For instance, if you’ve wondered about the economic details of asteroid mining, I won’t spoil it here, read the chapter.

Mars and the asteroid belt await and Zubrin does the math for us. Zubrin understands that once you leave Low Earth Orbit (LEO), every other destination in the solar system is simply a function of propellant and time and there is no good reason to delay human expansion. While the book seriously analyzes the reality and economic value of cis-lunar resources, it doesn’t find itself trapped there. All of these topics are addressed in a style that any space enthusiast will easily follow and enjoy.Įlon Musk with Dr. He looks at everything from the physical practicality of extracting this material to the economics of transporting it. For instance, in considering the likely (relative) abundance of the He-3 isotope of helium on the moon, Zubrin delves into the physics of fusion reactors and why lunar He-3 is the preferable fuel for Earth’s emissions-free energy future. In his new book, Zubrin’s digs right into the issues of lunar resource extraction, energy generation, manufacturing and transportation that will drive the quick settlement of Earth’s “eighth continent.” Zubrin leaves no moon rock unturned in either closing or rejecting the business case for each idea. Register here and see what the good doctor has to say about Moon Direct in person. I’m Chairing the National Space Society’s International Space Development Conference (ISDC) in Washington DC this June 5-9 and our timely theme is “Back to the Moon to Stay.” NSS is proud to have Dr. Zubrin’s excellent chapter on Moon Direct is reason enough to buy The Case for Space. More importantly it would do it in a way that would leave humanity with a permanent lunar presence and place the US firmly in the lead for the upcoming lunar land rush. His Moon Direct model could deliver on the Vice President’s mandate requiring the agency to return humans to the lunar surface by 2024. Zubrin has been absolutely relentless in his efforts to redirect NASA toward a simpler, cheaper, faster and ultimately more sustainable return to the moon.

Like many of you, I want to see that particular goal fulfilled with actions, not simply policy statements, bigger budgets and updated programmatic timelines (though these are all encouraging). Serving on the Presidential Transition Team at NASA, I watched the laying out many of the agency’s current goals, including returning to the moon to stay. I’ve been particularly grateful for Robert Zubrin’s strong voice in the lunar policy arena.

The case for space robert zubrin