Johannes replied to me: > > A maximum security prison on the moon would also be possible, > > but would they need ground vehicles? You build a base and a > > landing pad, that's it. > > > > If the prison is just a holding facility, yes. Once the inmates have to > work, in mines, or propably even in factories, you could get uses for for > ground vehicles.
Hello Johannes, a TL6 world would be hard pressed to put factories onto a moon, even if they have access to TL10 shuttles. What are they going to manufacture that wouldn't be cheaper dirtside? There are some vacuum processes, like high-grade vacuum tubes, but a manned surface site will contaminate the output. Better do it in orbit. > There might even be a security concept, where having part > of the instalation only reachable by walking or driving through vacuum is > considered a feature. Especially if you follow a "If there is trouble, > isolate it until everything is quiet. Who cares about the people currently > inside" approach. That would work if the main site has a different role, and the prison complex is only a secondary site. What could the main site be? * Landing for unstreamlined craft. * Radar site for space traffic control. * Helium-3 mining. I just noticed that I had the regolith composition wrong in my memory. There is plenty of oxygen, little hydrogen. So getting hydrogen as jump fuel is out, but the base might be able to replenish their oxygen atmosphere. > > And what are the benefits of a moon surface base over an > > orbital base? Radiation protection? Water ice? > Likely not the norm for Traveller, but natrual gravity might have some > advantages. A Mars-like world, maybe. From a vehicle design viewpoint, Mars is pretty close to Luna. Regards, Onno _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
