Space colonization strategies.

[Rebiu]

underground colonies would be the best strategy, i think. in any case, we would have to manufacure a fake atmosphere. a huge dome would have to be constructed. it would probly be cheaper to burrow down, and create an atmosphere were the soil would naturally keep the air belowground. and how to get food? if you just shipped it it would cost about 60 million dollars per trip!:) if we had farms, we might be able to genetically modify the food to make it accept the nutrients in the moonsoil. but the soil might not be able to provide the proper nutrients. could genetic engineering be advanced enough by the time we colonize the moon to make a whole knew moon species, with a totally knew look, taste, and cell makup? and what about animals?

I think that cultivation of algai, fungus and bacteira is the key. Terrestrail plants are not efficient enough. Algai grow much faster and could be engineered and processed to provide all the necessary nutrition and variety people need.

 

Algai could be cultivated in a kind of solar panel. The water and algai would pass through an array of clear pipes that expose it to sunlight and then pumped into a processing unit. This minimises the atmoshperice volume necessary for food production as well as simplifying soil preperation and harvesting. This also facilitates continuous food production rather that cyclical production.

 

This technology would be so efficient that it could easily be decentralised. Imagine a meteor impact, accident, or disease wiping out centralized food production.

[chamilton333]

I think that cultivation of algai, fungus and bacteira is the key. Terrestrail plants are not efficient enough. Algai grow much faster and could be engineered and processed to provide all the necessary nutrition and variety people need.

 

Algai could be cultivated in a kind of solar panel. The water and algai would pass through an array of clear pipes that expose it to sunlight and then pumped into a processing unit. This minimises the atmoshperice volume necessary for food production as well as simplifying soil preperation and harvesting. This also facilitates continuous food production rather that cyclical production.

 

This technology would be so efficient that it could easily be decentralised. Imagine a meteor impact, accident, or disease wiping out centralized food production.

and also it would cost more to burrow more soil, so underground colonies would have minimal open space. talk about claustaphobia!

[Rebiu]

underground colonies would be the best strategy, i think. in any case, we would have to manufacure a fake atmosphere. a huge dome would have to be constructed. it would probly be cheaper to burrow down, and create an atmosphere were the soil would naturally keep the air belowground.

Good point. Underground living is essential as it will take about 6 feet of lunar soil to adequately protect for radiation.

[chamilton333]

Good point. Underground living is essential as it will take about 6 feet of lunar soil to adequately protect for radiation.

 

and yet more questions: what if lunar soil cant be burrowed through? that it would collapse behind the burrowing machine? and if we reach the core of the moon, will it be the same as on earth? could we use the heat for energy, if the crust is easier to break through? and, if we couldnt, where would we get electricity? gas would be hard to ship, and is there oil on the moon? could we eventually make the moon just as habitable as earth, minus pollution? and also, even if we get these problems solved, would it even be that great?:thumbs_do the moon is only the size of africa and australia combined(38 million km2) and by the time we even get to the moon, it will be immeadiatly overcrowded by people, because of the immense number of people by then.

[Jay-qu]

Im pretty sure the Earths core is so hot because of the enourmous pressures due to gravity, the moon has no where near as much mass, hence the pressure due to gravity would be a lot smaller which means not much heat. Do a search on it, report back what you find :shrug:

[Eclogite]

Earth's internal heat is the result of residual heat of formation and radioactive decay. The moon is cooler because it is a smaller body and so can lose heat faster. (The same reason that lwarm blooded land animals very much larger than an elephant would cook themselves when they exercised.)

[Rebiu]

what if lunar soil cant be burrowed through? that it would collapse behind the burrowing machine?

There is current technology that allows the sintering of the walls using electric inductive and microwave heating. These same techniques allow for the fabrication of internal structures as needed.

and if we reach the core of the moon, will it be the same as on earth? could we use the heat for energy, if the crust is easier to break through? and, if we couldnt,

I recall that the moon is no longer volcanically active and therefore this heat would not be brought to the surface by volcanic action where it can be accessed.

where would we get electricity? gas would be hard to ship, and is there oil on the moon? could we eventually make the moon just as habitable as earth,

The moon has much solar potential. The problem is dealing with the weeks long solar cycle. Some suggest that a solar powered electrical grid that circles the planet could provide electrical continuous electrical power. Orbiting mirrors could provide continuous light to solar arrays through the lunar night. Nuclear power may be an option in the beginning.

minus pollution? and also, even if we get these problems solved, would it even be that great?:confused:

I think it will be fantastic.

the moon is only the size of africa and australia combined(38 million km2) and by the time we even get to the moon, it will be immeadiatly overcrowded by people, because of the immense number of people by then.

I recall that 90 percent of the people on earth live on 2 percent of the land. Earth is not anywhere near being overcrowded.

The real issues are

 

 

1. food and water; This will require food production technology superior to sowing and harvesting terrestrial crops and livestock. I suggest algae grown in clear pipes in a solar panel then pumped into processing units. These could possible be self contained units so that every structure and vehicle has the capacity to produce all the food the occupants need.
   
2. Living quarters close to opportunities; People will probable live in vertically arrayed conditions as they are much more efficient in all aspects. The lack of atmosphere would allow for virtually unlimited high speed trains, imagine a train than could accelerate to orbital speed.
   
3. Pollution from energy use; Air pollution is not an issue. The lunar dust may be the greatest threat as it degrades seals and is harmful to human lungs. Since most resources will be repeatedly reticulated I doubt man polluting practices will be adopted.