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Mining Moon Ice: Prospecting Plans Starting to Take Shape
Space.com ^ | July 13, 2018 04:04pm ET | Leonard David,

Posted on 07/15/2018 7:36:12 PM PDT by BenLurkin

A diverse range of scientists, engineers and mining technologists have begun blueprinting what hardware and missions are required to explore and establish a prospecting campaign for water ice at the poles of Earth's moon. 

Why have they warmed up to ultra-cold lunar ice? Water ice can be converted to oxygen, liquid water and rocket fuel. Exploiting the stores of this resource — which is thought to be abundant within permanently shadowed polar craters on the moon — could help pioneers survive and thrive on the moon, and help entrepreneurs turn a profit. 

For example, United Launch Alliance is maintaining its $3,000-per-kilogram ($1,360 per lb.) offer, first made in 2016, for moon-derived propellant delivered to low Earth orbit. The satellite communications industry could well be the first market for space resources.

Scientists, engineers and exploration advocates are keen to characterize lunar ice as an economic resource. To do so, however, more data is needed about lunar ice deposits, its distribution, concentration, quantity, disposition, depth, geotechnical properties and any other characteristics necessary to design and develop extraction and processing systems.

That said, the biggest uncertainty is still the form of the lunar ice. The method used for mining this resource depends on what form it is in. 

Scientists, engineers and exploration advocates are keen to characterize lunar ice as an economic resource. To do so, however, more data is needed about lunar ice deposits, its distribution, concentration, quantity, disposition, depth, geotechnical properties and any other characteristics necessary to design and develop extraction and processing systems.

(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: ice; moon; moonice
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To: umgud

Protons, hydrogen from the solar wind? Oxygen found in abundance in Lunar minerals?


61 posted on 07/16/2018 7:54:53 AM PDT by Ozark Tom (Leftists have NEVER let trivial things like Facts and Logic get in their way.)
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To: Jim 0216

It make a better mixed drink.


62 posted on 07/16/2018 7:55:33 AM PDT by bmwcyle (People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.)
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To: BenLurkin

If you take ice from the moon, you will decrease its mass, causing orbit changes and tidal disasters.


63 posted on 07/16/2018 7:58:53 AM PDT by Lazamataz (The New York Times is so openly dishonest, even their crossword puzzles lie.)
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To: Lazamataz

The plan is to replace the ice with unused exercise machines having an equivalent mass.


64 posted on 07/16/2018 8:04:35 AM PDT by Interesting Times (WinterSoldier.com. SwiftVets.com. ToSetTheRecordStraight.com.)
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To: cpdiii

Several nuclear power devices for electrical generation have already been used in space missions. They just weren’t U.S. space missions. “Thermionic Experiment with Conversion in Active Zone” TOPAZ were operational in the 1980’s.


65 posted on 07/16/2018 8:05:44 AM PDT by Ozark Tom (Leftists have NEVER let trivial things like Facts and Logic get in their way.)
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To: MrEdd

There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch—TANSTAAFL?


66 posted on 07/16/2018 8:08:59 AM PDT by Ozark Tom (Leftists have NEVER let trivial things like Facts and Logic get in their way.)
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To: Ciaphas Cain
Ice Pirates could have been one of the best Sci Fi movies ever.

Better writing, better directing, better Actors, and better bad guys would have made a difference.

I recall seeing it in the theater with my friend and we must have had half a case of beer in our pockets.

Good times.

67 posted on 07/16/2018 8:09:36 AM PDT by Radix (Natural Born Citizens have Citizen parents)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

.
There is no reason to “explore space.”

The whole humanist scheme is over in 2024 when the first new moon of the fall pops into view at sunset.

That will be the last day of the “kingdoms of men.”

We will be able to explore in our incorruptible bodies if we choose to, but the entire universe will be zapped out of existence in about 1000 years.


68 posted on 07/16/2018 8:29:41 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: Kartographer; raiderboy

.
So, you’re willing to blow trillions on a baseless guess that there might be water on a side of the moon that you have not seen, even though the side you have seen doesn’t have enough water to dampen a box of Kleenex?


69 posted on 07/16/2018 8:33:38 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: raiderboy
You talk about tin foil? Ice on the moon? That is absurd.

Argue with these guys, not us.

Tons of Water Ice Found on the Moon's North Pole

70 posted on 07/16/2018 8:34:04 AM PDT by Lazamataz (The New York Times is so openly dishonest, even their crossword puzzles lie.)
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To: Dagnabitt

.
It isn’t ‘science,’ its abuse of technology.
.


71 posted on 07/16/2018 8:35:27 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: Lazamataz; raiderboy

.
raiderboy is right.

This is foolishness.

How many tons of water do we have in our oceans?

For the cost and risk of getting a ton of water from the moon to Earth we can distill a million tons from the ocean.
.


72 posted on 07/16/2018 8:41:27 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: BenLurkin

I hope I’m dead before our Moon is simply a refueling station for Elon Musk. ;)


73 posted on 07/16/2018 8:48:52 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: editor-surveyor

I think you misunderstanderate the reason.

It is not to mine water and bring it here.

It is to mine water for use there, when we colonize.


74 posted on 07/16/2018 8:52:26 AM PDT by Lazamataz (The New York Times is so openly dishonest, even their crossword puzzles lie.)
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To: editor-surveyor

Succinctly stated. Thank you


75 posted on 07/16/2018 9:20:28 AM PDT by raiderboy (Trump has assured us that he will shut down the government to get the WALL in Sept.ith the solar)
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To: Lazamataz

.
We are definitely not going to colonize the moon.
.


76 posted on 07/16/2018 9:25:12 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: editor-surveyor

I simply asked a question you are the one that seems to have the anger issues.


77 posted on 07/16/2018 9:29:38 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
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To: editor-surveyor
We are definitely not going to colonize the moon.

This picture proves you wrong.

Look, you can even see the lights from Luna City.


78 posted on 07/16/2018 9:30:53 AM PDT by Lazamataz (The New York Times is so openly dishonest, even their crossword puzzles lie.)
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To: Lazamataz

.
Did you mean “Looney City?”
.


79 posted on 07/16/2018 9:35:11 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: Kartographer

.
I fail to see where anger comes into this question.


80 posted on 07/16/2018 9:36:35 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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