Mission: Moon!
What is it like on the Moon?
What is it like on the Moon?
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Length of Day
Atmosphere
Temperature
Water
Radiation
Gravity
Landscape
Long Days and Long Nights
The Moon spins on its axis – rotates –
once every 27 days
Earth rotates once every 24 hours
The Moon’s rotation means its “day” is
almost two weeks long – and then it’s dark
for two weeks!
Nothing to Breathe
The Moon does not have an atmosphere
Atmospheres are important because they
protect us from harmful solar radiation
and help to keep temperatures
Really Hot and Really Cold
The Moon’s temperatures range
from +107 C in the sunlight to –153
C in the shade or darkness (that’s
+224 F to –243 F below freezing!)
The temperature changes so much
because there is no atmosphere to
moderate it.
Extreme changes are bad for
equipment.
Water?
There is no liquid water on the Moon.
There may be frozen water – ice – in deep
craters near the poles.
Oh no.
Sunscreen, Anyone?
• Solar radiation levels on the Moon’s
surface are dangerously high because
there is no atmosphere to block
incoming radiation.
• The Moon is smaller
than Earth, but
because it has mass,
it DOES HAVE
GRAVITY!
• The Moon’s gravity
is ~1/6 of Earth’s.
• Because there is
less “pull” on you,
you will weigh less
and jump higher on
the Moon!
High Jump!
Dusty!
• The Moon’s rocks have been pulverized
into a fine powder by continuous
asteroid impacts.
• This “regolith” layer can be 45 feet
thick!
Lunar
Landscape
Bright, heavily cratered, Lunar
Highlands – terrae. Mostly
plagioclase rocks that are about
four and a half billion years old!
Dark, smooth Lunar Lowlands
– maria (“mar-e-uh”). Made of 3
to 4 billion year old basalt – the
same rock type as Earth’s
ocean floor and the Hawaii
volcanos.
Lunar Regolith covers much of
the surface.
Lunar Highlands
What would we need to live
on the Moon?
What would we need
to live on the Moon?
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Shelter
Power
Food
Water
Earth
communications
• Tools / equipment
• Ways to move
around
S
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A lunar outpost is needed for long stays to maintain
an atmosphere and protect us from temperature
extremes … space suits protect us outside the base.
It will be built with materials transported from
Earth (costly!) but we can use lunar resources Moon
to help (titanium, regolith for lunar bricks!).
A natural shelter can be found in the lava tubes in
ancient volcanic areas.
Power
Fuel is expensive to transport from Earth
Solar power can be used to run an outpost.
Solar power will have to be stored in costly
batteries for long periods of darkness,
unless the base is in a permanently sunny
region.
Food will be
transported from
Earth. Eventually,
hydroponic gardens
will be created to
provide food for
the outpost.
Food
Water
Liquid water does not exist on the Moon’s surface.
Water ice may exist in deep, permanently shadowed
craters at the poles.
All humans need water to drink. Water also can be
broken into hydrogen and oxygen and used as a fuel
or to create an atmosphere at the enclosed base.
Calling
Home
Earth is far away … about
240,000 miles away!
We will need to communicate
about outpost operations and the
health of the astronauts, and we
will want to stay in touch with
Earth friends, too!
The outpost will have to be in
constant view of Earth to maintain
communications. If the outpost is
not in view, costly satellite
systems will have to be put in
place.
Note: Astronauts Do Not Use Telephones! Communications travel by radio waves, part of the electromagnetic spectrum!
Tools and Equipment
We will need to
transport tools
and equipment to
the lunar outpost
to build the base
and conduct
scientific
experiments.
Roving the Surface
We will need
ways to move
around the
surface as we
build the
outpost, search
for resources,
and conduct
scientific
experiments.
Topography
A lunar outpost will
have to be built in a
safe, relatively flat
location that is
easy to reach on
foot or by Moon
buggy.
Apollo 15 Landing Site
20 km
12 miles
What science can we
Other
do?
Depending
on
Considerations
where we go, we can
learn different things
about how the Moon
formed and has
changed. We can set
up telescopes
to monitor Earth
or to look deep
into space.
When we select a lunar outpost
site, we need to consider all of
these things!
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Shelter
Power
Food
Water
Earth communications
Tools / equipment
Ways to move around
The Lunar Reconnaissance
Orbiter Mission
The Lunar Reconnaissance
Orbiter Mission
LRO spacecraft launched on June 18, 2009
It will orbit the Moon, collecting data to:
Characterize solar radiation on the lunar surface and
how it might impact humans and materials
Make a high resolution global, 3-D map of the Moon’s
surface so we can select landing sites
Make very detailed maps of the Moon’s resources
and the Moon’s polar regions to see if water ice is
present.
Mission: Moon!
Just like NASA teams of scientists and
engineers, you and your team will propose a
site for a future lunar outpost and debate
why it should be chosen.
Your Mission:
• Review the data for the different possible
lunar outpost sites
• Select the site that has the fewest risks and
most benefits in your view