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Why the Lunar South Pole Is Our Next Important Step
The lunar south pole is a treasure trove of science, rife with resources, and our springboard to the solar system.
Humans walked on the moon for the last time in December 1972. NASA’s Apollo missions of the 60s and 70s sparked our imaginations. It wouldn’t be long before we built a moon base. Lunar tourism was right around the corner. Some of us might even be living there. We were on the verge of becoming a true spacefaring civilization. But in the 50 or so years since Apollo 17, these ideas slowly receded into science fiction.
Jim Bridenstine explained the reasons for not continuing lunar exploration and colonization were economic and political. Bridenstine ran NASA under the Trump administration. It wasn’t the lack of technology or scientific understanding. We wanted to colonize the Moon, and we could’ve done it. It’s just that politicians didn’t want to take such risks.
“If it wasn’t for the political risk, we would be on the moon right now. In fact, we would probably be on Mars.” -Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Business Insider
Thankfully, though, humanity’s lunar appetite has returned, and we’re drooling over the lunar south pole.
