![]() Thus, there are two areas of the Moon where resources (water and sun) are placed side-by-side: the poles, where the Moon’s axial tilt creates just the right conditions for light (solar energy) and darkness (water ice-traps). The exact amounts and physical state of this water is still uncertain (we need to send robotic landers down to the surface to characterize the deposits in detail), but there is no doubt that the quantities of water present are significant, as much as 10 billion tons of water at each pole. The latest round of robotic spacecraft mapping the Moon have found significant quantities of water ice at both poles. Thus, water becomes a medium of energy storage and permits the continuous generation of power, an essential condition for human habitation and productive work off the Earth.įortunately, the other side of the resource coin offers us the feedstock for this power system. When the Sun is visible, the power generated by solar arrays can be used to crack stored water into its component hydrogen and oxygen gases. We can bridge these dark periods with fuel cells that combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate electrical power, producing water as a byproduct. The periods of darkness are short, from a few hours to a few tens of hours. ![]() The poles offer multiple locations where the Sun can be seen for more than 80-90 percent of the year. This illumination can be converted into electrical power via solar arrays. The energy actually comes from the Sun-the Moon provides a place on its surface to collect solar photons nearly continuously. The Moon’s resources come in two forms: energy and materials. This capability positions humans for more creative pursuits, such as surface exploration, while limiting our exposure to harsh environments, as we build up our knowledge about our new surroundings-valuable information for those planning to venture further out into space. ![]() Our closeness to the Moon (three-second round-trip light travel time) also permits near-real-time control from Earth of machines located on the lunar surface-an amazing advantage in that much of the hard, repetitive or difficult work on the Moon can be accomplished using teleoperated robots. There is no other extraterrestrial body for which this is true. ![]() Because the Moon is close (in orbit around the Earth, 400,000 km away) we can travel to and from the Moon at will-launch windows are continuously open. The Moon’s proximity to Earth and its material and energy resources make possible the construction of a permanent spaceflight transportation infrastructure, thereby giving us the means to live and work on another world for extended periods of time. I’ve detailed in previous writings the Moon’s value. I’m tempted to call Ehricke’s statement “the lunar anthropic principle.” Ehricke remarked in 1984 that, “If God wanted man to become a spacefaring species, He would have given man a Moon.” Ehricke’s quote distills down to its essence the truth about the Moon’s utility-its singular value in developing new spaceflight capabilities and our ability to travel throughout space. Ehricke spent a lifetime thinking about the broader, philosophical aspects of space travel and the colonization of other worlds. This quote comes from Krafft Ehricke, a member of Wernher von Braun’s original rocket design team from Peenemunde. I hadn’t previously connected the Barrow-Tipler principle with a quote (in the same vein) that I use in my lunar development talks. And as good conversation always does, it made me think deeper. Though we discussed many things, the anthropic principle came up during questions regarding lunar development. This philosophical gem came up recently during a wide-ranging discussion of ideas at a post-lecture dinner with media/journalism honors students and their advisors at the University of Texas at Tyler. In other words, the human race is not some accidental byproduct of creation, but an essential component of the way the universe is put together. The “principle” is really nothing more than a statement that the laws governing how the universe operates seem to be arranged so as to require our existence and participation. One of the most remarkable books of the last 30 years is The Anthropic Cosmological Principle by John Barrow and Frank Tipler.
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