China eyes Mars Exploration

[GAP]

By the way, where would hydrocarbons on the moon have come from?

It is thought that part of them came initial formation and locked in, and part from largely hydrocarbon comets/asteroids crashing into the moon

 

[exsemjingo]

I see, you mean methane.  That is common on gas giants, but as all other gasses, would float away from the moon. 
Even so, good luck running methane from the moon back to earth.

 

[GAP]

I see, you mean methane.  That is common on gas giants, but as all other gasses, would float away from the moon. 
Even so, good luck running methane from the moon back to earth.

No, not methane, but water, which is what NASA searched for recently (I can't remember the date -within 3 years). They found spectral analysis revealed fairly large deposits of frozen water largely covered with dust and rubble. There was a bit of a hullabaloo for a short while about the feasibility of a selfsustaining station...haven't heard much since

 

[rz350]

By the way, where would hydrocarbons on the moon have come from?

They would of come from hydrogen and carbon, and a few other elements maybe (in complex ones) along with heat and pressure.

 

[rz350]

Ooh you said the moon, I though you meant other places, my bad. I don't know of any hydrocarbons on the moon.

 

[Bert]

This link might provide an overview of what being discussed:

http://galileo.spaceports.com/~helmut/exploration99/

It glosses over most issues but is more or less accurate as a quick brief.

As it relates to China and Mars, I think there is a viable interest in exploring whats out there
in space and the technologies that go with it.  As we seen Europe and China juggle for Russia oil,
the issues in the mid-east and finite resources, growing populations in underdeveloped areas,
securing of other resources, and the current emphasis characterizine comets and NEOs, we
will likely see more interest in space-based ventures.  Perhaps not a big issue for today, but
odds are it will in the future.

 

[a_majoor]

The real motivators for going to Mars or wherever? Desire for glory, the need to get away from oppression, the desire to get away from the established order and the lure of wealth. Once technology brings the price of getting into orbit down to something reasonable, we are "halfway to anywhere".

Once that happens, look for revolutionaries, religious groups, holy warriors and adventurers to head on out. Think of Conquistadors, the Pilgrims, and the East India Company you get the idea.I don't think you will see too many bureaucrats out there.....