Learning To Breathe (On Artificial Air)

"When you can't breathe, nothing else matters."

~American Lung Association

Breathing is important. Ask any healthy, happy, human being and you will probably receive the same answer regarding inhaling oxygen: it's recommended.

Not too surprising, future lunar explorers are probably going to have to figure out a way to create a breathable system, as importing oxygen from Earth may not be a readily available option.

(Moon Daily) For three weeks, 23 volunteers dedicated time to do just that - sweat and breathe - inside a test chamber so NASA scientists at Johnson Space Center in Houston could measure the amount of moisture and carbon dioxide absorbed by a new system being developed for future space vehicles. [...]

Known as the Carbon-dioxide and Moisture Removal Amine Swing-bed, or CAMRAS, the Exploration Life Support project within NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program is developing the new system. The program is investigating technologies that will help sustain life on exploration vehicles and reduce the dependence on resupply from Earth.

"Our goal for CAMRAS is to develop a simple, regenerative, lightweight device that will work for both the Orion crew capsule and the Altair lunar lander," said lead researcher Jeff Sweterlitsch.

While scientists could always figure out ways to pull oxygen from lunar rock, finding a way to use as little air as possible could help reduce the overall costs of future space missions.

Even thought NASA is using these tests to aid in its plans to revisit the Moon, this technology will become critical for future missions--especially Mars.

Mercury Before Mars Equals Space Faring Civilization?

Orbiting a little over one light second away from the surface of Earth, the Moon is an obvious choice in our quest to revisit the stars.

Harboring helium-3 withing its crust, the Moon could help "jump start" our journey into the cosmos financially, if not pay for itself by selling future space stations oxygen via its lunar rocks.

Even though the Moon may benefit our species tremendously, visiting Mars may be harder to justify economically.

For corporations, stock holders may not see the value in visiting the red planet for short term gains (or profits). Meanwhile tax payers may grumble at politicians spending money on another world without seeing any immediate benefits towards Earth.

Such a scenario could easily lead towards humanity delaying (or even skipping) Mars, opting instead to visit the asteroid belt in order to harvest its precious metals.

While mining the asteroid belt would benefit humanity financially, it may not motivate our species to choose a second home en mass outside of the gravitational influence of Earth.

In order to justify Mars, our species may have to look towards the first "rock" from the sun, Mercury.

Described by some as "A Mini-Earth in Moon's Clothing," the planet Mercury shares a few similarities with Earth's Moon.

Orbiting "recklessly close" towards the surface of the Sun, solar energy on Mercury is about 6 ¹/₂ times greater than that on the Moon (or Earth), making the world a prime location for solar powered satellites.

Its close proximity towards the Sun has a few scientists predicting that its crust may be loaded with helium-3, which would make it an ideal "next step" after humanity is done depleting reserves on the Moon.

Mercury may also have an abundance of metals within its crust as well, which could make it an attractive location for future mining corporations (who may consider asteroid mining too dangerous for their employees).

Despite the fact that this world has a global magnetic field, this sun baked world may not attract a large population due to the fact that it lacks an abundance of water.

While lunar colonists would probably be able to import water from Earth, Mercurian settlers may have to look elsewhere as Earthen gravity could make importing water (not to mention food) from the homeworld very expensive.

Since Mars has an abundance of water (in the form of ice), future Mercurian corporations could easily contract explorers to filter and export this precious liquid "sun-ward," launching a whole new industry on Mars.

This could make Mars economically attractive to future Earthlings, who may consider settling the planet en mass in order to reap the benefits of interplanetary trade.

This ultimately could help push our species towards other promising worlds (such as Callisto, Ganymede and Titan), enabling our species to become a space faring civilization.

Note: Due to lack of time, images will be added later on.

Update: Images inserted.

GPS For Lunar Astronauts

(Image: Drawing of a communications/navigation satellite in lunar orbit. Credit: NASA / Pat Rawlings)

With NASA planning on sending astronauts to live lunar side for six month sessions, the agency is attempting to figure out the best way to establish a communication network upon that eggshell colored world.

