August 2005

Colonizing Luna, Part 7: Remote Operations

REMOTELY-OPERATED MACHINERY Originally written: 8 August 2005. Previous | Overview Beyond the earth’s atmosphere, most exterior operations will be done using mechanical remotes. Machines can operate outside without worrying about radiation shielding, pressurized suits, or extreme variations in temperature. The main problem is how to control and guide them for non-routine operations. The simplest solution […]

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Colonizing Luna, Part 6: Manufacturing & Mass-Driver

MANUFACTURING Originally written: August 3, 2005. Previous | Overview | Next Bulk manufacturing on Luna will need to be done by automated or remote-controlled machines. Humans-in-spacesuits is too costly, as are pressurized, breathable environments. To control for temperature and dust, factories probably should also be enclosed, so again, the geodesic dome design is easiest for

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Colonizing Luna, Part 4: Mining

MINING Originally written: 8 August 2005. Previous | Overview | Next Mainly this will include electric-powered, remote-controlled diggers and conveyor trucks or belts. The first target for mining is to grade a level path for the maglev launcher track. This means that the mined material will not be specific; it will be generic Lunar soil,

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Colonizing Luna, part 3: Energy

ENERGY COLLECTION, GENERATION, STORAGE Originally written: 8 August 2005. Previous | Overview | Next Initial: Earth-built photovoltaic panels, batteries, fuel-cell/electrolysis pairs. Secondary: Luna-built photovoltaic arrays, parabolic solar ovens for manufacturing, possibly thermoelectric. Massive, solar-powered?compulsators; alternators capable of delivering massive pulses of electricity. PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS At present the most efficient photovoltaic cells are still p/n-doped monocrystalline

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Colonizing Luna, Part 2: Gravitats

GRAVITY-HABITAT; the ‘GRAVITAT’ Originally written: 8 August 2005. Previous | Overview | Next Luna’s gravity is too low for humans to maintain long-term health. Therefore, like long-term residents of microgravity environments, lunar settlers will need to live in ‘gravitats’ where gravity is simulated by spin (centripetal acceleration). The good news is that the design requirements

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Colonizing Luna: Overview

Next Steps in Using Near-Earth Space and Luna First written: August 3, 2005 This is the fist in a set of conceptual essays to design a permanent, self-supporting, productive Lunar base. As I thought it through, I have been realizing that the whole zone from low-earth orbit (LEO) out past the moon is crucial to

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