by Cymric on 2004/11/10 10:52:35
Now suppose we try the Moon instead. We've been there before, it takes us about 4 days of hard travelling, and perhaps a bit less if a new Saturn V (the only rocket capable of getting people to the moon!) is designed. That is doable, it's practically off-the-shelf technology. Now we are at the Moon. What will we do there? Well, we build a base! Okay, so we have a base. What do we do at the base?
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I have always thought it was a shame that this has not been done. Certain industrial processes would inherently be much cheaper and easier on the moon due to lighter gravity and availability of decompression. Imagine a clean room where electronic components are manufactured. Nothing is going to blow in. And do we even know the potential for chemical systhesis in a vacuum? A lot of oxygen is trapped in the minerals on the moons surface and there is an abundant supply of solar energy which could be converted into electricity. The Earth provides a convenient gravity well into which canisters can be 'dropped' which should survive well if properly packaged and perhaps glided or parachuted in. It is undoubtedly expensive boosting manned flights to the moon but not all flights need be manned and this can reduce expenses. Many industrial processes on the moon can be handled by automation or remote control so a permanent human presence is not necessarily required. No doubt so more educated soul is going to burst my bubble, but it is nice to dream. :-)
