Left Flank

Although these moving images derived from a terrestrial-based radar installation are exciting, why is NASA sending an orbiter to map the South Pole again?

Scott Hensley, a scientist at JPL who took part in the latest radar-mapping effort, notes that the orbiter's laser-like radar, or lidar, will be able to match Goldstone's 20-meter resolution at the south pole after some eight months of orbiting the moon. But the orbiter can't bring that level of detail to as wide a swath of the south pole as can the radar. But where the radar can distinguish changes in elevation of roughly five meters, the LRO will be able to detect changes in terrain height of around one meter.

But for other parts of the moon, the LRO will only match the one-kilometer resolution of past missions. The Goldstone radar still has the best chance of spotting those yacht-sized objects anywhere on the moon scientists can aim it, making it for now the lunar cartographer to beat.

Alright, I can see why the difference between one and five meters of elevation is important to a descending craft with humans aboard. But, can't NASA just make a better radar at Goldstone? Is NASA just inflating simple tasks into romantic ventures, to save its budget?

Reading Tim Johnson wax nostalgic trying to justify China's space program, I feel his sentiment.

As NASA’s chief acknowledged earlier in a speech a few weeks ago, the Apollo program brought all kinds of intangible benefits to the U.S. as well as tangible scientific progress on things that affect our daily lives, like CAT scans, infrared thermometers and other medical technologies.

Whether China can make those kinds of strides is yet to be seen. But its space program is also likely to have intangible benefits.

Meanwhile, America's NASA is becoming proficient at boring people with details only engineers and mechanics could appreciate. Space, instead of thrilling treks to the moon, is also an international construction project. But, building a diplomatic tool in Earth orbit just can't compare to raw nationalism

I'd think NASA would get the clue and forgo white elephant projects, like a trip to Mars, and let private companies make space travel even more routine and dull.