While establishing radio towers may be effective if one is constantly facing Earth, creating a GPS network is probably more ideal.

(Space.com) Getting radio signals to these hard-to-reach places is going to require a go-between that can cope with the constant gravitational nudges from the Earth, moon and sun.

One potential path a lunar communication satellite (com-sat) could take is by following a "frozen orbit" around the moon. In such an orbit the satellite's orbital characteristics remain constant despite prods from the moon's lumpy gravity field.

This uneven gravity field is due to mascons, large concentrations of mass in the lunar crust.

"You can think of it [a frozen orbit] as a roller coaster ride over the lunar mascons. If you pick the path just right, the tugs and pulls of the mascons will end up cancelling each other out. At the end, the spacecraft will be right back where it started in the orbit," Hill told SPACE.com.

NASA is also considering placing satellites within the Moon's Lagrange point (Lagrange two and two to be exact) as a communications satellite would be able to remain in a safe "fixed" position.

This would give greater flexibility for astronauts as they could establish lunar bases on the "dark side" of the Moon. This would also benefit astronauts if they decided to roam the moonscape in search of resources or to satisfy scientific curiosities.

Video: Earthrise In HD

(Hat Tip: Moon Today)

To some people, space is a boring location, lacking beaches, liquid water and forests that often make Earth an ideal place to live.

But as Japan's SELENE satellite goes to show, its the view that attracts people to the cosmos (something FedEx admitted last year).



Note: Click on the image above to watch.

NASA Considering Six Month Lunar Missions

(Hat Tip: Universe Today)

Despite the fact that Moon is only three days away by rockets, NASA may be pondering about whether or not to establish a "long term" presence on the Moon via 6 month lunar missions.

(Physorg.com) The US space agency hopes to build moon bases that can house astronauts for stays of up to six months, with an intricate transportation and power system, Carl Walz, director of NASA's Advanced Capabilities Division, said Friday.

NASA is examining different designs for lunar outposts but that they could be inspired by the orbiting International Space Station (ISS), he said.

"We need to establish a long, extended presence on the moon, up to six months -- same as the time we spend at ISS," Walz, a veteran astronaut, told AFP during a forum on the future of NASA at the University of Miami.

"I would anticipate that we would build something similar as what we are building for the ISS, but maybe something different," he said.

Whether NASA pursues using inflatable space bases or nomadic ones, a six month stay on the Moon could ultimately open up the door for Mars 30 years from now.

While NASA's means of accomplishing this lunar goal may be subject to debate (hat tip: Space Transport News), at least the agency is at least heading in the right direction (as exploring these worlds in person is better than glimpsing at them from afar).

Not Good: Living On The Moon, It's Electric

With threats from radiation, lunar dust and politics, one wonders whether or not Earth's little sister is daring us to even attempt to visit her off white world, let alone conquer it.

While scientists are working on ways to thwart radiation and counter lunar dust (not to mention voting for pro-space politicians), they may have to find another solution regarding the Moon's love for "static electricity."

(Space.com) This new finding, announced this week by NASA, is important to future lunar explorers: Astronauts may find themselves "crackling with electricity like a sock pulled out of a hot dryer," according to an agency statement. [...]

Our entire planet is enveloped in a bubble of magnetism generated by the rotating core. The solar wind, a stream of charged particles, pushes the bubble away from the sun and creates a long tail of magnetized material downstream.

"Earth's magnetotail extends well beyond the orbit of the moon and, once a month [at full moon] the moon orbits through it," said Tim Stubbs, a University of Maryland scientist working at the Goddard Space Flight Center. "This can have consequences ranging from lunar 'dust storms' to electrostatic discharges."

Probably the easiest way to deal with this challenge is to somehow find a way to turn the lunar static into energy, which may be much more useful than either solar or nuclear power.

Hopefully a future scientists/engineer will find some way of accomplishing this, as the last thing we need is "fried astronaut" served up lunar side via an electrical charge.

Can Plants Survive In Lunar Soil?

(Image: The marigold plants in the first two pots on the left were grown with bacteria, while the third was not. The soil was made to mimic that on the lunar surface. Credit: N Kozyrovska / I Zaetz, via BBC)

While for most plants, the answer to this is probably a "resounding no," it looks as if one species may be able to brave the harsh lunar environment.

