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A comment on NASA official warns private sector: We’re moving on from low-Earth orbit. Parent comment

Re:NASA official warns private sector: We’re moving on from ... by orik on Monday December 07, 2015 @04:06PM (#10692704)
why not the moon?
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Re:NASA official warns private sector: We’re moving on from ... by stephengillie on Monday December 07, 2015 @04:36PM (#10692896)
Why not halfway between us and the moon? It could be an easy-to-reach halfway point for the Moon, a refueling station and very-low-g launchpad other points, internet relay base, and also have commercial, industrial, and housing areas.

This could be an interesting new step in human modification of the environment - "orbitforming" (like terraforming?) a better solar system. It's like razing a hill to make way for farmland or better city building conditions.

An asteroid that's easy for vacationing billionaires, mining companies, and highly-pollutant industry to reach would be a great next step for humankind.

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Re:NASA official warns private sector: We’re moving on from ... by ch4s3 on Monday December 07, 2015 @04:27PM (#10692837)
LEO is an orbit around Earth with an altitude between 160 kilometers (99 mi), and 2,000 kilometers (1,200 mi) The moon is on average 384,400 kilometers (238,900 miles) away. The Moon(ish) is where NASA is headed, LEO is what they're leaving behind.
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Re:NASA official warns private sector: We’re moving on from ... by mcguire on Monday December 07, 2015 @10:26PM (#10694582)
Don't be silly. Shoving around a mountain is laughably beyond NASA's capabilities. Moving the moon would be ridiculous.
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Re:NASA official warns private sector: We’re moving on from ... by stcredzero on Monday December 07, 2015 @04:35PM (#10692892)
why not the moon?

The L2 Lagrange point is "behind" the moon.

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