Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site terak.UUCP 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. uucp: ...{decvax,hao,ihnp4,seismo}!noao!terak!dennis phone: 602 998 4800 us mail: Terak Corporation, 14151 N 76th street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260