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I'm not sure how it helps in the long run. It's not like the moon has an ecosystem to recycle the water. I see moon water like oil on earth... once it's gone, it's gone forver.

I'm not sure how it helps in the long run. It's not like the moon has an ecosystem to recycle the water. I see moon water like oil on earth... once it's gone, it's gone forver.

 

Based on what I know, this is false.

 

If I'm not mistaken, oil does replenish itself from deep in the earth via fossilizing plant material, it just takes a long time. Once again, the human factor "we are all that matters" has to be taken into account here. What I mean by that is, while we may not have billions of years to live...the Earth does. And will.

I'm not sure how it helps in the long run. It's not like the moon has an ecosystem to recycle the water. I see moon water like oil on earth... once it's gone, it's gone forver.

 

So where do you suppose this moon water is going to go?

Based on what I know, this is false.

 

If I'm not mistaken, oil does replenish itself from deep in the earth via fossilizing plant material, it just takes a long time. Once again, the human factor "we are all that matters" has to be taken into account here. What I mean by that is, while we may not have billions of years to live...the Earth does. And will.

Well, the oil thing is a tangent, but I want to point out that the current usage rate of oil that can be extracted without making it both obscenely expensive and environmentally disastrous, the supply is not at all unlimited. The regeneration is painstakingly slow, and results in miniscule amounts of material. Its not a never-ending supply of reasonably priced oil.

 

So where do you suppose this moon water is going to go?

One of the major reasons they wanted to look for water was to see if there was extractable supply for human use on the moon. We're talking about people staying on the moon for more than a few days.

 

Based on what I know, this is false.

 

If I'm not mistaken, oil does replenish itself from deep in the earth via fossilizing plant material, it just takes a long time. Once again, the human factor "we are all that matters" has to be taken into account here. What I mean by that is, while we may not have billions of years to live...the Earth does. And will.

Ok, i worded my point wrong. Basically, once we use up the oil, it'll take millions of years to get more. So, in the context of human existence... forever.

One of the major reasons they wanted to look for water was to see if there was extractable supply for human use on the moon. We're talking about people staying on the moon for more than a few days.

That part i understand, but I need to know how MUCH water exists. Are we talking supplying a maned colony of a few dozen for 100 years? or for 30 years? or for 3 years? I'm not sure a 3 years water supply is enough. Either way, until the place is either terraformed (which I am not sure can be done on the moon) or a massive "bio-dome" is created, you will need to supply water from earth if there isnt a large supply on the moon.

One of the major reasons they wanted to look for water was to see if there was extractable supply for human use on the moon. We're talking about people staying on the moon for more than a few days.

 

 

So how long before there are condos on the moon?

So how long before there are condos on the moon?

 

 

didnt you see Total Recall? We are all going to mutate before they build condos

That part i understand, but I need to know how MUCH water exists. Are we talking supplying a maned colony of a few dozen for 100 years? or for 30 years? or for 3 years? I'm not sure a 3 years water supply is enough. Either way, until the place is either terraformed (which I am not sure can be done on the moon) or a massive "bio-dome" is created, you will need to supply water from earth if there isnt a large supply on the moon.

One big difference between water and oil is that water can potentially be re-used if you have the systems to re-use it and you don't let it boil off out in the open. In that case...the length of time wouldn't matter, unless you were careless in how you used it. And if you're going to the moon...stop being careless.

One big difference between water and oil is that water can potentially be re-used if you have the systems to re-use it and you don't let it boil off out in the open. In that case...the length of time wouldn't matter, unless you were careless in how you used it. And if you're going to the moon...stop being careless.

That's a fair point.

That's a fair point.

The whole point of looking for it there is weight. If you have to bring it with you from the earth, it will take an enormous amount of weight to supply the water for just a few people, and weight = cost when you're shooting things upwards. If you can get it on the lunar surface in some fashion, then you can possibly cut that weight back if the equipment required to get the water is light enough.

Cool note. If you do the math through...the amount of water that was kicked up by this mission...if you assume sort of a standard launch cost per pound...the amount of water that was kicked up by this landing would cost approximately the same amount to ship to the moon as the LCROSS mission itself cost.

Well duh.

 

There were whalers on the moon, who carried a harpoon...