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Article: Water on the Moon
Though the abundance of water upon the Moon is not known, its presence has been confirmed.
is expected to yield about one litre of water> Though this amount may not be substantial, it is not insignifcant either, as it would cost about $50,000 to transport the same amount of water from the earth to the Moon's surface.
The solar wind (containining hydrogen ions) combines with the oxygen rich rocks and soil to form water. Water upon the Moon is of two distinct types:
- Exogenic, or water from external sources such as comets.
- Endogenic, or water that originates on the Moon itself.
Plans for a habitable Moon may be somewhat premature - as are the plans for the sale of private plots by certain property companies - but at least the groundwork has been laid for setting up a
permanent base upon its surface. The engineering challenge, however, would simply be enormous. And the cost would be astronomical...
The Moon experiences extreme daytime temperatures (between -200C to 300C), mainly due to its thin atmospheric layer. The low lunar gravity constitutes yet another problem, though not an unsurmountable one. The following steps would need to be taken before space colonies became a reality:
1.. The astronauts would need to stay upon the Moon for extended periods of time; stretching to at least a few months at a time.
2.. They would need habitation modules (such as cylindrical structures) to sleep, eat and work in.
3.. Reliable - if not failproof - life support systems would also be needed.
4.. The inhabitants would have to be shielded from radiation.
5.. Launch vehicles, rovers, and power sources would be required as well.
6.. A legal framework to govern human activities upon the Moon.
At present, it is very difficult to set a date for a permanent presence upon the Moon. Of course, economic viability of the space colony would help to speed up the process of colonization. India, China and the United States are taking part in a race to the Moon. India has set a target date of 2015, China by 2020, and the United States thereabouts.