(BBC News) An Esa-linked team has shown that marigolds can grow in crushed rock very like the lunar surface, with no need for plant food. [...]

A team led by Natasha Kozyrovska and Iryna Zaetz from the National Academy of Sciences in Kiev planted marigolds in crushed anorthosite, a type of rock found on Earth which is very similar to much of the lunar surface.

In neat anorthosite, the plants fared very badly. But adding different types of bacteria made them thrive; the bacteria appeared to draw elements from the rock that the plants needed, such as potassium.

While marigolds may help make future space environments prettier, it will not "fill the tummies" of future colonists.

However if scientists can find a way to duplicate "this success" with other plants (perhaps in combination with certain bacteria), we may be able to establish permanent outposts on not only the Moon, but Mars as well.

Note: Also check out Ken Murphy's article about lunar gardens, who briefly explores perfecting lunar soil and exporting it to Martian colonies.

Lunar Revelation Via Japanese Maps

(Image: Detailed map of the moon, Credit: JAXA)

While NASA and other space agencies are busy planning on how to land people on the moon, Japan is busy mapping the lunar in extreme detail using its SELENE satellite (which is currently orbiting the Moon).

(Universe Today) The Japanese SELENE lunar orbiter has returned some of the most detailed maps of the Moon to date. The new collection of high-definition maps includes topological data and mineral location. Critically, the locations of uranium, thorium and potassium have been mapped, essential for mission planners when considering the future of manned settlements on the Moon. Seeing the lunar relief mapped to such fine detail makes for an impressive sight. So far six million data points have been collected and there's more to come. [...]

According to the JAXA press release, these new maps are ten-times more accurate than previous maps. Using the laser altimeter (LALT) instrument, 3D data of the shapes and altitudes of surface features are promising to give the most advanced relief mapping capabilities ever performed on a planetary body other than the Earth.

Hopefully more uranium will be discovered, as it would allow colonists to construct settlements virtually anywhere upon the moon's surface without the need for heavy dependence upon regenerative fuel cells or solar power.

Energy aside, these maps would also help future colonists determine which would be the best locations for settlement, not to mention whether or not building a railroad would be practical upon that dusty world.

While Japan has yet to launch any humans into space, they may be able to barter with NASA for a future trip, especially if they locate any more valuable resources (such as helium-3).

Google X-Prize: LunaTrex "Secures" Creative Funding

It looks as if one of the contestants in the Google Lunar X-Prize has found a unique way of securing funding in order to win the $30 million prize.

(LunaTrex X-Prize Blog) Team LunaTrex has a few companies in its membership that are profitable and that also have profit-generating products that relate to aerospace. One such company, AirBuoyant, is coming out with what could be considered a precursor to the "flying car", called VertiPod. VertiPod will have 2 models, the VP1 ultralight one-person craft, and the VP-2, two-person craft. Both will be in production this summer, and will be featured at Oshkosh AirVenture in Wisconsin.

AirBuoyant has made the commitment to direct all profits from the sales of VertiPods to Team LunaTrex's GLXP pursuit, until that effort is fully funded. This could represent millions of dollars per year, and additionally, provides a bridge to the aerospace industry for many with an experiential product like VertiPod. While the site is still under construction, you can keep tabs on VertiPod's progress at http://VertiPod.com.

While flying cars may be a more speculative industry, it is good to see more established players in the market backing smaller space firms whose goals may not yield a profit financially (at least immediately).

After all, if companies like Microsoft backed projects such as solar sails and space elevators, they would probably find themselves with a more favorable spotlight in the public (especially if one of these space firms actually succeeded).

Video: Lunar Bull Dozing

If landing on the Moon is "easy," then living upon it may be "slightly difficult"--especially if one has to find ways of creating a viable transportation system, which could involve lunar railroads and subways.

But before we begin dreaming up future metropolis connecting to each other across the moonscape, we may have to find ways of digging through lunar soil first.

