Colonization of The Moon - Locations - Lunar Lava Tubes

Lunar Lava Tubes

Lunar lava tubes are a potential location for constructing a Lunar base. Any intact lava tube on the moon could serve as a shelter from the severe environment of the Lunar surface, with its frequent meteorite impacts, high-energy ultra-violet radiation and energetic particles, and extreme diurnal temperature variations. Lava tubes provide ideal positions for shelter because of their access to nearby resources. They also have proven themselves as a reliable structure, having withstood the test of time for billions of years.

An underground colony would escape the extreme of temperature on the Moon's surface. The average temperature on the surface of the moon is about −5 °C. The day period (about 354 hours) has an average temperature of about 107 °C (225 °F), although it can rise as high as 123 °C (253 °F). The night period (also 354 hours) has an average temperature of about −153 °C (−243 °F). Underground, both periods would be around −23 °C (−9 °F), and humans could install ordinary air conditioners.

One such lava tube was discovered in early 2009.

Read more about this topic:  Colonization Of The Moon, Locations

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