# Russia announces plans for permanent Moonbase **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 1, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687 "2007-09-01T00:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/1 "2007-09-01T00:24:54Z")
From the [_Telegraph:_](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/31/wrussia131.xml) > [@](#): > > Russia has revived another Cold War rivalry by entering a new “space race” with America to build a permanent base on the Moon. > > Anatoly Perminov, the head of the space agency Roskosmos, said Russia would organise a manned lunar mission by 2025 and would be ready to build an “inhabited station” between 2027 and 2032. > > From there, cosmonauts could strike out on a long-planned mission to Mars as early as 2035. “According to our estimates we will be ready for a manned flight to the Moon in 2025,” said Mr Perminov, adding that Mars remained a long-term ambition for Russia. > > Mr Perminov also said that Roskmosmos intended to complete its section of the International Space Station by 2015 so that the ISS “becomes a fully-fledged space research centre”, while “major modernisation” of its Soyuz spacecraft would also be completed. [The U.S. and China have already laid plans for permanent Moonbases.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=399138)[Japan, too.](http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/jaxa_moonbase_050228.html) Are we really in for a new space race? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/2 "2007-09-01T00:36:54Z")
I hope so. Nothing like competition between nations to foster breakthroughs and innovation in technology. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/3 "2007-09-01T00:38:40Z")
Shouldn’t they, you know, work on getting their people toilet paper first? ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/4 "2007-09-01T01:11:36Z")
At this point, I’d be happy to see _anybody_\* pulling this off. Somehow, though, I doubt that they can. Maybe if they really go for it it’ll kickstart somebody who has the money? I’d be all for that. ---
**Author:** ![Yesterdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/d07c76/32.png) [@Yesterdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yesterdog)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/5 "2007-09-01T01:30:25Z")
One thing is for sure, Russia is getting more money (or has more money, etc.) Their military is more active - especially on the Navy side of the house. The carriers they that have been laid up for 2 yrs are returning to sea. Their bombers are flying longer range missions. Hell, they even put a damned flag on the bottom of the ocean floor. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/6 "2007-09-01T03:25:59Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Nothing like competition between nations to foster breakthroughs and innovation in technology. [/QUOTE] Which past breakthroughs come to mind? (Not meant to sound snarky - I’m genuinely curious.) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/7 "2007-09-01T03:35:56Z")
A Russian or Chinese Moon Mission would be very impressive if it had been planned for, say, 1969. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/8 "2007-09-01T03:38:25Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] Which past breakthroughs come to mind? [/QUOTE] The two most obvious after my late night smart ass remark are cordless drills and satellite TV. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/9 "2007-09-01T04:11:38Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] Which past breakthroughs come to mind? (Not meant to sound snarky - I’m genuinely curious.) [/QUOTE] Well, they’re **mostly** in the military field . . . tanks, machine guns, battleships, aircraft carriers . . . but all that does lead to technological spinoff with civilian applications; and it’s doubtful we would now have such highly valuable things as weather or communications sattelites, if it were not for the Cold War space race. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/10 "2007-09-01T05:21:34Z")
Tang. The space pen. I mean, c’mon, _it writes upside down_. Slightly more seriously, I think the others have pretty much got it. Which is good, because I didn’t really have any examples at hand, just the principle. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/11 "2007-09-01T05:31:32Z")
[QUOTE=RandMcnally] Shouldn’t they, you know, work on getting their people toilet paper first? [/QUOTE] Rockets, moon shots Spend it on the have-nots Money, we make it Before we see it, you take it - Marvin Gaye 1971 ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/12 "2007-09-01T13:15:00Z")
I am thinking pup tents for the new moon-gulag… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/13 "2007-09-01T14:57:59Z")
[QUOTE=ASAKMOTSD] I am thinking pup tents for the new moon-gulag… [/QUOTE] [It’s been done.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Moon_Is_A_Harsh_Mistress) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/14 "2007-09-01T15:01:30Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Tang. [/QUOTE] Psst! Tang was already being sold before people got into space. It was first made in 1957 and was marketed in powdered form in 1959. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/15 "2007-09-01T15:55:57Z")
Velcro is pretty nifty. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/16 "2007-09-01T16:35:41Z")
[QUOTE=Kuboydal] Velcro is pretty nifty. [/QUOTE] It was [invented in 1941.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro) Long before any country had a space program. And teflon in [1938.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teflon) But [here](http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html) and [here](http://www.look-to-the-skies.com/space_program_spinoffs.htm) you can read about **real** space-program spinoffs. It’s an impressive list. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/17 "2007-09-01T18:04:57Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Psst! Tang was already being sold before people got into space. It was first made in 1957 and was marketed in powdered form in 1959. 😉 [/QUOTE] Yeah, but it’s fun to say. Tang. Tang tang. Taaaaang. Tangtangtangtang. I’ll go now. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/18 "2007-09-01T19:06:19Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Tang. The space pen. I mean, c’mon, _it writes upside down_. [/QUOTE] What’s that old joke? “NASA spent millions of dollars developing a pen that would write in zero-gravity. The Soviets used pencils.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/19 "2007-09-01T19:15:23Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] What’s that old joke? “NASA spent millions of dollars developing a pen that would write in zero-gravity. The Soviets used pencils.” [/QUOTE] I would think that broken pencil points and shavings in a weightless environment would be a pain in the ass…er, eye nose and throat. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687/20 "2007-09-01T19:20:02Z")
How soon we forget Space Food Sticks. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-announces-plans-for-permanent-moonbase/417687.md?page=2)