12:08AM
The drumbeat for US-Russia cooperation continues
Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 12:08AM 
WSJ story.
Okay, so not exactly unprecedented, but just like with the proposed joint production of an airlift platform, we're talking two powers that cannot easily muster the requisite resources for cutting-edge work on their own.
Here we've got the Russian Deputy PM talking with our NASA boss about pushing for joint exploration past the expiration date of the International Space Station (round 2020 or so)--i.e., out into the solar system for real.
As it is, we're already dependent on the Russians for transport to low-earth orbit once we retire the Shuttles.
Ivanov's big sale? It costs a lot to explore space.
I think this is good. Let the Chinese conquer the moon and we go beyond with our old space pals.
Reader Comments (2)
The problem I have with this approach "Let the Chinese have the moon while we go beyond" is the fact that at this stage of the game the moon is not a target for exploration, its a target for exploitation. There are raw materials there that will be essential for energy projects in the future, and deep space exploration would be greatly aided by gaining access to the water that is locked in the moon's craters near its poles. Bypassing the moon now to go deep later is essentially a move by the Obama administration to kick the can to whoever comes after them. In the meantime China will not go to the moon "for all mankind". When they plant a flag there, it will be a claim of territory.
In a real sense all that matters is getting off the planet.
Why is there not intelligent life in a 13 billion year old universe? It get wiped out before it can bloom.
The universe is slowly getting less violent and we may be the first to survive to space flight. If we get established about the solar system our race becomes invulnerable as none has ever been before.
I espouse world government, which we appear to have, the financial crisis exposes it well, because I want us in space ASAP.