Ignoring the political implications, OAS had a meeting a month ago on the search for life in the universe. It seems that this is a major push for NASA. Going back to the Moon is viewed as an important part of learning to travel and do research in our Solar System. I also remember watching a show on Discovery where an astronaut talked about mining for fuel on the Moon. If I remember correctly, he said that a shuttle cargo bay full of this material would provide for the energy needs of the USA for a year. I was a little young (7 -12) when they went to the Moon before. I think it will be neat to see it happen again. Dave