3 ms·
Far enough underground (a few meters) and I think the risk is acceptable. The one in the article made an 18m-diameter crater, so maybe 5-9m deep, but this kind
by fragsworth 13y ago
Far enough underground (a few meters) and I think the risk is acceptable. The one in the article made an 18m-diameter crater, so maybe 5-9m deep, but this kind of impact is relatively rare and very unlikely to be in the location of the base.
It's the shrapnel we are worrying about most, not the direct impacts.
- Zenst 13y agoI agree underground would be the way, just to curtail radiation, which for a moon base, long-term would be a consideration.
- hga 13y agoAs long as you can see the sun, you need that. And it's got to be thick enough to stop secondary particles, a really thin shield can be worse. The Apollo missions were timed for the part of the sun's cycle where activity was low, and I've read that their early termination was due in part to the schedule slipping and the last few planned missions edging into the period where the probability of a solar storm killing the astronauts became uncomfortably high.
- WalterBright 13y agoAlso, like a battleship, you'd want any moonbase to be very compartmentalized.