Impace of lunar ice on site selection for lunar base

>
> Thank you for the very interesting link to "THE REAL WORLD AND
LUNAR BASE
> ACTIVATION SCENARIOS".
>
> The paper states that,
> "The site for the fir.st base of the network will be selected
as that
> which is best for the operational testing of all basic support
systems as
> well as
> being suitable for resource production"
> and then goes on to suggest sites for the first, second, and third
lunar
> bases. None of these suggested sites are polar.
>
> It appeared to me from perusing the References section that the
paper was
> written prior to the Clementine and Lunar Prospector missions, and
nowhere
> were the words "pole" or "ice" mentioned in the paper.
>
> To the extent that you or anyone in the ssi_list might know the
answer, I
> have a question. If "THE REAL WORLD AND LUNAR BASE ACTIVATION
SCENARIOS"
> were written today, would the sites recommended have definitely
been polar?
> I understand that it takes more energy to land at the poles, but
don't
> really understand how that plays out against the advantages of
> near-perpetual sunlight and water availability. How revolutionary
was or
> wasn't the finding of lunar ice with respect to site selection for
possible
> lunar bases? Are polar sites now the clear choice?
>
> If there is another link to which you could point me that addresses
this
> question, I'd be appreciative. Thanks.
>
> Ron Menich
>
Ron,

I think it is a bit premature to say there is ice at the lunar poles -
it is fairer to say that lunar prospector found evidence of ice. I
think we need a lander to confirm this without doubt.

Mark Collins