A recent NASA-sponsored report says two remote-controlled
droids could build a landing site for a lunar outpost in less than six
months—offering a safer, cheaper alternative to human-powered construction in
the early phases of the project. NASA plans to have a moon base fully
operational by 2024. One of the key challenges is first preparing a landing
area, because the launchpads would have to protect nearby human habitation, to
be built later, from being sandblasted by spacecraft.
The researchers say they need more information about soil
conditions at the lunar poles—the likeliest sites for an outpost—before they
could build prototype construction robots. “NASA has identified blast debris
from takeoffs and landings to be a hazard for its planned moon outpost,” said
David Gump, president of Astrobotic Technology, Inc., which undertook the new
study along with researchers from Carnegie Mellon University.
“The problem is real, and the question is how NASA will
choose to solve it”. The study concludes
that a pair of 330-pound (150-kilogram) robots the size of riding lawn mowers
would best get the job done.Gump estimates that two of the bots plus the
landing vehicle and pads would cost U.S. $200 to $300 million—and the robots
could continue to provide value for the expense after the landing site is
complete.
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