Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Various isotopes of oxygen are present on the Moon in the form of 16 O, 17 O, and 18 O. [28] At least twenty different possible processes for extracting oxygen from lunar regolith have been described, [29] [30] and all require high energy input: between 2–4 megawatt-years of energy (i.e. (6–12) × 10 13 J) to produce 1,000 tons of oxygen. [1]
be re-implanted into the regolith as a result of the Moon's gravity; escape the Moon entirely if the particle is moving at or above the lunar escape velocity of 2.38 km/s (1.48 mi/s), or 5,328 mph (8,575 km/h); be lost to space either by solar radiation pressure or, if the gases are ionized, by being swept away in the solar wind's magnetic field.
Over twenty different methods have been proposed for oxygen extraction from the lunar regolith. [7] Oxygen is often found in iron-rich lunar minerals and glasses as iron oxide. The oxygen can be extracted by heating the material to temperatures above 900 °C and exposing it to hydrogen gas. The basic equation is: FeO + H 2 → Fe + H 2 O.
Solar energy is a possible source of power for a lunar base. Many of the raw materials needed for solar panel production can be extracted on site. The long lunar night (354 hours or 14.75 Earth days) is a drawback for solar power on the Moon's surface.
The Moon is the only extraterrestrial body for which we have samples with a known geologic context. A handful of lunar meteorites have been recognized on Earth, though their source craters on the Moon are unknown. A substantial portion of the lunar surface has not been explored, and a number of geological questions remain unanswered.
The presence of large quantities of water on the Moon would be an important factor in rendering lunar habitation cost-effective since transporting water (or hydrogen and oxygen) from Earth would be prohibitively expensive. If future investigations find the quantities to be particularly large, water ice could be mined to provide liquid water for ...
Soon after lunar touchdown, the lander would be reloaded with liquid oxygen from the automated lunar oxygen plant. During ascent, the spacecraft would burn Earth-made hydrogen and lunar-made oxygen. [4] The entire lander would lift into a lunar parking orbit and eventually power itself onto a return trajectory.
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It orbits at an average distance of 384,400 km (238,900 mi), about 30 times the diameter of Earth. Tidal forces between Earth and the Moon have synchronized the Moon's orbital period (lunar month) with its rotation period at 29.5 Earth days, causing the same side of the Moon to always face Earth.