(New Scientist Space) Chariot, a two-tonne "truck" with a top speed of 20 kilometres per hour, has been tearing up the Lunar Yard, a test bed at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, since engineers there completed construction of the vehicle in September of 2007. [...]

Independent steering on each of its six pairs of wheels allows the vehicle to spin on the spot, zigzag up steep crater walls, and manoeuvre into tight spaces with ease.

The Chariot – so named because the current model has no seats, windows, or doors, and can be driven from the rear – can also lower its chassis to the ground making it easier for astronauts in bulky spacesuits to climb aboard.

Hopefully this new design (coupled with a plow) will enable colonists to clear out land in order to tame the Moon's rugged surface. While more testing has to be done in order to make the robotic vehicles robust enough, future prototypes like these may enable us to actually build homes on lunar side, instead of dreaming about it from hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.

SpaceDev To Create Seals To Protect Lunar Hardware

(Hat Tip: Space Fellowship)

Whoever said that the Moon was a harsh Mistress had a very good idea about what they were talking about.

Harboring dust that is both fatal to humans and irritating (at best) to mechanical life, colonizing the Moon is going to going to be "moderately daunting," if not extremely difficult.

Despite this threat from the surface of Earth's nearest neighbor, one company is working on ways of solving the dust dilemma, which may lead towards our species inhabiting that tiny world.

(SpaceDev) SpaceDev, Inc. [...] announced that it has been awarded a contract for the development of next-generation seal technologies for instrument covers. The Phase 1 Small Business Innovative Research contract is scheduled for a 6-month period, during which SpaceDev plans to perform feasibility studies for seals capable of repetitive use while maintaining integrity even in the presence of severe abrasive environments such as lunar dust. These seal technologies are intended to enhance performance and enable increased mission capabilities for future lunar operations such as rovers, robotic systems, on site resource utilization and science experiments.

"This contract builds upon our heritage developing cover systems and seals for important spacecraft such as the Chandra and Spitzer space telescopes," said Mark N. Sirangelo, SpaceDev's Chairman and CEO. "Once developed, they are expected to provide a key solution set to harsh environments that presented significant operational issues during the Apollo missions. Although our initial efforts are focused on NASA's lunar requirements, we expect these products to translate over to future Mars and terrestrial applications as well."

Even though this might look like a minor issue, these seals could easily determine not only who visits the Moon, but also how many. If successful, SpaceDev could help our species to live comfortably off world, without the worry about breathing in a substance that smells like gunpowder.

Water Plus Moon Dust Equals Hardy Bacteria Snack?

(Image Credit: NSF, via New Scientist Space)

Despite the fact that lunar dust is hostile to most earthen plant life, it looks as if one bacteria does not mind taking "a bite" out of the white stuff.

(New Scientist Space) A hardy life form called cyanobacteria can grow in otherwise inhospitable lunar soil, new experiments suggest. Future colonists on the Moon might be able to use the cyanobacteria to extract resources from the soil that could be used to make rocket fuel and fertiliser for crops. [...]

When put in a container with water and simulated lunar soil, the cyanobacteria were found to produce acids that are amazingly good at breaking down tough minerals, including ilmenite.

They use the nutrients freed up this way to grow and reproduce. "This is unbelievable," Brown told New Scientist. Breaking down the same minerals artificially would require heating them to very high temperatures, which uses enormous amounts of energy, he says. Cyanobacteria, on the other hand, use only sunlight for energy, though they do their extraction work more slowly than heating the soil artificially.

While the Cyanobacteria will not help us grow food directly upon lunar soil, they could enable us to easily mine the surface without resorting to shovels and drills. Future colonists could then simply use lunar vacuum cleaners to collect the moon dust, and let these hardy bacteria do the rest.

Since water is probably scarce on the moon, lunar residents will probably have to either choose to import H₂O for both themselves and their microscopic friends, or simply modify the bacteria genetically to survive on human urine.

Moon Society: What About Lunar, Martian Railroads?

Probably one of the few organizations out there that may live to see their world conquered within "its lifetime," the Moon Society is proposing that future Lunar (and Martian) transportation might have revisit the same technology that helped America conquer the wild west.

