Re: Improved lunar landing architecture

On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 00:34:47 GMT, "Michael Rhino"
<news2005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>"Cardman" <do-not@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>news:125mf159oa5egkru1355fcj721peohcpmg@xxxxxxxxxx
>> The main advantage is simply speed of transport. People can knock off
>> work in the Polar Base, catch the train up to the second base, stay
>> there overnight, then catch the train back for work the next morning.
>
>In the early stages, the population will be so low that there will be no
>need to live in the suburbs and commute to work. People will most likely
>live where they work. You talk about a transporation system you can grow
>into, but the next generation may want the tracks in a different location.
>If the cost of reaching the moon remains high, then it will take a while for
>the population to grow large.

This is all well and nice, but you are thinking like an American, when
you should be thinking like the Chinese.

As had the Chinese run this plan then they sure as hell would go with
MagLev, simply because it is the most efficient and advanced
technology.

See here for example...
http://www.gluckman.com/Maglev.html

>I would expect people to start off with off-road vehicles. Eventually,
>they'll realize that there is a lot of traffic over a certain path, so
>they'll put in a road or train.

Off-road travel on the Moon would be such a pain, due to all the
regolith, that roads should come very early. That is even if they
simply plough the regolith away.

>Much of the transporation system will be designed for things rather than
>people. One advantage of speed is less radiation exposure.

Yes, always a concern.

However, when they did feel in need of a train between their bases,
then MagLev is the way to do. This efficient system makes other old
train systems obsolete.

And should they add in another location, then so could they just
extend the track. Better yet you could turn your base into a transport
hub.

>> Also you will have to account for the Tourist market, when all these
>> commercial companies would be better off building their hotels very
>> close to one of these two bases.
>
>Early stage tourism:
>Most tourists would stay for 18 days -- arrive 2 days before sunrise and
>leave 2 days after sunset. They would travel 300 miles in off-road
>vehicles.

Sounds nice, but off-road vehicles simply won't happen.

>Later stage tourism:
>A train can outrun the sun on the moon, so their schedule wouldn't be tied
>to the Lunar day.

Artificial lighting also works wonders. Since I doubt that tourists
would spend long looking at the gray landscape, beyond a day trip out
to an interesting feature, then most of their entertainment will be
found indoors.

>They may travel 4000 miles from the equator on one side
>to the south pole to the equator on the other side. They would stop at
>certain places along the way.

I would say that you place too much on tourists being in the sunlight,
when this is only a minor matter. Instead all your usual commercial
companies will be there offering just about all the same things found
on Earth.

>>>> Your large domes would find another interesting use it seems. Give
>>>> people wings and they could fly like the birds. Sound like a good
>>>> first lunar sports event. Throw in a ball and all that.
>
>Tree climbing would be easier.

Did you suffer some childhood tree climbing accident or something? :-]

>You could have a dome within a dome. There
>are normal rooms between the two domes. Inside the inner dome would be a
>fake tree.

They could also plant a real tree. Easy to do, where they just can let
it grow. Still, since tree climbing is a child related event, then
adults will stick to seeing the nice greenery from home.

>Suppose you wanted to go from a 2nd floor room on one side to a
>4th floor room on the other side. You could either walk along a normal
>hallway or go the central area where the tree is and climb to the other
>side. Giant fake spider webs would catch falling people.

So you are talking about a fun park then, which still sounds a bit
childish. People can also simply jump, where they can just put foam
padding in their landing area.

Cardman.
.

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