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For half the month the lunar surface is basically paradise for solar electricity with 1.3 kw/m2 of sunlight 24 hours a day instead of just the 1.0 kw/m2 on Eart

For half the month the lunar surface is basically paradise for solar electricity with 1.3 kw/m2 of sunlight 24 hours a day instead of just the 1.0 kw/m2 on Earth's surface for half the day. But the other half of the month is complete darkness except star and Earth light. Unless you're at one of the poles and rig a solar panel to rotate horizontally. This is good for industrial processes you can start and stop over the course of a month but life support needs lots of batteries, about 10 times the weight of the solar panels.

lorenzhs 8y ago
That's not how the moon works. There's no "dark side", only a "far side" that always faces away from the earth. It's just that a moon day lasts ~28.5 earth days.
- eesmith 8y ago
  I believe Symmetry understands that, though the phrase '24 hours a day' should be '24 hours an Earth day' to prevent possible confusion.
  - lorenzhs 8y ago
    I believe Symmetry edited their comment to correct it, or maybe I misread. Anyway, it's correct now.
    - eesmith 8y ago
      Not that it makes a difference, but I like to investigate things. Symmetry has made many comments about the Moon, and they are consistent with the comment made here, and in alignment with my understanding of the physics. For examples: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8959884 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8959884 says "the only viable colonization sites on the moon are the north and south poles, where you can get solar power continuously." and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14997459#15002984 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14997459#15002984 "The Moon rotates once every month and Mars once every 24 hours. If you're using solar panels it's a big deal making it though the lunar night, you'll need lots of batteries, maybe 25 times the weight of your panels. ... There are the Peaks of Eternal Light on the south pole of the moon where this isn't an issue and you can just keep pointing your solar panels at different parts of the horizon all month." These were made 4 and 2 years ago, respectively.
      - lorenzhs 8y ago
        Then it must have been my error, and the correction happened in my head upon re-reading :)
rtkwe 8y ago
That's why most missions are going to be focused around the poles at first until something other that solar is brought to the moon (like nuclear, be it fusion or fission).

lorenzhs 8y ago

That's not how the moon works. There's no "dark side", only a "far side" that always faces away from the earth. It's just that a moon day lasts ~28.5 earth days.

eesmith 8y ago
I believe Symmetry understands that, though the phrase '24 hours a day' should be '24 hours an Earth day' to prevent possible confusion.
- lorenzhs 8y ago
  I believe Symmetry edited their comment to correct it, or maybe I misread. Anyway, it's correct now.
  - eesmith 8y ago
    Not that it makes a difference, but I like to investigate things. Symmetry has made many comments about the Moon, and they are consistent with the comment made here, and in alignment with my understanding of the physics. For examples: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8959884 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8959884 says "the only viable colonization sites on the moon are the north and south poles, where you can get solar power continuously." and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14997459#15002984 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14997459#15002984 "The Moon rotates once every month and Mars once every 24 hours. If you're using solar panels it's a big deal making it though the lunar night, you'll need lots of batteries, maybe 25 times the weight of your panels. ... There are the Peaks of Eternal Light on the south pole of the moon where this isn't an issue and you can just keep pointing your solar panels at different parts of the horizon all month." These were made 4 and 2 years ago, respectively.
    - lorenzhs 8y ago
      Then it must have been my error, and the correction happened in my head upon re-reading :)

rtkwe 8y ago

That's why most missions are going to be focused around the poles at first until something other that solar is brought to the moon (like nuclear, be it fusion or fission).