Lasers on the Moon? - and other NASA Science Projects

It sounds like a plan by Dr. Evil: place a giant "laser" on the moon. But instead of destroying the world with "boiling hot magma," this laser would help scientists test general relativity by more precisely calculating the effects of gravity on the Earth's neighboring body. One prediction of some string theory interpretations is that there may be slight deviations from general relativity.

Instead of reflecting laser beams off of mirrors (left on the Moon by Apollo astronauts), this mounted laser would receive a beam from Earth and transmit another beam back. This would provide more power than the reflected light and would allow for a broader measurement system, so that comparisons could be made between the different areas.

This is one of seven projects recently accepted by NASA from among 70 applications for future research projects on the Moon. Two new programs at NASA - the Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research (LASER) Program and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Participating Scientist Program - have been established to help coordinate these and other research programs.

What do you think about these new NASA projects? Do we have more to learn with research on the Moon, or is this a case of "been there, done that?"

Related Articles:

• NASA.gov - NASA Prepares for Performing New Science on the Moon
• New Scientist - Moon-based lasers could uncover exotic physics
• SpaceFlight Now - NASA prepares for new science on the moon