Return to the Moon

[Mart]

See this article in BBC news
Link

Space exploration seems to be finelly more refined, with longer term goals, attempting to do things more eficiently.

You may find probably better description on NASA webpage, I just point to this one.

[Illuminatus]

There is already a thread about this in Off-Topic forum.

[Mart]

Lock this thread then.

Edit
On a second thought, if I am going to go through all those "I hate space" comments and "it is total waste of money" then I think it might be wise to discuss these things in SMACX forum, which is supposed to be pertaining to the game, which addresses colonization of other planet.

Any thoughts?

[binTravkin]

Right now there are no such comments in that thread.

[Mart]

You mean that off-topic thread? The discussion is quite about politics and money, and some people clearly state "financial idiocy", "no reason to go there"

They are probably not going into those interesting details soon. For me, as the first catching things were, that materials for Mars mission might be cheaper to find and transport to orbit from the Moon. From the presentation it seems it will be by rockets, but I know, there are designs of Star Elevator on the Moon. Made from a flexible material, if I am not mistaken. Moons gravity is only 16% of that on Earth, so there are material presently for that. Also they plan more reusable vehicles. Life sustainability of a command module up to 6 months. Compare it to Apollo.

[GeoModder]

I bet the CIA has had an inlook in the Chinese plans for their Space Program.

But more ontopic, I think that instead of a space elevator, a sort of elektro-magnetic launch 'tube' is better suited for hauling resources off the moon. One could 'aim' it at a collection point directly instead of lifting things up in moon orbit and then transport it to a collection/assembly point for the mars vehicles.

[Darkstar]

We are studying a mass accellerator launch system That would be very good for the Moon. No air to drag off velocity from the launched package.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Darkstar
We are studying a mass accellerator launch system That would be very good for the Moon. No air to drag off velocity from the launched package.

Apparantly the Moon isn't such a harsh mistress after all.

[GeoModder]

If you handle her right, she might be even outright romantic.

[binTravkin]

Heh, Geo, you find fun in every thing you see..

Actually after Artificial Gravity becomes a common good, I could go live on the Moon.

Imagine a large gravity deck installed in Moon's mantle, so that it was just like Earth, atmosphere, ocean, huh, a whole new planet to explore!

[Mart]

I think that might be cheaper and easier in this case. Finally Moon is seriously taken into account when considering real constructions in space. As I think of it, it is really better to launch there instead of using Moon Elevators, that would have probably a lot of energy consumption from all those crawling packages along its rope.

And actually, another thought. Further in the future for more distant trips, maybe it would be better to make asteroid scavengers. Automated ones, that would seek metal bearing pieces of rock. No need to launch then anything. Just mine it on spot. Minimal gravity to overcome.

Actually, if approprietally safe from asteroid collisions pressure domes might be constructed on the Moon, then ecosystems might be created there, that would be sustainable for themselves. I have to check if NASA has anything like that in plans already. I know some tests were made on Earth, but people who volunteered were quite "tired". Despite good intentions, it is not that easy to simulate Earth's ecosystem sufficient for humans. But if something like that could work, it might turn out, that space colonies would not need any upkeep from Earth, or could pay well for any support sent to them from Earth.

[GeoModder]

Originally posted by binTravkin
Heh, Geo, you find fun in every thing you see..

Do you know a better way to keep depression(s) at bay?

Originally posted by mart7x5
And actually, another thought. Further in the future for more distant trips, maybe it would be better to make asteroid scavengers. Automated ones, that would seek metal bearing pieces of rock. No need to launch then anything. Just mine it on spot. Minimal gravity to overcome.

Transport and overseeing comes into account then. IOW, people.

Originally posted by mart7x5
Actually, if approprietally safe from asteroid collisions pressure domes might be constructed on the Moon, then ecosystems might be created there, that would be sustainable for themselves. I have to check if NASA has anything like that in plans already. I know some tests were made on Earth, but people who volunteered were quite "tired". Despite good intentions, it is not that easy to simulate Earth's ecosystem sufficient for humans. But if something like that could work, it might turn out, that space colonies would not need any upkeep from Earth, or could pay well for any support sent to them from Earth.

There's still the suns' radiation to take into account. As on Mars, walking around it's surface (or living in thin shelters) means being irradiated on a daily base. So as long as such domes have not a sort of shielding against it it will be huddling under the surface or having a thick layer of rocks and dirt on top of your shelters.

[Mart]

So we are talking Hive like bunkers, underground for better control of the radiation. Have anyone here played the game "Outpost" by Sierra? I mean that first one, not Outpost 2.

[GeoModder]

Yep, Yangs' wet dream.
And no, never heard about it.

[Mart]

I can tell you, that the base graphics from your Mars scenario for the Mars Government comes from that game. It actually had extremely low ratings, but I loved it for its mood.