SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the Mike-and-Manny-and-Wyo-say-"Hi!" dept.
https://phys.org/news/2017-09-moon-lunar-village.html (AFP)
By 2040, a hundred people will live on the Moon, melting ice for water, 3D-printing homes and tools, eating plants grown in lunar soil, and competing in low-gravity, "flying" sports.
To those who mock such talk as science fiction, experts such as Bernard Foing, ambassador of the European Space Agency-driven "Moon Village" scheme, reply the goal is not only reasonable but feasible too.
At a European Planetary Science Congress in Riga this week, Foing spelt out how humanity could gain a permanent foothold on Earth's satellite, and then expand.
He likened it to the growth of the railways, when villages grew around train stations, followed by businesses.
By 2030, there could be an initial lunar settlement of six to 10 pioneers—scientists, technicians and engineers—which could grow to 100 by 2040, he predicted.
"In 2050, you could have a thousand and then... naturally you could envisage to have family" joining crews there, Foing told AFP .
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @08:18AM (8 children)
The moon is not a great place for residence. Seemingly unmentioned is the two week long nights or the cyclic extremes in temperature going from 400 degrees F during the day weeks to -330 F during the night weeks. And we haven't even gotten into gravity yet. The people who resided on the moon for any length of time would likely be physically unable to ever return to Earth. Even relatively short voyages on the ISS result in extensive bone and muscle deterioration. Mars has about 1/3rd Earth gravity. The moon has one half of that. And that's just scratching the surface of its inhospitability. I plan to be one of the first human colonists on Mars once open commercial colonization becomes possible, but I think residing on the Moon is borderline crazy. Certainly far from impossible, but nothing I'd want to partake in except for a temporary visit.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @08:58AM
Astronauts can last over a year in microgravity without being physically unable to ever return to Earth. Like Valeri Polyakov [wikipedia.org]:
On the Moon, you would be able to do a more useful variety of physical training than on the ISS. Fluid in your body would run downwards as expected.
The Moon is much closer than Mars. If someone needs to be sent back to Earth for medical reasons, that can be done in days instead of months or years. The proximity makes getting cargo there much easier, and all missions need less fuel compared to Mars.
The temperature extremes did not kill the Apollo astronauts. You have to be in a spacesuit at all times to run around on Mars, so there is little advantage there over the Moon.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @09:01AM (3 children)
I am certain there will be many volunteers willing to take a one way ticket to the moon.
In 20 or 30 years, assuming the kids are independent and my wife will agree to come with, I will be willing to do it myself (I'm 34 now).
I turned out alright even though my father died when I was 21, so I think mine should be fine with their parents on the moon.
It would probably be extremely painful to not be able to hug grandkids, but why waste young people on building the colony, when I'd most likely still be reasonably healthy, while at the same time more or less expendable?
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday September 26 2017, @09:23AM
Maybe the grandkids can come visit. A retirement on the moon might be quite nice, since low gravity will help mitigate the arthritis and mobility issues of old age.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @10:38AM
Not a problem, telehaptics VR can already solve that. Smell will have to wait a little, though, but they are working on that too.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday September 27 2017, @01:43AM
I've said before: I WILL volunteer to help start a base on the moon. I would not volunteer to DIE on Mars.
I agree with the article: build a base on the moon and use it to go to Mars. Meanwhile, try setting up a colony on the moon, work out bugs and use them for success on Mars.
Moon first.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 1, Disagree) by khallow on Tuesday September 26 2017, @11:59AM
Ok, so what? I don't know about everyone else, but I don't want humans (or myself for that matter) living on the Moon just because it is hard. Instead, I think there will be huge economic benefits in the long run from a human presence on the Moon.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @12:32PM (1 child)
No known place except Earth is.
Do your habitat underground (it's a good idea anyway, due to radiation, as you are not protected by Earth's magnetic field — that's true also on Mars), then the ground shields you from extreme temperatures.
BTW, what about a habitat near one of the poles?
The Moon has 1/6 of the gravity of Earth. While we have no long-term data for living under those conditions, it's certainly far less extreme than microgravity as on the ISS. In particular. you're still putting force on your bones; if that alone is not sufficient, just carry around extra weight (as soon as you leave the habitat, you'll have to do that anyway, due to your space suit).
And if that is not sufficient, occasional larger accelerations are not really a problem: Every amusement park offers that.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @11:36PM
...as some folks on Earth already do with e.g. ankle weights [google.com]
Make a suit out of the same stuff (lead pellets in pouches) and wear it a few hours a day.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]