The lunar race (again)

"So here we sit with NASA, traveling at the speed of turtles, while China, Russia, Elon Musk and whomever else, is doing the Tom Swift route in getting to the Moon." 

In 1969, I decided to drive from Duluth to Hudson's Bay. It is a trip I had always dreamed of, and in 1959, I dared myself to get there before 1970. So with a compass, some warm clothes, provisions a first aid kit, and so forth, I piled into my VW Beetle and headed north. Oh - and I had very little money. It was a wing and a prayer adventure, and most of my friends and family did not think I would make it. In fact, some thought I would die trying. To everyone's amazement and surprise - I did make it - and lived to tell about it!

This year in 2019, I decided to try it again. I have a "tricked out" Jeep Wrangler, sat coms, state of the art GPS, great North Face hiking gear, a month of survival food, and so forth. That being said, I could not get one friend nor relative to worry about me trying this trip again. "You made it before on a wing and a prayer. Now, you look like Admiral Perry heading to the North Pole. This is no challenge - you could do it with one eye closed."

In 1969, the United States traveled to the Moon literally on a wing and a prayer. The equipment used was worse than sketchy, and the chances of failure were more that we would tolerate today. And yet we did it. Not once, but six times. Probably would have been seven, if not for the near miss with Apollo 13. 

Here we are fifty plus years later. As I said in my story above, "You made it before on a wing and a prayer... this is no challenge - you could do it with one eye closed." My feeling is simply this. We have the technology to not only make it (safely) to the Moon again (now), but also to build a base up there (now). Every other part of our technology has taken off like racing Greyhounds over the past 50 years. We are on the verge of total AI. Curing cancer. Laser defenses. Are you telling me that getting to the Moon has not part of that technology leap? I simply don't believe it.

So, here we sit with NASA, traveling at the speed of turtles. Meanwhile, China, Russia, Elon Musk and whomever else, is doing the Tom Swift route in getting to the Moon. They don't want to just to a rerun of Apollo like NASA wants to do in 2023, most now will settle for nothing less than a permanent Moon base. NASA on the other hand, is becoming satisfied with being spectators instead of leaders. 

In any event, get ready Moon - here we come! We may not be seeing many US flags up there, but at least there will be humans. BTW - most adventuresome countries or entrepreneurs are not looking at the Moon as more than just a rest stop. Mars is the big prize - and plans are already being drawn up to go there soon. NASA? They are still studying "climate change". Get ready Sputnik - here we come!