Could some one please explain to me why going to the Moon is once again cool? Yesterday NASA announced plans return to the moon by the year 2018 with a cost of just over $108 Billion. Some would call that a steal, I’m not one. I’m still from the school of thought that we should figure out amongst other things, the cure for the Common Cold before returning to the Moon. I’m not even sure what the point of returning is.

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said gave the following reason during the announcement:

One goal of future moon missions will be to learn how to “live off the land,” using the hydrogen and oxygen from water ice as well as other compounds from the lunar soil to make rocket fuel and other “consumables” necessary for long-term space missions.

I thought we had more to worry about back down on Earth than just “living off the Moon Land”.