PsOTD: NASA Moon missions. Past and future (56k warn)

[Trizzle]

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/07/man_on_the_moon_future_and_pas.html
With two currently functioning orbiters, and five more missions planned in the next year, Earth's Moon may soon have seven active probes operated by five nations, with even more coming soon. NASA's plans to return humans to the Moon by 2020 are moving steadily ahead, with some concrete prototypes and initial designs beginning to emerge. Called the Constellation Program, NASA's vision involves new and upgraded launch vehicles, exploration vehicles, autonomous rovers, new spacesuits, crew and cargo vehicles, and much more. Here are seven photographs of our possible future on the Moon, and a look back, with ten images from our last visits with the Apollo missions, more than 36 years ago now.

http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/luna_07_02/luna1.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/luna_07_02/luna3.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/luna_07_02/luna4.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/luna_07_02/luna6.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/luna_07_02/luna14.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/luna_07_02/luna15.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/luna_07_02/luna17.jpg

[satanshatch]

WOW.. Pretty neat. Are the first 2-3 photos actually on the moon? Looks like maybe a beach, or they are testing the stuff. Cool none the less.

[Trizzle]

Just testing new equipment. It's in Washington.