In that case, a robotic mining system would suffice. Combine that with Heinlein's mass driver and we're all set.
Well, we need a hot Fusion device first. On Sun, Dec 18, 2022, 2:40 AM Robin <mixent...@aussiebroadband.com.au> wrote: > In reply to Terry Blanton's message of Sat, 17 Dec 2022 22:52:39 -0500: > Hi, > > An alpha particle of about 5 MeV will penetrate into solid matter about 10 > microns. > Under the best of circumstances we may imagine a Solar flare generated He3 > ion having an energy of about 1 GeV, with > most having considerably less energy. > So our 1 GeV ion may be able to penetrate about 2 mm into Lunar regolith > (assuming that the penetration depth is a > linear function of energy). > > Using the reaction:- > > D + He3 -> He4 + p + 18.35 MeV > > We can make a high order estimate of the potential fusion energy derivable > from a square meter of Lunar regolith. > > Assuming 15 ppb, and with a density of 2.4 gm/mL of regolith we get about > 12 kWh of fusion energy / squ. meter of > regolith, unless I stuffed up the arithmetic. However mining should be > pretty simple since only the top few mm of dust > need be processed. > (Note that, despite the name, you can't use a "vacuum cleaner" in the > vacuum of the Moon. ;) ) > [snip] > Cloud storage:- > > Unsafe, Slow, Expensive > > ...pick any three. > >
