What is the latest book about a Moon base by author Andy Weir?

[ISamson]

Hello.
I wanted to discuss an interesting recent article on space.com which talks about a book released on the 14 November talking in incredible detail about a Moon base. The article features an interview with the author describing the book and his intents.
Cool.

 

[stefan r]

This thread should be in the science fiction thread.

I read the article but not the book. I am skeptical about tourism being the main driver of the lunar economy. Unless he just means the economy of that particular town.

How does he explain "commercial space industry has driven the price of low-Earth orbit down to the point that middle class people can afford to go to space"?

 

[Al_]

This is perhaps more realistic. https://www.space.com/32695-moon-colony-european-space-agency.html

 

[stefan r]

...talking in incredible detail about a Moon base...

This is perhaps more realistic. https://www.space.com/32695-moon-colony-european-space-agency.html

If I understood the article Johann-Dietrich Wörner is explicitly not giving any details. ESA is going to go ahead and push for a moon base without predefined details. They will adapt the the needs/desires of whomever joins in. They are switching the word "base" to "village" in order to be more politically correct, increase diversity, and encourage cooperation.

It also sounds like ESA is declining the race to Mars. They expect a lunar presence will come first.

 

[russ_watters]

This thread should be in the science fiction thread.

I read the article but not the book. I am skeptical about tourism being the main driver of the lunar economy. Unless he just means the economy of that particular town.

How does he explain "commercial space industry has driven the price of low-Earth orbit down to the point that middle class people can afford to go to space"?

This is indeed an article about a science fiction book, so I'm re-locating the thread to our science fiction section. The bit about the cost being what middle class people can afford is simply made-up for the purpose of justifying the story, which is fine for sci-fi. But all please note: where-ever the thread is located, the distinction between sci-fi and reality must be kept clean. I don't want to see arguments about how that premise might soon become true. The author is right that the ideas are technically feasible, but the idea that the economics are reasonably in our near future just isn't so (nor does he claim it to be).

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Ordered from Amazon, sold out and back ordered. (Arriving Tuesday.) Good new for Andy, and for us.