AMSLER@SRI-AI@sri-unix (09/15/82)
From: Robert Amsler <AMSLER at SRI-AI> It would seem that establishing a base on the moon would be a likely alternative to trying to run a mining operation from the Earth with remotes. While a technology to control robots from Earth with the unavoidable time-delay for relaying commands is possibly workable-- one based on the moon itself wouldn't have that problem and a base could have other uses as well. I would think a lunar base easier to set up than an orbital station actually, all that nice rock to work with. How would the finances work out? I.e. How would the price of a lunar base compare to that of an orbital station? Militarily, I'd even guess the lunar base to have a better survivablity factor--that is until both we AND the Russians have bases and were're worrying about defenses against a lunar first strike. (sigh, some things will never change I guess). Would a lunar ground-based laser defense system have any problems? Could one be built strong enough to attack/defend Earth-orbital satellites or stations. Tunneling out the moon for nuclear reactors to power it one might be able to build a fairly hefty zap? Just think, our descendants could look up into the sky at night and wonder what it was like when the moon wasn't inhabited or fortified. -------