US: Moonstruck

[RJDiogenes]

That's some interesting stuff going on in Antarctica. I wonder if they're doing parallel research in the Mojave or something; conditions on the Moon are extreme in both directions.

As far as ore processing for water and oxygen goes, if they do indeed find a substantial ice source then that would come pretty easily. I think part of the research they should be doing up there is practical selenology and good old-fashioned brickmaking. Are they planning any substantial sample return missions from the Moon? I can't remember.

I really wonder if resupplying the Moon would be more complicated and expensive than resupplying ISS. The distance is greater, but there are low-energy orbits that can be used; and is landing on the Moon more complicated than rendezvous and docking? Seems simpler to me, but I don't know.

Say like a gas core nuclear rocket that could get us to Mars in 30 days. Now that would be awesome.

Heh. That would be awesome indeed. And they could drop off Moon supplies on their way by.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

Lunar base temperature testing for habitat

That's some interesting stuff going on in Antarctica. I wonder if they're doing parallel research in the Mojave or something; conditions on the Moon are extreme in both directions.

You got me thinking:

The Mojave is a desert of temperature extremes and four distinct seasons. Winter months bring temperatures dipping to below 20 °F (-7 °C) on valley floors, and below 0 °F (-18 °C) at higher elevations.

Summer weather is dominated by heat — temperatures on valley floors can soar above 120 °F (49 °C) and above 130 °F (54 °C) at the lowest elevations — and the presence of the North American monsoon

Location:

a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave_desert

A long term lunar base habitat would need testing for closer to the moon's temperatures:
During the lunar day, the surface temperature averages 107°C, and during the lunar night, it averages -153°C
To test the effectiveness of air conditioning as well as heating units and cycling them on and off for a similar number of hours as the lunar base would experience.

robots could excavate an area to place the habitat modules partially underground and cover over for radiation protection.

As far as the actual living it will be more like an underwater habitat that NASA is testing in short term intervals:

Aquarius Underwater Laboratory, part of NASA's Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) program
Located 18 meters (6 feet) under the surface

The lab itself is a coral-encrusted cylinder that looks a lot like a yellow submarine, located 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) off Florida's Key Largo and it's the only underwater laboratory in the world

photo:
http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage...pace-Missions-in-Underwater-Laboratory-2.jpg/
Astronauts Train for Space Missions in Underwater Laboratory
18th of May 2007,
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Astr...Missions-in-Underwater-Laboratory-55049.shtml


The Aquarius Underwater Laboratory though doesn't have to deal with major temperature changes like heat and cold. It is pretty much a 30degree F difference year-round.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I would definitely expect a Moonbase to be at least partially, and hopefully mostly, buried to protect from radiation and temperature extremes. The habitats being tested at McMurdo are for temporary mobile missions (it seems to me); for more permanent occupancy, you'd want to dig in.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

The habitats being tested at McMurdo are for temporary mobile missions (it seems to me); for more permanent occupancy, you'd want to dig in.

There are Altair mock-ups already built at the Johnson Space Center in Houston where habitability teams are working inside, trying out different configurations. These teams are taking a look at how astronauts will live and work inside, so that Altair can be built in the best way possible for the mission.

Altair Lunar Lander will land 4 astronauts on the moon for the Constellation program and provide life support for a weeklong mission.
http://www.universetoday.com/2009/02/04/take-a-spin-around-the-altair-lunar-lander/
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/CxEMM_SITE/index.html
That is a short term mission. 1 week. Just an upgrade really of the Apollo Lunar Lander with about 4x more interior space.
They do not need luxury of more space than that for months of living and for many experiments during the Constellation mission.


The Flashline Mars Arctic research station I mentioned above:
photo: http://arctic.marssociety.org/arctic/images/photojournal/2007-06-08/imgp0222.jpg
http://arctic.marssociety.org/arctic/2007/
These types of Habitats are already being tested although I don't think they were designed with both major heating and cooling systems to simulate the moon (or Mars) in additon to real pressurization.

I can't see a NASA inflatable lunar habitat used for anything other than protecting some dry goods against extreme cold.

 

[Lindley]

Located 18 meters (6 feet) under the surface

Say what?

 

[Triskelion]

^ That looks more like 1.8 meters.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Must be Lunar meters.

 

[Deckerd]

Wasn't there a bit of a snarl up over metric versus miles on one of the recent Mars missions?

 

[Chimpy Chompy]

No, we definitely need to have a permanent presence on the Moon before jumping ahead to Mars.

I'm inclined to think that way. We carry out research, learn more about living away from earth, and hopefully set up a manufacturing base. (build spacecraft there! easier to put them in space). Maybe even private industry. It's just a logical first step in expanding our reach.

I'm kind of skeptical of mars missions, right now. We could certainly try but i wouldn't place good odds on people getting there and back alive.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Especially considering the track record for unmanned missions. We definitely need to proceed with caution.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

new documentary "Living on the Moon"

check out this advance on National Geographic's new documentary [Naked Science - Living on the Moon]. It will even show the Orion simulator:

How Would It Be to Live on the Moon
Thu Jul 9 2009

photos, and video
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/naked-science/4253/Videos/06892_00#tab-Videos/06892_00

http://gizmodo.com/5310792/how-would-it-be-to-live-on-the-moon

 

[RJDiogenes]

Thanks for the links. That NatGeo show looks great. I don't think that's the right date, though. It says in one place that the date is July 23th and in another place that it's July 19th. Have to check TV Guide, I suppose....