ISS: International Space Ship???

Interesting article, again linked from ./. It's about giving the International Space Station a new, real purpose by sending it to the moon.

I have more than a simple curiosity in this, since I am developing a (small) video-processing application for use on the Japan Kibo module on the ISS. One upcoming feature is to stream video data back to earth via a relay satellite, which poses the interesting problem of having only 45 minutes of satellite line-of-sight out of every 90. Transmission interruptions, interference, missing bits due to atmospheric phenomenon... wow, better have good error-correction built in!

Can you imagine what it would be like if the ISS were not parked in low earth orbit, but actually spinning around the moon? That would present some very interesting challenges, I'm sure.

But first, there are of course the logistics of moving 1,040,000 pounds of ISS the distance of roughly 250,000 miles from the earth to the moon. Just strap on some ion engines and slap together a steering module?