Charles Buckley wrote in message ...
Oren Tirosh wrote:
(Bill Bogen) wrote in message . com...
..

4) Once on the Moon, use the rover to explore possible lava tube
sites. A simple and inexpensive inflatable structure can be quickly
set up later in a lava tube since the structure will only have to
retain air pressure, while the lava tube itslf will provide meteor,
radiation, and thermal protection.


I agree that lava tubes could make a huge difference for the viability
of a lunar base. Our ancestors took shelter in caves. There's no
reason why we shouldn't have lunar cavemen. But finding such lava
tubes could be tricky. A rover has very limited range and speed. You
have to scout for likely sites first.




You can always dig a hole.

How, exactly? A low cost mission won't include a massive backhoe.
Explosives? We'd still have to move lots of rubble. By hand, with a
shovel while wearing a pressure suit? Much better to set up a roomy,
inflatable permanent base quickly in a lava tube, even if we have to
drive/send rovers 100s of kms to interesting sites.

The big enabler would be water resources.
That will drive site selection and tech development.

Another post states that the interior of lava tubes is probably at a
constant -21 degrees C. Comet impacts on the Moon could well have
flung some ice/water vapor down a lava tube where it condensed. This
is one resource our rover could look for. For a technical reference,
see 'The Adventures of Tin Tin: Destination Moon' by Herge.