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C00002 00002	shackl[f81,jmc]		The Shackleton Project for a one way trip to the moon
C00005 00003		On January x, 190y, Sir Earnest Shackleton placed the following
C00007 00004		The object of Project Shackleton is to establish a permanent
C00013 00005	Notes to be incorporated later
C00015 00006	A PROPOSAL FOR A FOUNDATION BEGIN COLONIZATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
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shackl[f81,jmc]		The Shackleton Project for a one way trip to the moon

	It seems feasible to begin the colonization of space with a
one way trip to the moon by one or two people who would stay there permanently
supported by unmanned supply missions.  If possible the two people would
be a married couple who would have children there.

	This memo is based on discussions held 1981 September 26 among
Danny Hilles,
Rod Hyde,
John McCarthy,
Marvin Minsky and
Lowell Wood
about the possibility of a non-profit organization to collect donations
for and organize such a mission.  The mission would be based on one
or two Shuttle launches.  The lower bound for the cost of the mission
is estimated to be $100 million, and the upper bound of what might
be raised is $500 million based on the amount raised by large universities
in 5 year campaigns.

	Such a mission requires a break with the present NASA doctrine
of absolutely minimizing risk.  Anyway, given the present demands for
Government economy, NASA is unlikely to undertake such a mission in
this century.  NASA's co-operation, at least to the extent of selling
Shuttle launches, is required, however.

	The lunar settlers would be on their own except for advice
and resupply at intervals of several years.
	On January x, 190y, Sir Earnest Shackleton placed the following
advertisement in the Times of London.

"Men wanted for hard dangerous work at low pay.  Some chance of fame."

Shackleton was recruiting for one of his Antarctic expeditions.

	On May xx, 1980, Robert Frosch, then Administrator of NASA,
 stated in response to
questions at a press conference

"There is no way the United States could return to the  moon in
the 1980s."

	When he was reminded that the decision to go to the moon
in the 1960s was made in 1960, he said

"It's not the same country."

	We believe that Shackleton's spirit can accomplish what
Frosch's spirit cannot.  Not only can we go to the moon, but we
can stay there, i.e. make a permanent settlement.
	The object of Project Shackleton is to establish a permanent
human (American) presence on the moon.  The U.S. Government, because
of escalating costs of existing social commitments is not able to
undertake this project at present and has no plans to do so in this
century.   Therefore, Project Shackleton proposes to undertake the 
project privately with the aid of donations from individuals and
foundations and the co-operation of NASA and perhaps the U.S. Air
Force.

	Because it is not a Government project, it must be carried
out in the most austere way, accepting hardships and dangers more
like those of early explorers than those connnected with recent
Government undertakings.


The Plan

	We plan a one way expeditin to the moon by two people,
tentatively a married couple, who would stay on the moon probably
for the rest of their lives and have children there if conditions
permitted.  The Shackleton Project will undertake to resupply them
every two or three years and enlarge the colony if conditions
warrant and finances permit.

	The present plan calls for placing ten tons, including the
colonists, their equipment and supplies, onthe moon - probably
at one of the Apollo sites where certain equipment may be
cannibalizaed and the vehicle may be repaired and used.  A Shuttle
launch to low earth orbit will be purchased from NASA.

	If transportation to geosynchronous orbit can be purchased
from NASA, this will be done.   Otherwise, the expedition will use
its own rocketry from low earth orbit.  If a low earth orbit base
is available, it will be used to check out equipment.

	Unmanned resupply rockets using the same technology will be
used.  We expect that survival will require resupply at least
every eight years, but we hope to extend the facilities with a
rocket every two or three years.

	We propose to use solar cells for power and split water
into H2 and O2 for night time use in fuel cells.  Umbrellas will
be sued for shade during the day and insulation for warmth at night.
Life support equipment with partial recycling of air and water and some
attempt to grow food will be based on existing NASA studies.

	The present austere budget is $100 million including
$30 million for the Shuttle launch.  MOre detailed estimates
will be given later, but the commmittee will still attempt to
raise the money if the estimated costs stay under $400 million.
After the first landing, more money will have to be raised for
resupply.

	Our belief that the money can be raised is basEd on the
idea that many people are like ourselves in wanting the first
steps toward human settlement of space taken in this century.


"Business plan"

1. From estimates committee which will collect relevant NASA studies,
refine cost estimates and prepare a nominal plan.

2. Form sciEntific review committee to review estimates and lend their
reputations to a feasible plan.

3. Incorporation and nomination of a Board of Directors.

4. Select president who will be in charge of personnel, external
relations and fund raising.

5. Select technical director.

6. Begin fund raising.

7. The project is non-profit but there may be opportunities to defray
some of the costs by

	a. TV, etc. rights

	b. publicity connections

	c. contract research on the moon

Remark: The club of large donors might be called "The Baltimore Gun
Club" after the group who financed the expedition to the moon
imagined by Jules Verne.
Notes to be incorporated later

1. An initial document should spell out some scenario involving digging
a shelter, determining if local material can be made airtight, perhaps
by solar melting, or whether it can be made strong enough to serve
as roof.