(Moon Society Blog) On the Moon and Mars, we aren't going to find building materials that we can "throw together" to provide shelter from the cosmic elements. We will need pressurized structures. Pressurized modules made in a first quickly industrializing settlement can be shipped by the railroads to points along the route to provide the nucleus of new settlements. Pressurized modules have to be handled with care. Try to haul them overland on unimproved roads and the stresses of bouncing around are going to compromise seals and maybe open cracks. Rails on the other hand will provide a smooth low-friction ride to a prepared siding complex where they can be dropped off and docked with one another to provide an instant starter outpost. [...]

Why take the train when we can fly on Mars? I do believe that we can, but I also think that aviation on Mars will be uncomfortably pushing the envelop and that because of that, it may be risky for some time. [...]

Another thing I have never heard a Mars aviation fan (other than myself) concede is that the equivalent of 125,000 feet on Earth only describes the situation in spring and fall when much of the polar carbon dioxide snow over both polar caps is vaporized. As we go into either summer or winter, a significant part of the atmosphere, as much as 30%, will freeze out over one or the other poles. If Mars flight is possible only seasonally, it will not become the backbone of transportation on Mars.

Rails may provide a more "realistic solution" to conquering both the red planet (as well as the Moon), although they will probably have to be enclosed (or underground like a subway) in order to keep Martian and Lunar dust from setting on the rails via static electricity.

While there are many space organizations promoting their "topic of concern," the Moon Society is one of the few that actively promotes and/or includes ideals from other groups, even when it is not within their total best interest.

Note: Currently the Moon Society is looking for a "few good space geeks" to help them work out the nuts and bolts (no pun intended) of building these off world rails. Interested users can join their Google Group forum in order to submit their ideas.

Using Lunar Rock For Future Moon Bases

(Image Credit: NASA)

With NASA preparing to send humans once more to the Moon, many people have been envisioning humans creating lunar space bases out of metals either mined from our Earthen cradle or from the asteroids far away.

While building with such materials may add to the beauty of a lunar home, it would also add to the cost, raising the price tag of us settling lunar side. In order to help keep costs down (and the vision from being potentially killed) it may be better for humanity to choose lunar rocks and dirt instead.

(Universe Today) As it turns out, lunar regolith has many useful properties for construction on the Moon. To complement lunar concrete (as introduced earlier in Part 2), basic building structures may be formed from cast regolith. Cast regolith would be very similar to terrestrial cast basalt. Created by melting regolith in a mold and allowing it to cool slowly would allow a crystalline structure to form, resulting in highly compressive and moderately tensile building components. The high vacuum on the Moon would greatly improve the manufacturing process of the material. We also have experience here on Earth in how to create cast basalt, so this isn't a new and untested method. Basic habitat shapes could be manufactured with little preparation of the raw materials. Elements like beams, columns, slabs, shells, arch segments, blocks and cylinders could be fabricated, each element having ten times the compressive and tensile strength of concrete.

Using lunar rock as a main building block for lunar bases may not only reduce the overall cost of us setting foot abroad, but also help protect ourselves from cosmic radiation (as it would be much easier and cheaper than powering artificial magnetic fields).

While these thick lunar walls may be able to resist being penetrated by tiny incoming space rocks from above, it may be wise for NASA to consider "insulating" the walls with inflatable material as an extra precaution.

Building A Lunar Base: Problems And Solutions

Aside from the sun, the celestial object that is the most familiar to kids and adults alike is the Moon.

While other planets and moons may offer a more exciting environment, our second journey towards the stars will probably begin with our lunar friend in the sky, in part due towards its distance from Earth.

However, if humanity ever decides to dwell upon lunar soils, they will have to figure out a way first to survive upon them.

(Universe Today) So where do you start when designing a Lunar Base? High up on the structural engineers "to do" list would be the damage building materials may face when exposed to a vacuum. Damage from severe temperature variations, high velocity micrometeorite impacts, high outward forces from pressurized habitats, material brittleness at very low temperatures and cumulative abrasion by high energy cosmic rays and solar wind particles will all factor highly in the planning phase. Once all the hazards are outlined, work can begin on the structures themselves. [...]

