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By ANGIE WAGNER
.c The Associated Press

 
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Resorts and retirement communities on the moon might still seem far out, but to a group of lunar junkies, living in space is a serious dream.

``They're always too far out there until you get there,'' said Rick Tumlinson, president of the Los Angeles-based Space Frontier Foundation.

Friday was the 32nd anniversary of man's first moon landing, and about 100 professors, scientists, engineers and others met in Las Vegas to exchange ideas at the annual Return to the Moon symposium. The three-day conference ran through Saturday.

Tumlinson is convinced some of the plans will become reality.

After all, it wasn't that long ago that space tourism was considered a fantasy. Businessman Dennis Tito changed that, reportedly paying the Russians up to $20 million for a round trip to the international space station in May.

``There is demand there,'' Tumlinson said Thursday. ``Now we have to provide destinations.''

Robert Bigelow, owner of Budget Suites of America, wants to build a private space station that would be a destination for space tourists.

Because the moon's gravity is one-sixth that of Earth, one idea voiced at the symposium was using the moon as a rehabilitation facility and retirement complex for ailing senior citizens.

``For medical treatment, it will be a wonderful place,'' said James Busby, conference director. ``There's things we haven't even imagined.''

No one explained how ailing senior citizens might survive the launch from Earth. Astronauts riding the space shuttle into orbit experience the equivalent of three times the force of gravity.

Wendell Mendell listened to the ideas, but wasn't booking his hotel room just yet.

``Some of the ideas are kind of far-fetched,'' observed Mendell, a planetary scientist for NASA. Still, he said, ``Nothing will ever change unless you do have people who are pushing for change.''

AP-NY-07-21-01 1615EDT

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.