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Scientists: Astronauts Could Build Moon Base Using Human Urine
Futurism.com ^ | 3/31/2020 | Victor Tangermann

Posted on 03/31/2020 3:26:00 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine

Scientists: Astronauts Could Build Moon Base Using Human Urine Need a resilient lunar building material? Urine luck. VICTOR TANGERMANN5 HOURS AGO In cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), a team of European researchers have conducted a… strange experiment. They mixed urea — the main compound found in mammalian urine — with materials, including Moon rocks, to test if we could one day use astronaut pee to build a lunar base.

The urea itself acted as a “plasticizer” — stuff that allows us to shape other harder materials into different forms. In their unusual experiment, the team used an analog of lunar regolith, or loose Moon rock, and mixed it with the urea.

The big advantage: using local materials is a lot easier — and dramatically cheaper — than lugging heavy construction supplies from Earth.

“To make geopolymer concrete that will be used on the moon, the idea is to use what is already there: regolith and the water from the ice present in some areas,” Ramón Pamies, a professor at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, Spain, and co-author of the study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production last month, said in a statement.

“But moreover, with this study, we have seen that a waste product, such as the urine of the personnel who occupy the moon bases, could also be used,” Pamies explained. “The two main components of urine are water and urea, a molecule that allows the hydrogen bonds to be broken and, therefore, reduces the viscosities of many aqueous mixtures.”

Using a 3D printer, the team squeezed out Playdough-like shapes out of the urine concrete. 3D printing has become one of the most promising ways to build structures on distant planets including the Moon and Mars.

After heating them up to a temperature of 80 degrees C (176 Fahrenheit), they found that the resulting structures could support heavy weights — even after eight freeze-thaw cycles that simulated several day and night cycles on the lunar surface.

But there’s still one minor hurdle to overcome before we decide to build Urinetown on the face of the Moon. “We have not yet investigated how the urea would be extracted from the urine, as we are assessing whether this would really be necessary, because perhaps its other components could also be used to form the geopolymer concrete,” co-author Anna-Lena Kjøniksen, professor at Østfold University College, said in the statement.

READ MORE: Astronauts could use their own urine to build moon bases one day [Space.com]


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: astronomy; geopolymer; geopolymerization; geopolymers; josephdavidovits; qanon; science; spacetravel
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To: Pearls Before Swine
...the water from the ice present...

Is there ice on the Moon?

The Moon, in fact, is not made of ice; there is actually no ice nor water on the Moon at all. The Moon is comprised, mostly, of rock. The reason why there is no ice on the moon at all is due to the fact that liquid water cannot persist at the moon’s surface, and water vapor is decomposed by sunlight, with hydrogen quickly lost to outer space.

41 posted on 03/31/2020 3:52:53 PM PDT by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

And here I thought that writing my name was pretty good...


42 posted on 03/31/2020 3:52:54 PM PDT by Manic_Episode (Some days, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps...)
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To: Pearls Before Swine
Thread Background Music

"Yellow Moon" - Neville Brothers

"Yellow Moon" - Don Williams

43 posted on 03/31/2020 3:53:22 PM PDT by Songcraft
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To: DeFault User

I used to service Zoneline AC/heat units in nursing homes, so yeah, I’m familiar with the smell......


44 posted on 03/31/2020 3:53:45 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: moovova

Hold up a sec. I’m supposed to wait until I get to the moon to do that?


45 posted on 03/31/2020 3:54:59 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

Given how much the temperature swings on the moon (from 260F to -280F), you’ll have a short window of time to whip out the equipment. Take too long and it could be half roasted or frost bitten.


46 posted on 03/31/2020 3:56:45 PM PDT by CommerceComet (Hillary: A unique blend of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

Pearls Before Swine wrote: “Frankly, I don’t think this is a workable scheme. There’s plenty of moon dust to be had, but I doubt the astronauts will be able to do their part in the production process.”

Like most great plans, you need to take the first step. In this case, build some very large breweries.


47 posted on 03/31/2020 3:56:52 PM PDT by DugwayDuke ("A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest")
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To: BenLurkin
Stock up on FloMax.

I do. 😎

48 posted on 03/31/2020 3:58:21 PM PDT by moovova (It's not the Wuhu Flu...it's pollen season.)
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To: JimRed

Perhaps you have found the major flaw in the plan.

I thought it was the human production factor, myself.


49 posted on 03/31/2020 3:58:51 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Pearls Before Swine
HOUSE OF THE LUNAR P
There is a house on Tranquility sea,
They call the house of “P”
The residents all contributed some yellow goo
And built it with a view...

Sung to “House of the Rising Sun”
50 posted on 03/31/2020 4:06:22 PM PDT by BigEdLB (BigEdLB, Russian BOT, At your service)
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To: BigEdLB

I’ll hum a few bars to myself.


51 posted on 03/31/2020 4:07:48 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Pearls Before Swine

Pissing their time away. No mention where all this liquid for pee is coming from.


52 posted on 03/31/2020 4:08:21 PM PDT by Bommer (I am a MAGA-Deplorian! It is the way! It is the only way!)
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To: real saxophonist

I remember this show. “UFO”. The one sitting on the right was soooo cute, even with purple hair. Those are wigs.


53 posted on 03/31/2020 4:10:11 PM PDT by BigEdLB (BigEdLB, Russian BOT, At your service)
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To: DeFault User
- Got any idea how bad heated urine smells? -

Yes. When I was 6 or 7 my cousin stayed overnight with me. His pajamas were, shall we say, a bit damp in the morning, so he draped them over the radiator in my room. My Mom complained about that smell for quite some time.

54 posted on 03/31/2020 4:10:33 PM PDT by ken in texas
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To: Pearls Before Swine

You could build a log cabin out of.. nevermind.


55 posted on 03/31/2020 4:11:28 PM PDT by HighSierra5
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To: BigEdLB
Actress name Gabrielle Drake

56 posted on 03/31/2020 4:17:32 PM PDT by BigEdLB (BigEdLB, Russian BOT, At your service)
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To: BigEdLB
Actress name Gabrielle Drake

57 posted on 03/31/2020 4:21:59 PM PDT by BigEdLB (BigEdLB, Russian BOT, At your service)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

Sorry. Mine’s already promised for when nanzi goes.


58 posted on 03/31/2020 4:25:59 PM PDT by rktman ( #My2ndAmend! ----- Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
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To: rktman

A little graveside celebration planned?


59 posted on 03/31/2020 4:28:22 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Pearls Before Swine
💩👍
60 posted on 03/31/2020 4:32:54 PM PDT by rktman ( #My2ndAmend! ----- Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
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