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From: David.Anderman@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Back to the Moon bill
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov 17 1992
Date: 19 Nov 92  10:20:50

        Since the initial proposal for a bill that would get America
back to the Moon in this decade was announced, considerable momentum
for the Lunar Resources Data Purchase Act (the "Back to the Moon" Bill)
has been generated.  The Back to the Moon bill would authorize the NASA
Administrator to purchase a geochemical map of the Moon from the lowest
qualified U.S. bidder by December 31, 1996.
        Why is this important? The United States last launched a
dedicated lunar mission in December of 1972, twenty years ago. Since
that time, the government has spent millions on paper studies of lunar
missions, but has spent no money on actually going there. The Back to
the Moon bill would get America back to the Moon by 1996. All other
initiatives have stalled in Congress, which is understandably leery of
giving NASA money for lunar probes, and which sees a new start for lunar
exploration as being the "nose of the camel in the tent", as a new start
for solar system exploration may develop into a new Apollo program.
        On the other hand, the Back to the Moon bill would stimulate the
private sector to map the Moon. There may be valuable resources located
in the areas of the Moon not explored by the Apollo astronauts or
scientific probes, which focused on the equatorial belts of the Moon.
Some theorize that water ice exists in deep craters at the lunar poles.
The Back to the Moon Bill, if passed, would provide hard data on lunar
resources. However, it will take passage of the Back to the Moon Bill
to get America moving again to explore the lunar surface.
        Among the important recent developments:

        Interest among the California congressional contingent has been
expressed. Assuming the final draft of bill is politically viable, it is
likely that it will be introduced in the 103rd Congress, and with some
effort on the part of the space movement, passed sufficiently early so
that hardware for lunar missions is created in 1994.
        Public hearings on the Back to the Moon Bill are tentatively
scheduled to take place in the Los Angeles area in February, 1993.
        Some lunar scientists are responding positively to the prospect
of obtaining new lunar data. Others are considering participating in
bidding process to fly the lunar mapper. Others, however, are concerned
about the possibility of the privatization of a formerly governmental field.
        The Back to the Moon Bill is receiving positive feedback from
National Space Society chapters and newsletters, as well as by the "
experts" in the Beltway.
        Space activists should have a major role in the passage of this
bill. We need volunteers to deal with local congresspersons, with the
media, and with other grassroots organizations. Please support this
effort, by helping to pass the Back to the Moon Bill. For more
information, please contact San Diego L5 at 619/295-3690, or
David Anderman at 714/524-1674.

--- Maximus 2.00
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