Moon Base Alpha

[phylliestar]

So,
If you are intellectual and are into science etc.... you should already know NASA has plans for a Moon base by 2020. Seems as if the big corporations are all in on plans for building the moon base. Lockheed Martin is one of them. You can find there plans on MSNBC.com. The plans are tending tward the north polor region for constant sunlight. The problem is constant small asteroid showers. The plan is to build the base underground. Some other want to use blow up shelter. So do you all think this will work or be a disaster?

Phyllis

[ygolo]

I think the first major step is the space elevator. Recent advances in nanotech are supposed to help a great deal.

Go to:
(removed)

Click on EE201B, and watch the lecture for Week 3.

It is supposedly free to everyone so you ought to be able to see it somehow.

[jlo1981_PREV (deleted)]

.=)

[theinquisitor]

`Ohhhh. I saw an episode of NOVA about the space elevator. Pretty neat huh? How eventually they may be able to use nothing but carbon chains that when connected together are stronger than any other metal known on earth to make this device? Wicked awesome.

[wannabeintelect (deleted)]

`I agree the space elevator will change everything. Until that time there is no compelling reason to spend billions on crawling into space for a quick tourist photograph and an overpriced hotdog.

A moon base will be doable but what practical purpose could it have really.

Its like trying to hold you're breath for two minutes you'll get a sense of accomplishment without accomplishing a thing.

[andriek]

`me and a friend were talking about space elevators and a space ring around our planet. the initial topic came up because I was watching Gundam 00 and they have one that generates all the worlds power. the set up was that three space elevators located around the equator was the ancour and the double ring itselves had solar arrays. we realized this would be very possible. Even with my main concern of Solar radiation, and sudden sun ejections. If done right the ring could be a giant capacitor storing the energy from such a ejection.

[whollyheretic (deleted)]

`First saw this plan in Gerard O’Neil’s 1979 book “The High Frontierâ€Â. Complete with concept for earthlike habitats built in space at the libration points. Financial viability from mining titanium and building solar power satellites - feeding to the grid on earth via microwave link. Great book.
Looked like a no-brainer to me back then. Motivated me through a degree in engineering. Never figured it would take 40 years to get started. Sigh.