The actual construction of a base will be very difficult in itself. Obviously, the low-G environment poses some difficulty to construction workers to get around, but the lack of an atmosphere would prove very damaging. Without the buffering of air around drilling tools, dynamic friction will be amplified during drilling tasks, generating huge amounts of heat. Drill bits and rock will fuse, hindering progress. Should demolition tasks need to be carried out, explosions in a vacuum would create countless high velocity missiles tearing through anything in their path, with no atmosphere to slow them down. [...] Also, the ejected dust would obscure everything and settle, statically, on machinery and contaminate everything.

With all of these problems presented challenges, it is quite evident that space is not a place for either cowards or the foolish (as dying in the final frontier is not exactly healthy for the body).

While a complete lists of hurdles towards colonization will probably expand as we gather more information about our little lunar sister, here are some helpful solutions that may ensure that we are able to inhabit the moon, let alone revisit it.

• Vacuum and temperature variations: NASA and Russia have probably had the most experience dealing with the issues (after all the International Space Station is a perfect example) so this may not be a worrisome issue lunar side.


• High velocity micrometeorite impacts: With the moon lacking a noticeable atmosphere, space rocks raining down from on high could easily spell the death of a lunar base (let alone a colony).
  
  Inflatable buildings (Bigelow style) may be the solution towards ensuring that we survive on the surface, although building a basement underground probably would not hurt as well.


• High outward forces from pressurized habitats: Inflatable buildings (or habitats) may solve this dilemma, something Ian O'Neill expands upon over at Universe Today.


• Material brittleness at very low temperatures: Again, NASA (and other space agencies) probably have this issue pretty much wrapped up (as those Martian golf carts, among other examples are a testament to).


• Abrasion by cosmic rays and solar wind particles: This will probably be the most difficult, although like any building on Earth, lunar habitats will have to be constantly maintained in order to ensure their safety.


• Drilling and digging underground: With the lack of atmosphere on the Moon, drilling may become useless, especially when lunar rocks begin to meld to the drill bits used to pierce the lunar surface.
  
  One solution is to enclose a fairly large area with an inflatable structure, pump it full of air (perhaps via oxygen extracted from lunar dirt) which would help reduce the friction from massive moon digs.


• Lunar Dust Love (contamination via static): Since lunar dust could pose a problem to both man and machine, and finding a way to remove it is critical towards establishing a beachhead on Luna (aka the Moon).
  
  Lunar vacuum cleaners could solve this dilemma, helping to ensure both carbon and silicon life enjoy their stay one light second away from home.

Even though humanity may not have the technology to implement solutions to all of these problems above, they can take the necessary steps to create defenses against these solar show stoppers--thus ensuring that our species survives its first step towards conquering the final frontier.

Construction Company Helps NASA With Lunar Lifting

(Image Credit: Universe Today)

As we gaze towards the heavens, and wonder about the future, one often overlooked aspect of space colonization is construction.

Whether we like it or not, we may have to actually build houses on the Moon, as not every lunar colony may be able to inflate its way towards habitation.

One company, called Caterpillar, is seeking to create a remote controlled construction machines to help NASA build bases on lunar soil.

(Universe Today) Caterpillar has proposed a multi-terrain loader for lunar surface development. Currently, they are working with NASA to develop the technology to augment existing earth moving equipment with sensors and on-board processors to provide time-delayed tele-operational control.

The loader would be able to undertake regolith moving such as grading, leveling, trenching, strip-mining, excavating and habitat covering. It also could be used for construction of lunar bases, the deployment or relocation of surface assets, as well as for mobility on the moon.

Caterpillar is working on not only remote operated machines, but also machines able to run independently of their human masters, similar to how the Martian rovers function.

While it is always preferable to have humans in the drivers seat, having our robotic friends prepare the way ahead of us may help to drop the cost of inhabiting Earth's nearest neighbor.

Regenerative Fuel Cells: Power For Lunar Nights?

