Article-I.D.: <1716@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Jun-85 17:55:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdahl.1716
Posted: Wed Jun 26 17:55:21 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Jun-85 03:25:30 EDT
References: <2378@mordor.UUCP>
Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
Lines: 24

> From: DIETZ@RUTGERS.ARPA
> 
> The Apollo missions revealed one serious obstacle to lunar colonization
> and exploitation: an almost total lack of volatile elements in lunar
> rock.  There is very little carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen or halogens;
> even lead is seriously depleted.  [ ... ]
> 
> At any rate, this is a serious obstacle to any would-be colonist.  Hydrogen
> is necessary for water, food and rocket fuel.  Carbon and nitrogen are
> needed for food and plastics.  Fluorine is vital in the chemical processing
> of lunar materials.
> 
> Delivering this material to the moon by rocket is expensive, even with
> advanced orbital transfer vehicles.  [ ... ]

Are there not enough protons in the solar wind to provide hydrogen?
Or do we lack the technology to combine the protons with electrons
efficiently?
-- 

E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything. (Including but
not limited to: typos, spelling, diction, logic, and nuclear war)

Article-I.D.: <5747@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Jun-85 19:05:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.5747
Posted: Sat Jun 29 19:05:13 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Jun-85 19:05:13 EDT
References: <2378@mordor.UUCP>, <1716@amdahl.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 9

> Are there not enough protons in the solar wind to provide hydrogen?

The solar wind is mostly protons.  Unfortunately, it is far, far too
thin to be of any use.  The necessary collecting areas are immense.
-- 
"Maturity means doing what's right, not just what's easy."

				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry