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Japan's space agency is researching the construction of a moon base using robots. The project, which has been in progress for three years already, is a collaboration between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Kajima Corporation (a construction company), and three universities: Shibaura Institute of Technology, The University of Electro-Communications and Kyoto University.
Recently, the collaboration did an experiment on automated construction at the Kajima Seisho Experiment Site in Odawara (central Japan).
A 7-ton autonomous backhoe went through its paces at the site, going through procedures such as driving a specified distance and repeating routine operations, JAXA officials said in a statement. Operations that required more fine handling were performed with a human, by remote control
Presumably they included a two second delay.
Preparing a moonbase will require site preparation, excavation, installation of the module, and then covering it all back up to protect it from radiation.
Too bad we can't get one in place by July 20, 2019. (On July 20, 1969 man first walked on the moon. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that event. Hopefully there will be parties with mooncake.)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Gaaark on Sunday April 07 2019, @10:00PM (4 children)
My point is, do this on the moon FIRST, INSTEAD of this rush to Mars insanity we seem to be on.
I don't personally care if we go to Mars, but HELL YES, go back to the moon, build bases, grow veggies, live there, build rocket/space ship base and expand from there.
Mars? You won't be living there for at least a hundred years is my guess...unless we discover something amazing that changes things somehow.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 07 2019, @11:02PM (2 children)
Why move to Mars when most of the Middle East is uninhabited by humans and much closer to home?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by RandomFactor on Monday April 08 2019, @01:30AM (1 child)
Perfectly valid. Deserts and glaciers are both far more hospitable than Moon or Mars. You don't die in either of those places within a minute if someone opens a window.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 08 2019, @08:05AM
except that nuclear war or big asteroids will kill antarctica as well as the middle east when they happen.
obviously we should do our best to avoid nuclear war and deflect asteroids, but in case we fail we should have some backup humans somewhere.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Monday April 08 2019, @05:43PM
Mars vs the Moon.
Who actually cares?
Just pick one and STICK TO IT. This bullshit where we completely change direction in the US every time a new president gets elected needs to stop!