a pompous git and ranting and raving just because you don't like their opinion or the way they gave it is not the way that we interact with each other here. Just makes you look like you have no self-control. We don't have to LIKE everyone else in here - but we don't rant and rave and foam at the mouth at them just because we disagree with them. In real life that could get you a smack in the head. Cool it, please. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Maybe it will be like the National Seashore in Florida that we visit every year. You can't own the property, but you can lease it from the government for 101 years. When the time to renew the lease comes around, you won't be very interested. :D

Funny isn't it how topics like this tend to spiral out of control sometimes. I really shouldn't have to remind you all that we don't allow personal attacks, profanity, flamebaiting etc.etc.etc.

Calm down and discuss things rationally and we will all get along just fine. In the context of this thread, I would direct this reminder at Gabriel in particular.

Consider this a gentle reminder. If behaviour deteriorates, further action will be taken.