Mission: Moon!

What is it like on the Moon?

What is it like on the Moon?

• Length of Day• Atmosphere• Temperature• Water• Radiation• Gravity• Landscape

Long Days and Long Nights

The Moon spins on its axis – rotates – once every 27 days

Earth rotates once every 24 hours

The Moon’s rotation means its “day” is almost two weeks long – and then it’s dark for two weeks!

Nothing to Breathe

The Moon does not have an atmosphere

Atmospheres are important because they protect us from harmful solar

radiation and help to keep temperatures

Really Hot and Really Cold

The Moon’s temperatures range from +107 C in the sunlight to –153 C in the shade or darkness (that’s +224 F to –243 F below freezing!)

The temperature changes so much because there is no atmosphere to moderate it.

Extreme changes are bad for equipment.

Water?

There is no liquid water on the Moon.

There may be frozen water – ice – in deep craters near the poles.

Oh no.

Oh no.

Sunscreen, Anyone?

• Solar radiation levels on the Moon’s surface are dangerously high because there is no atmosphere to block incoming radiation.

High Jump!• The Moon is smaller than Earth, but because it has mass, it DOES HAVE GRAVITY!

• The Moon’s gravity is ~1/6 of Earth’s.

• Because there is less “pull” on you, you will weigh less and jump higher on the Moon!

Dusty!

• The Moon’s rocks have been pulverized into a fine powder by continuous asteroid impacts.

• This “regolith” layer can be 45 feet thick!

Lunar Landscape

Lunar Highlands

Bright, heavily cratered, Lunar Highlands – terrae. Mostly plagioclase rocks that are about four and a half billion years old!

Dark, smooth Lunar Lowlands – maria (“mar-e-uh”). Made of 3 to 4 billion year old basalt – the same rock type as Earth’s ocean floor and the Hawaii volcanos.

Lunar Regolith covers much of the surface.

What would we need to live on the Moon?

What would we need to live on

the Moon?• Shelter• Power• Food• Water• Earth

communications• Tools /

equipment• Ways to move

around

Shelter

A lunar outpost is needed for long stays to maintain an atmosphere and protect us from temperature extremes … space suits protect us outside the base.

It will be built with materials transported from Earth (costly!) but we can use lunar resources Moon to help (titanium, regolith for lunar bricks!).

A natural shelter can be found in the lava tubes in ancient volcanic areas.

Power

Fuel is expensive to transport from Earth

Solar power can be used to run an outpost.

Solar power will have to be stored in costly batteries for long periods of darkness, unless the base is in a permanently sunny region.

FoodFood will be transported from Earth. Eventually,

hydroponic gardens will be

created to provide food for the

outpost.

WaterLiquid water does not exist on the Moon’s surface.

Water ice may exist in deep, permanently shadowed craters at the poles.

All humans need water to drink. Water also can be broken into hydrogen and oxygen and used as a fuel or to create an atmosphere at the enclosed base.

Calling Home

Earth is far away … about 240,000 miles away!

We will need to communicate about outpost operations and the health of the astronauts, and we will want to stay in touch with Earth friends, too!

The outpost will have to be in constant view of Earth to maintain communications. If the outpost is not in view, costly satellite systems will have to be put in place.

Note: Astronauts Do Not Use Telephones! Communications travel by radio waves, part of the electromagnetic spectrum!

Tools and Equipment

We will need to transport tools and equipment

to the lunar outpost to build

the base and conduct scientific

experiments.

Roving the SurfaceWe will need ways to move

around the surface as we

build the outpost, search for resources, and conduct

scientific experiments.

Topography

A lunar outpost will have to be built in a safe, relatively flat

location that is easy to reach on foot or by Moon

buggy.

Apollo 15 Landing Site

20 km12 miles

Other Consideratio

ns

What science can we do? Depending on where we go, we can learn different things about how the Moon formed and has changed. We can set up telescopes to monitor Earth or to look deep into space.

When we select a lunar outpost site, we need to

consider all of these things!

• Shelter• Power• Food• Water• Earth

communications• Tools / equipment• Ways to move

around

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission

LRO spacecraft launched on June 18, 2009

It will orbit the Moon, collecting data to:

Characterize solar radiation on the lunar surface and how it might impact humans and materials

Make a high resolution global, 3-D map of the Moon’s surface so we can select landing sites

Make very detailed maps of the Moon’s resources and the Moon’s polar regions to see if water ice is present.

Mission: Moon!

Just like NASA teams of scientists and engineers, you and your team will propose a site for a future lunar outpost and debate why it should be chosen.

Your Mission: • Review the data for the different possible

lunar outpost sites• Select the site that has the fewest risks

and most benefits in your view