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The space station can't hold itself together on the moon, it is not built for 1/6g; you might be able to position it in lunar orbit, but that would be quite exp
by nickff 11y ago
The space station can't hold itself together on the moon, it is not built for 1/6g; you might be able to position it in lunar orbit, but that would be quite expensive; higher orbits would preserve the station just as well at much lower cost, but the station would be an unsafe derelict in a few years.
- vanattab 11y agoWould it really be all that expensive though. We are going to have to send tons of mass out there eventually. Is there anything fundamentally different about a lunar orbit that would make such a base not as useful. I understand it was not designed to experience large acceleration forces but could we not use this as an opportunity to test ion drives and/or other low impulse drive mechanism? Slowly inch it towards a linear orbit? Then send astronauts to meet it in orbit with a next gen reusable lunar lander? On a SpaceX heavy and or SLS?
- aluhut 11y agoI wasn't really serious but I guess it was too well hidden when I look at the votes ;)