Posted on 07/15/2018 7:36:12 PM PDT by BenLurkin
A diverse range of scientists, engineers and mining technologists have begun blueprinting what hardware and missions are required to explore and establish a prospecting campaign for water ice at the poles of Earth's moon.
Why have they warmed up to ultra-cold lunar ice? Water ice can be converted to oxygen, liquid water and rocket fuel. Exploiting the stores of this resource — which is thought to be abundant within permanently shadowed polar craters on the moon — could help pioneers survive and thrive on the moon, and help entrepreneurs turn a profit.
For example, United Launch Alliance is maintaining its $3,000-per-kilogram ($1,360 per lb.) offer, first made in 2016, for moon-derived propellant delivered to low Earth orbit. The satellite communications industry could well be the first market for space resources.
Scientists, engineers and exploration advocates are keen to characterize lunar ice as an economic resource. To do so, however, more data is needed about lunar ice deposits, its distribution, concentration, quantity, disposition, depth, geotechnical properties and any other characteristics necessary to design and develop extraction and processing systems.
That said, the biggest uncertainty is still the form of the lunar ice. The method used for mining this resource depends on what form it is in.
Scientists, engineers and exploration advocates are keen to characterize lunar ice as an economic resource. To do so, however, more data is needed about lunar ice deposits, its distribution, concentration, quantity, disposition, depth, geotechnical properties and any other characteristics necessary to design and develop extraction and processing systems.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Mooning mine ice? Huh? What?
Nine mice mooning.
A lunatic idea. Earth’s hardcore environmentalists will vigorously protest the raping of the moon.
I promise you that there is absolutely NO moon ice. ZIP. This is all a hoax to get your money. We have been there and done that. There is nothing there. We are totally broke and this is a fraud. Close NASA NOW!!
We'll mine the other planets later.
Nothing like bourbon on two cubes of moon ice. It’s stellar.
How did this ice form? From what?
Why would they want to mine ice there when they know it’s made of delicious Cheese?
Water ice was found on the moon by LCROSS. The spectrographic evidence it found is unmistakable.
Earth First!
We’ll mine the other planets later.
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In the mid ‘70’s I had that bumper sticker. I got some middle fingers but more thumbs up.
As you probably know, Earth First was a big environmental movement.
Hydrogen and oxygen. The solar system has plenty of both.
Sounds like your tinfoil hat is on too tight.
From comet and comet fragments crash into the moon.
He must of accidentally put it in the dryer.
(I think they are Mexican Moonies...)
You talk about tin foil? Ice on the moon? That is absurd.
What a joke.
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