From: alain245@videotron.ca   
      
   On Jul/18/2020 at 16:35, David Spain wrote :   
   > On 2020-07-18 11:56 AM, Alain Fournier wrote:   
   >> Personally, I don't see the point. I'm waiting for Starship and New   
   >> Armstrong to fly. Once those rockets are flying (at least one of   
   >> them), making plans for Lunar missions will be much easier. If those   
   >> rockets work as expected, it seems to me that someone somewhere will   
   >> obviously decide to plan a mission, if not to the moon, then to Mars,   
   >> probably both.   
   >   
   > While I largely agree, I credit Dr. Zubrin for often pointing out the   
   > path not taken. (Mars Direct, Moon Direct, etc.). I used to be a critic   
   > of the Zubrin approach, esp. one-way crewed missions to Mars. Still not   
   > a particular fan of that idea, but I have to give credit to Dr. Zubrin   
   > for making a whole lot more from a whole lot less.   
      
   I very much like Mars Direct and Dr Zubrin (I'm not sure of the details   
   of Moon Direct). It is only this Artemis 8 that I am complaining about.   
   Mars Direct is a bold plan to do great things. Artemis 8 is a hastily   
   elaborated plan to redo something that was done more than 50 years ago.   
      
   > We actually have largely in hand the infrastructure needed to go back to   
   > the Moon. In Falcon and Dragon. Modifications would be needed but not   
   > necessarily massive changes. Instead we wait for better solutions,   
   > whether it be SLS/Orion/EUS/Artemis-lander or Starship or New Armstrong.   
   >   
   > SLS/Orion/... being the worst examples in my opinion.   
   >   
   > I am convinced we could be back on the Moon within a few years time had   
   > the money spent on SLS/Orion etc. instead been used to evolve Falcon and   
   > Crew Dragon. I don't see the compelling reason to wait for Starship.   
   > It'll be grand once it is there, but NASA didn't need to wait for it but   
   > could have invested in what SpaceX already has at hand today. If only.   
      
   Yes but I don't see the point in going in lunar orbit using rockets that   
   most likely won't be used to put people on the moon. If I thought that   
   Artemis 8 would help prepare future lunar missions using Starship it   
   might make sense to do this. But I really don't think that an Artemis 8   
   mission would help in anyway. The astronauts flying Artemis 8 would   
   probably enjoy the ride very much, but I don't see what the mission   
   would give other than that pleasure for its crew.   
      
      
   Alain Fournier   
      
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