Subterranean Living May Await Moon and Mars Colonists

[bloomington-lib]

The moon's frozen tunnels could provide a natural shelter from the extremes on the lunar surface. Assuming we decide to return to the moon someday -- it’s not on NASA’s agenda for now -- the lava tubes would allow for ant farm-like colonies of humans living underground.
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The tunnels would shield colonists from micrometeorites, lethal X-ray blasts from our petulant sun, and cosmic rays from the galaxy. Temperatures inside the tubes would remain a constant -35 degrees Fahrenheit. That's chilly, but much more stable for complex equipment. On the surface, machinery and structures would degrade under temperature extremes that swing from +250 degrees to -250 during the lunar day/night cycle.

A big enough skylight would allow automated cargo ships to gingerly descend to the lava tube floor for easy offloading at Moonport 1. A combination of nuclear and solar power generators would keep the colonists toasty. Lighting would cycle to follow a circadian rhythm to keep colonists in sync with Earth’s 24-hour day (vs. the moon’s two-week-long day).

Lava tubes could also make great habitats for future Mars colonists. Mars orbiter photos reveal skylight holes on the flanks of the giant shield volcano Olympus Mons. More can be found along the southeast flank of neighboring Arsia Mons, as well as on the sides of the northern shield volcano Alba Patera.

http://news.discovery.com/space/subterranean-living-may-await-moon-and-mars-colonists.html

[izquierdista]

1. Plan B?

For when this planet is too fucked up to live on?

[theophilus]

2. Well shoot, subterranean living is probably in our near future. nt