8 thoughts on “Lunar Landing Pads”

  1. I do expect that the cost of getting to the moon will be dropping dramatically in the next decade, though.
    Which probably means we’ll see a plethora of construction techniques employed on the moon. Each suited to the economics of its time, but the pacing will be fast. A particular construction technology perhaps lasting only on the order of a decade, maybe less.

    I applaud the techniques being researched now though. Love to see the focus more on how to support life and habitation and maybe a little less on transport. These processes will get a real kick-start when and if there develops a commercial incentive for it. Also actually doing things on the moon will provide huge insights as well.

    2. *Sigh* Build a berm wall.
      Oh such a kill joy. Next thing you know you’ll be suggesting the landing rockets go on the nose of the lander rather than the tail….

    3. Right. At a LEAG conference years ago a team presented on their analysis of old Apollo videos looking at the dust blown away by the launches of the LEMs. They found that it generally was 6 degrees or less in ejection angle. Berms would work just fine and are easy to build up.

      The microwaving of regolith is not a new idea by any stretch, just look at the work of Dr. Taylor out of UTenn, although when I saw they were using regolith stimulant in the study I checked out. At least they weren’t trying to grow plants in it. Dr. Taylor put real regolith in a microwave and had molten rock in less time than it takes to boil water for coffee.

  3. I wonder if some type of tarps would be the easiest and quickest way to set up landing pads. Given the high and canted landing rockets on the Starship, the tarps may be pretty simple. Telerobots would screw their edges into the regolith.

  5. Gee, if only the moon were peppered with some form of circular structure with a wall or rim around it….

Comments are closed.