Tom Abbott wrote:
My comments in [brackets]
[With the use of large-capacity cargo launch vehicles, we
can eliminate this problem. We have the perfect launch
system to do this, the space shuttle launch system. Instead
of launching space shuttles, we can launch cargo and
propellants, using the space shuttle's launch system (the
large orange External Tank (ET), the solid rocket boosters,
and space shuttle main engines, among other things).]

You seem to be fixated on using the shuttle launch system for sending missions to the
moon. The shuttle launch system was designed to launch shuttles to LEO, period. The 3 SMEs
are on the shuttle - you would mount them on some new return vehicle? No, if you are going
to build new capsules, manned round trip lunar landers, and unmanned one way lunar
habitation landers, you might as well bite the bullet and build a new grandson of Saturn V
launch system for it.

I could see using an upgraded Delta IV heavy to send small cargo supply ships (such as
Progress does) to the moon and ISS.


A colony on the moon almost certainly would require an
atomic reactor for power.

[No, this is not necessary for the Moon. Solar power
would be more than sufficient. A reactor might be needed on
Mars, though.]

Solar power would work for the 2 weeks of sunlight. The lack of atmosphere does help in
that the solar power output would be constant (with a tracker) so long as the sun is above
the horizon - no clouds or atmospheric attenuation to worry about. But what will you do
for power during the approx 2 weeks of night? You could, and likely would, use the solar
power to charge up a battery bank. But a battery bank big enough to last 2 weeks would
present serious weight and thermal issues (have to keep the battery temperatures up).
Perhaps they could use RTGS for power during the night in combination with batteries, but
that would present sever power constraints for the base.

No, a compact and reliable nuclear reactor is something that needs to be developed if we
are to get serious about permanent space colonies. But this will be a significant cost
item and controversial to boot with the anti-nuke crowd.

I would expect the first several return to the moon missions will be limited to daylight
visits only. But even a 10 day stay is still 3 times longer than the Apollo missions.

Alan Figgatt