How would you colonise space?

[syntax]

It's still not an easy task to do, and it's also about people who could make it happen but chose not to. I know that if I was rich enough I would do whatever I could to make a lunar outpost a reality.

 

 

I guess we have always got too many fish to fry here on Earth to make it politically expedient to colonize space--unless it becomes profitable to some large mining corporation.

 

My guess that when it happens, it'll happen that way. :hihi:

[pgrmdave]

I know there is hydrogen and oxygen on the moon, but is it there in quantities great enough to sustain a colony by providing oxygen for breathing, hydrogen for fuel, and water?

 

http://members.shaw.ca/tfrisen/how_much_oxygen_for_a_person.htm

According to NASA the average person needs 0.84 kg of O2 per day (day and night activity).

 

So, assuming a colony of five people, which is very small, they would need to mine 4.2 kg of oxygen per day, or about 5.227 liters.

I can't find any way to calculate how much hydrogen would be needed for fuel, or both for water, but this seems to me that the elements would run out quickly if the mining was efficient enough, or the mining would not be efficient enough to sustain life.

[syntax]

So, not knowing the amount of raw material to be mined and the method by which the oxygen/hydrogen is to be extracted, it is pretty hard to know if it is feasable for a colony to be self sustainable on the moon--right?

 

One more thing to consider is the use of solar collectors for the generation of electrical power.

 

How effiecient would they be during the lunar day?

[Tormod]

How effiecient would they be during the lunar day?

I'd think you would get much better conversion rates on the Moon than on Earth since there is no atmosphere.

[pgrmdave]

Isn't the lunar day 28 days long? That would mean that the solar panels wouldn't have power for fourteen days.

[pgrmdave]

Unless...you put the colony at the very pole, then you might be able to have continuous power - barring an eclipse by the earth.

[Stargazer]

I guess we have always got too many fish to fry here on Earth to make it politically expedient to colonize space--unless it becomes profitable to some large mining corporation.

 

My guess that when it happens, it'll happen that way. :hihi:

Absolutely, there are so many problems here on Earth to solve first. But since I doubt that we will make much of an effort anytime soon, why not continue with space exploration and colnisation as well? Some of the activities could help us here on Earth, such as Earth observing satellites and satellite navigation systems etc.

 

I think that if we could decide that it's a bad idea to pour so much time and money into developing and constructing weapons of all kinds, we could just stop fighting each other and ourselves, and try to improve life for everybody. There would also be plenty more money and resources for scientific research and space programmes.

[Stargazer]

Isn't the lunar day 28 days long? That would mean that the solar panels wouldn't have power for fourteen days.

Lunar day is about 14 days long, so either you put the solar power plant some sort of polar orbit, or on the surface at the pole, or possibly construct two or three power plants and distribute them around the equator.

[Turtle]

Since we already are colonists in space, it's really just "the bear went over the mountain to see what he could see" issue. If we colonize "outer space", we'll do it like we colonized the Earth; rough & messy. :hihi:

[syntax]

Unless...you put the colony at the very pole, then you might be able to have continuous power - barring an eclipse by the earth.

 

Hell of an idea! :hihi:

 

It wouldn't be any colder at the poles that at the equator and that way we would have an almost (if not completely) full time power source.

 

Now, with an adaquate power supply, lets get to digging for hydro/oxy ore, or whatever form it comes in.

[GAHD]

Aye rough and messay, with lawlessness to rival the old west and a hundred times the danger. Make your fortune by the skin of your teeth kinda deal.

 

Yeah that's probably how it will end up, if history is any sort of guide. I wonder who'll pilot the new privateers?

[Stargazer]

I wonder what really will happen. If private entrepreneurs will lead the way and colonise the solar system, there would be no laws at first, since I seriously doubt that Earth-bound governments can do much about things anyway. I do suspect that new governments could form in outer space, controlling parts of the various planets and moons etc.

[lindagarrette]

I wonder what really will happen. If private entrepreneurs will lead the way and colonise the solar system, there would be no laws at first, since I seriously doubt that Earth-bound governments can do much about things anyway. I do suspect that new governments could form in outer space, controlling parts of the various planets and moons etc.

Unless we discover hostile life forms or even any life forms who don't want to turn over their property or be our slaves, there will probably be too many other obstacles to overcome before we start fighting with each other over territory. It's quite roomy out there. I should think colonizing the solar system, galaxy, universe, would be a good way for people to become united. We may be the seeds.

[Turtle]

It's the fighting in the ship, not outside it, that is the problem. Let's not forget the possibility of new technology. Maybe we'll just stay on Earth & drive it to a new star when Old Sol dies? We are already space travelers. :hihi:

[syntax]

I wonder what really will happen. If private entrepreneurs will lead the way and colonise the solar system, there would be no laws at first, since I seriously doubt that Earth-bound governments can do much about things anyway. I do suspect that new governments could form in outer space, controlling parts of the various planets and moons etc.

 

I don't see why it would be much different than when we civilized the old west.

 

Perhaps the government will grant territorial rights to people who want to go in order that the Moon could be exploited for whatever natural resources that there may be there. That makes perfect sense to me, because greed will be the motivation.

 

One problem though--what government is gonna be intitled to grant access to what part of the moon? Does the moon belong to the USA? Or does it belong to the world. And if it belongs to the latter, what kind of concessions will any mining operation have to make to, let us say, Afghanistan, or Morrocco, or maybe the African nations?

[Turtle]

International agreement at this time is that no Nation may lay claim to the Moon. Some guy is selling land there though & legally can because he is not a Nation. What no one is discussing is emergence; things arise which aren't predictable by intiial conditions. Life is what happens while we're making plans. :hihi:

[syntax]

International agreement at this time is that no Nation may lay claim to the Moon. Some guy is selling land there though & legally can because he is not a Nation. What no one is discussing is emergence; things arise which aren't predictable by intiial conditions. Life is what happens while we're making plans. :hihi:

 

 

So, it is quite likey that if the moon is developed, it will be developed by either the US, or an European nation and that will be after certain agreements are thrashed out regarding who owns what up there.

 

Somehow I can't believe that the US will be able to exploit the moon's resources without sharing in some way--large or small--with the rest of the world.

 

Perhaps that is well and good. There are countries in the world that could use the money and since I have always held that prosperity promotes peace, it is just possible that the old moon could be the thing that finally brings peace to the world. :rant: