A Colony on the Moon

Due 5/15 09
President Bush has a proposal for establishing a Colony on the Moon as a prerequisite for the planned colonization of Mars.

NASA has commissioned your company with the challenge to design the conditions that allow a group of not more than six astronauts to live on the Moon for a period of not less than six months.

Your group has to provide solutions for the supply of most of the needs of these astronauts during their expedition. They will have to obtain, oxygen, food, medicines, energy, construct their own quarters, exercise and investigate the surrounding territory for possible industrial or technological applications that could render an economical benefit and reduce the cost of establishing this colony.
For each of the following questions write at least five different ideas.
1. What do you already know about the Moon?


2. What you need to learn in order to establish the colony?


3. How can you obtain oxygen? (What they do in nuclear submarines to obtain it?)


4. What kind of food can be grown? How much time before you can collect it?


5. What kind of equipment can help on the surface exploration?


6. What kind of energy sources are available on the Moon?


7. Which Earth technologies can help on the construction of the quarters?


8. What kind of equipment will be needed to monitor and guaranty the health of the personnel?


9. Possible economical sources of benefits?


10. What supplies will have to be send from Earth on a periodical basis?