(Image: Regenerative fuel cell, Credit: NASA)

One of the biggest "show stoppers" against humanity colonizing the Moon is energy. While solar power can easily collect energy from the sun during a "lunar day," its the nights that might quite literally leave us in the dark.

While Germany has developed a unique way to power future off world outposts, it looks as if another scientist may have found a longer lasting method for keeping the lunar lights on.

(Moon Today) A typical hydrogen fuel cell combines hydrogen from a tank and oxygen from the air to produce electricity, leaving water and heat as its only byproducts. A regenerative fuel cell also works in reverse, using electricity to divide the water into hydrogen and oxygen, which are fed back into the fuel cell to produce more electricity.

"What makes our regenerative fuel cell unique is that it's closed loop and completely sealed," Bents said. "Nothing goes in and nothing comes out, other than electrical power and waste heat. The hydrogen, oxygen and product water inside are simply recycled over and over again." [...]

"On the moon, you would start with a tank of water. You'd use the solar arrays to make hydrogen and oxygen during the day, then use the hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity during the night when there's no sun," said Bents. "Ideally, if nothing broke and nothing wore out, it could run forever without being refueled."

According to the article, not only would these fuel cells last much longer than the standard batter, but they could provide four to six times more energy pound for pound.

Coupled with standard solar panels, humanity may not only have enough power to stay warm on that frigid moon, but also be able to develop artificial magnetic fields to protect their homes from the wrath of the sun.

Earth's Magnetic Field: A Shield For Lunar Astronauts?

(Image Credit: NASA)

After a "brief" delay, humanity will once again send a few brave souls to visit the lunar world that orbits our home planet. However if we are going to live upon that barren world, humanity will have to find a way to deal with the cosmic radiation that can bombard the lunar surface.

While scientists have yet to create a portable magnetic field to shield future explorers, they are looking at the possibility of "borrowing Earth's" to protect lunar astronauts.

(Physorg.com) Earth is largely protected by its magnetic field, or magnetosphere, but new University of Washington research shows that some parts of the moon also are protected by the magnetosphere for seven days during the 28-day orbit around Earth.

"We found that there were areas of the moon that would be completely protected by the magnetosphere and other areas that are not protected at all," said Erika Harnett, a UW assistant research professor of Earth and space sciences.

While a week of protection is better than nothing, scientists may want to consider landing in and establishing bases within magnetic safe havens on the lunar surface.

Astronauts could then use the "week of protection" to conduct scientific experiments or (even better) explore for potential resources on the moon (such as helium-3).

Germany Wants A Piece Of The Moon

Despite its late cosmic entry, Germany is planning on launching an unmanned probe towards the Moon in order to help humanity gain more understanding about Earth's nearest neighbor.

(Reuters) Germany hopes to put an unmanned space craft into the moon's orbit in the early part of the next decade, a senior German official said on Wednesday.

The lunar orbit mission will be useful for scientific research, Deputy Economy Minister Peter Hintze, the government's aerospace coordinator, told reporters. "It is also a chance for Germany to prove its competence in this area."

Germany previously mentioned that they intended upon using the probe to provide a detailed map of the Moon's surface.

Hopefully Germany has plans on launching more than probes as the "Moon map market" is becoming increasingly crowded thanks to Japan and China.

Poll Results: Is Google's Lunar X-Prize Good For Humanity?

Over on the sidebar of Colony Worlds, this author ran a mini poll asking readers whether or not Google's X-Prize was of any benefit to humanity.

The poll closed four days ago with a grand total of 26 votes. Here are the results below:



Question: Is Google's Lunar X-Prize Good For Humanity?

Choice 1: Yes, as it helps us reach the moon (17 votes or 65%)

Choice 2: No, as it won't reduce the cost of rocket launches (3 votes or 11%)

Choice 3: Maybe, if they provide more money (1 vote or 3%)

Choice 4: No, as going to Mars is more important (1 vote or 3%)

Choice 5: Yes, as we can finally discover what moonbats are (4 votes or 15%)

The next poll will deal with who will colonize the Moon first, which was inspired by Mike Griffin's comments regarding China.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the poll, and I am looking forward to the results of the next! (and no, moonbats will not be apart of this unscientific survey).