If Lunar exploration and development had continued on the 1960s pace?

If instead of stagnating in the early 70s, Lunar exploration and development had continued on with near pace as it had during Apollo, what kind of developments would have seen by now?

They were predicting moon bases by the 1980s at that time I believe.
 
The space program just didn't have enough public support to get the resources to sustain the Apollo program let alone do more ambitious things. And of course in a democracy the public, which preferred its tax money be spent on programs of greater personal benefit than space, got its way. I'm afraid that, assuming no change in government, this is ASB.
 

kernals12

Banned
NASA's 1960s budget would've been better spent on a reusable spaceplane. They were really hemmed in by their budget on the Space Shuttle which forced them to scrap things like flyback boosters.
 

Lusitania

Donor
The only way I can see it happening is that Soviet program is more successful and lands on moon shortly after Americans do. Now two nations on moon. Early 1970s Soviets being building Mirr space station and it keeps growing to which the Americans respond likewise. Mid 1970s Soviet announce plans to build permanent base on moon America responds. Soviets then respond plans to fly to mars to which US responds.
 
The only way I can see it happening is that Soviet program is more successful and lands on moon shortly after Americans do. Now two nations on moon. Early 1970s Soviets being building Mirr space station and it keeps growing to which the Americans respond likewise. Mid 1970s Soviet announce plans to build permanent base on moon America responds. Soviets then respond plans to fly to mars to which US responds.

Either that or some ASB-tier scenario with like an alien Spacecraft crash landing on mars.
 
Public opinion about space exploration shifted after the success of Apollo 11. The US fulfilled Kennedy's pledge, so that was the end of it, as far as the people were concerned. LIke has been suggested, the only way to get a bigger space program is for the Soviets to beat the Americans. But aside from the Soviet space program being a popularity contest dialled up to eleven, it was a comedy of errors such as the N-1 rocket exploding as a result of alternating thrusts due to it having thirty engines, instead of the Saturn V's five. Also, one rocket exploded due to a bolt coming loose. The N-1 rocket never left the Earth in all the four times it tried to. The rocket could've been improved, but again, the Soviet space program was a popularity contest dialled up to eleven.

Why bother? There's nothing of value on the moon.

China would disagree with you
 
Why bother? There's nothing of value on the moon. Now orbital solar or mining the belt OTOH...
Why chase down asteroids when you can mine the moon instead? Particularly if this is this is any time when our level of automation and remote manipulation is less than now and you have to send actual miners.

The moon represents one of the most important scientific bases we could ever feasibly establish. Learning about a reduced gravity environment's effects on everything, the origins of the moon AND earth, a great environment to study ISRU, the potential is boundless. And of course those moon mines hopefully starting to reduce the cost of orbital solar power.
 
What'd be interesting is the impact of space junk. Depending how soon a consciousness of this arrives, you could have near earth unusable.
On the other hand, it could go the other way with bigger missions requiring more attention paid to this
 
Which would make sense, if there was something that existed now that could use He-3, but otherwise its like the outlook for regular fusion, 20 years away for the past 50
Hey, the sooner they lay the groundwork’s for supply, the sooner they can get up and running 20-50 years in the future

Assuming they haven’t collapsed yet...
 

DougM

Donor
What if the USSR lands on the moon in early 70 and starts to build a small base?
Add this to the classic argument about the moon being the high ground in any future battle and suddenly having a base in the moon could become important.
 
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