Lunar Base as a Precursor to Mars Exploration and Settlement

Debates over strategy for human exploration of the solar system focus on whether the next interplanetary travelers ought to go to the Moon or to Mars. The Space Exploration Initiative explicitly calls for a lunar presence, but the "Mars Now" advocates argue for a token effort on the Moon with major emphasis on Mars. A strategy which moves directly to piloted Mars missions incurs serious programmatic risks from (1) our current lack of knowledge on human performance on long-duration deep space missions, (2) our lack of experience designing manned space systems which must remain troublefree for years without refurbishment, (3) our lack of experience with complex on-orbit operations, and (4) the political instability of the funding process. A well planned program of human exploration of the Moon would provide a context within which to increase our capabilities and experience to levels required for Mars exploration.