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Path: utzoo!decvax!mcnc!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!noao!terak!dennis
From: dennis@terak.UUCP (Dennis Kodimer)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Lunar Mining
Message-ID: <432@terak.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 7-Mar-85 14:16:16 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.432
Posted: Thu Mar  7 14:16:16 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Mar-85 14:41:53 EST
Distribution: na
Organization: Terak Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 38

These discussions of a Lunar Walden Pond are fascinating.  They often
expose terestrial assumptions in construction technology that must be
reformulated.  One occured to myself while reading Chris' list of a
minimal bootstrap kit for a Colony...   EXPLOSIVES .

Explosives would certainly carry a lot of excavation power per pound,
when compared with a Lunar Rover-Dozer.  [[ At this point, a few pure
geological scientists might shutter, but survival over there would have
to cooexist with scientific study ]].  If rock is the major source of
material and shelter, a lot would have to be broken, crushed and other-
wise dealt with.  Very energy intensive!  My knowledge of explosives is
slight, but I do remember that enclosing the charge either by a pack of
mud or burial in a hole is very important for effectiveness.  Would you
need a rock drill to get started?  When the charge is shot, many new and
awesome things might happen:

	In a vacuum, the debris would travel in very long trajectories;
	personnel would have to retreat to shelters, not just over the
	hill.  Undoubtedly some rock would pepper other mining camps.

	Could some of the material attain orbital velocity?  If so,
	regular activity for mining or shelter excavation would produce
	a `weather' of material occasionally `raining' down from low 
	orbit.  This might limit the size of charges or require other
	gear such as a shield to contain the results of a blast.

	Would the local release of the large amount of gas from a TNT
	charge provide a temporary atmosphere sufficient to carry some
	sound, dust and/or push equipment around?

What other Lunar construction techniques would have to be re-considered?
-- 
Quite sincerely,		...still waiting for the electrician,
	Dennis Kodimer			or someone like him. 
	
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