We are at an exciting time in space exploration. It appears that humans are gaining momentum to become an interplanetary species, for this, it has created pharaonic masterpieces, but what will be the next step? And what is the role of the Moon in all this? Various studies suggest that Our satellite may be essential in taking the space race to the next level since its conditions make it an ideal place to use as a launch base. Among the most frequent technical problems, such as exposure to sunlight, or the fall of micrometeorites, one of the biggest problems was by far the lack of water, but The latest research has shown that it is not as rare as it seemed.
Some weight and some water
The force of gravity on the surface of the Moon is much less than that of the Earth, On our planet we are used to hearing the number 9.8 m/s², but on the Moon, this acceleration is only 1.62 m/s². This makes the weight of the objects 16.6% of their weight on Earth, so A person weighing 75 kg on Earth would mark approximately 12.5 kg on the lunar scale. The low gravity makes it ideal for use as a launching pad, as the rocket will need less fuel to reach escape velocity and, in addition,ity can carry more payloads for longer missions or to reach other locations in the Solar System. Can base on bodies.
But there is one drawback to this microgravity environment, and that is The Moon cannot maintain a stable atmosphere. The gases produced inside are almost entirely ejected into space, meaning that the pressure on the Moon is very low, so much so that Water cannot be in a liquid state because it directly turns into a gas and escapes from the surface. In addition, fluctuations in temperature, which can reach -184 c overnight and 214 C cause the water content to decrease further during the day. fortunately, Depots exist at certain locations that may be accessible for future missions.
Very Quiet
Unlike other points on the lunar surface, the temperature at the poles is constant and as low as -96 °C, which is quite cold. to keep ice, Furthermore, subsequent studies carried out with the SOFIA observatory have shown that Much more water is present in the crater floor than previously thought, as well as trapped inside lunar crystals, protected by layers of lunar regolith. This water could be key to satellite colonization and building permanent bases This offers the possibility of consuming it and hydrolyzing it into hydrogen and oxygen, so as not to depend to such a great extent on the shipment of terrestrial gases.
The extracted oxygen and hydrogen could also be used as fuel for rockets that are built on the station, although it would be convenient to first develop the technologies to take full advantage of this. To date, both NASA, ESA, Chin,a and Russia have plans for their lunar bases, With cabins designed to withstand extreme conditions, and some optimistic reviews confirm this These plans will come into effect around the year 2035. You have to be very judicious though, because even if the base is built, it will still be decades before we see lunar factories,if they happen in the future.
Mission and Vision for the Future
It looks like NASA’s Artemis program is responsible for returning humans to the lunar surface. The success of the Artemis 1 mission, which sent the uncrewed Orion spacecraft on a lunar flyby in December 2022, set the best possible precedent for future missions. The next mission, Artemis 2, expected in December 2024, will fly above the Moon with a team of four astronauts, and a year later, Artemis 3 intends to land at the lunar south pole, where astronauts will arrive. are supposed to. Among other things, collect samples of lunar ice. The wait is going to be long, but it appears that within a relatively shortperiode, We will see new walks on the surface of our satellite.
Don’t get it:
- The Moon’s escape velocity is 2.38 km/s, or about 8,500 km/h, which is about 5 times greater than Earth’s: 11.2 km/s, or 40,500 km/h.
- The last time humans set foot on the Moon was on the Apollo 17 mission, on December 11, 1972, more than 50 years ago.
