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Science NASA wants self-sustaining moon base by 2024
Science NASA wants self-sustaining moon base by 2024 | NASA wants self-sustaining moon base by 2024 |
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| by Stan Beer | |
| Wednesday, 06 December 2006 | |
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The stated aim is to make the base as self-sustaining as possible. For that purpose, the plan is to set up the base near the southern lunar pole, which has long periods of sunlight which can be used to generate electricity. How exactly the lunar station can expect to be self sustaining is still a little vague. However, NASA believes that there is a possibility that region around the south pole may contain some key elements that could be used in life sustaining processes. In particular, there is some evidence that there may be ice and, thus water, to be found in deep craters. Without the presence of water in some form, the lunar base would be entirely dependent upon supplies from earth. The establishment of the moon base is meant to serve as a beach head for further manned space exploration to Mars and beyond, with an international consortium of nations including the US, China, Russia and EU countries taking part in the estimated US$100 billion enterprise. {moscomment}
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