2. Some scenario involving increasing recycling lessening requirement
for supplies.

3. Scenarios involving interaction with the prospective lunar materials
projects and solar power projects and O'Neill style projects.  Ours
can do research for them - for pay.

4. Eventually (say after 25 years) we will get tired of supporting
the lunar colonists, and they will have to make it on their own.

5. What is the minimal mass that can support a person, using technically
sophisticated recycling.  There is no proof that it is much larger than
the mass of the person.

6. A solar flare shelter must be constructed quickly.
A PROPOSAL FOR A FOUNDATION BEGIN COLONIZATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
IN THIS CENTURY

	Humanity will eventually expand throughout the solar system
and beyond.  This process could begin in our lifetimes, and
the present authors are among those who would like it to begin in
our lifetimes.  We would like America to play a leading role, and we
can think of many good reasons why the American people should be willing
to spend several percent of our GNP in order to realize the goal.
Many good proposals have been made for NASA to begin the colonization
of the solar system.  All these proposals have costs like that of
the Apollo Project, although some of them have prospects of repaying
the costs by minerals from space or solar power satellites.

	Unfortunately, it seems quite possible and even likely that
projects will not be undertaken soon, perhaps not even in this
century - at least not in the United States.
Some people have no interest in space colonization - often
combined with an opposition to technology in general.  Others would
favor space colonization but want to postpone it at least until the
Government budget is under control or believe it should be undertaken
only when and if private industry finds it profitable.

	We present a proposal for beginning space colonization that
whose costs may be small enough to be raised from private donations,
i.e. a few hundred million dollars, which corresponds to the amounts
raised over a five year period by major university fund drives.
However, it requires a quite different style than that of NASA and
the Soviet space program - a style more like that of the explorers
of past centuries and the colonists of America.

	The basic relevant technological fact is the following.  The
cost of a space mission is proportional to the payload and is
exponential in the total velocity change required.  Therefore, missions
that require return are enormously more expensive than one way missions.

	We propose a one way mission to the moon (or alternatively
to an asteroid).  The travelers will be resupplied as necessary but
return will not be provided for.  In other words they will be emigrants
to the moon or the asteroid.  If possible, they will comprise one
or more couples who will have children there.

	The following considerations are relevant:

	1. The project will not be managed by NASA but by a private
foundation.  It will be able to demand more of its participants in¬
Work and risk.

	2. The costs of the mission depend on the mass requirement.
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studied.

	8. The major problems of long term life on the moon are

	a. oxygen supply. 2 kilograms per day per person.  Recycling
will make a large difference.

	b. water.  Substantial recycling is not very difficult.
Without it a person requires a kilogram per day.

	c. food.  A person requires 1.5 to two kilograms per day
of wet food.  Dried food requires considerably less.

	d. temperature control.  We propose digging in combined with
umbrellas in the day time and insulation at night.
The evaporative system used in Apollo is unsuitabile for long missions.

	e. mobility.  Perhaps the Apollo vehicle can be revived if
the landing is at one of the Apollo sites.  Perhaps a new vehicle
will be required.

	f. repair of equipment.  Here is where risks will be taken.
Repair equipment and supplies will be provided, but the lives of
the emigrants will depend on their ability to make prompt repairs
when required.

	8. If the Government is inspired to participate, we won't
object.  We will also welcome the participation of foreign governments
or individuals who can contribute substantially to the project.

	9. Perhaps the most decisive break with the past will be in
the spirit of the expedition.  Compare the following approaches of
Earnest Shackleton to Antarctic exploration on the one hand to that
of Robert Frosch, the former NASA Administrator on the other.

[quotes from Shackleton and Frosch.  See page two of the current draft].


Business plan

	1. Preliminary estimates of the mass and cost requirements of
the two possible missions.  Three months.  Hyde and Hilles.
Search for relevant NASA and industry studies.

	2. Preparation of more detailed proposal by the present group
with co-option of suitable interested people.

	3. Presentation of the plan to influential sponsors who will
endorse the idea.

	4. Up to this point all effort will be voluntary.

	5. Formation of preliminary finance, publicity committees and
technical committees based on wide publicity.

	6. Another year of amateur effort.

	7. The beginning of professional fund raising, lobbying and
technical planning.  The selection of a project director, etc.


Queries

	1. What additional participation should be solicited?

	2. It seems to me that a plan to raise money by donation
has to be kept quite separate from efforts to get something as part
of the Government space program or as a private money-making venture.
Both of those are fine if they succeed, but this is a different kind
of beast.