ROOM
70
Astronautics
A
lmost half a century has passed since man
first visited the Moon. However, most
projects for creating humanity’s outpost
on the Moon never made it past the
drawing board due to their expensive
implementation. In a 2009 study, the Center for
Strategic and International Studies suggested a
lunar base would cost $35 billion to construct and
$7.35 billion a year to maintain. It is clear therefore
that until the cost of space access is lowered the
situation with building a base on the Moon is
unlikely to change.
Considering the current level of rocket and
other space technology development, it is
more profitable to create industrial facilities
on asteroids compared to the Moon. Private
companies that have declared plans to mine
platinoids and rare metals outside of Earth are
looking at asteroids first. There is far less interest
in business plans to mine resources on the Moon.
At the same time, it takes a week to get to the
Moon and back, whereas visiting an NEA group
asteroid takes years. From an investment point
of view, due to the possibility of quick equipment
depreciation, mining on the Moon is potentially
more lucrative than mining an asteroid.
Aside from providing a stunning backdrop
to the night sky that has wowed humanity for
thousands of years, the Moon has many valuable
resources; just like an asteroid, it is home to
metals that are rare on Earth and both uranium
and platinum-based metals can be found there. It
is somewhat macabre, but it can also be thought
of as an asteroid cemetery of sorts, as for billions
With interests in establishing a base on the Moon on the rise again, while
some look at how to get there, others look at how to stay there – for the long
term. Alexander Mayboroda, an advocate for space colonisation, guides us
through the technological challenges faced by those hoping to establish a
base on the Moon and ways to get around the spiralling cost associated with
such an endeavour.
Alexander Mayboroda
AVANTA-Consulting,
Russia
How to build a
Moon base cheaply
