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#26 2021-12-10 08:13:05

Void
Member
Registered: 2011-12-29
Posts: 6,975

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

I have been thinking about Lava Tubes, both the Moon and Mars.

For Mars, a water source is needed, and I presume that has to be from an aquifer.

I recall that Louis does not like Lava Tubes for the potential of cave in's.

I believe that (th) has run across opinion, that no attempt should be made to pressurize Lava tubes.

I think that actually, if a sufficient water source is existing for lava tubes, the tricks that could be employed to upgrade them, in part, would be to be able to create supports for the ceilings, and some kind of ductile materials to line the surfaces, covering the cracks also.  A bit like dental work perhaps, where you would fill some holes and maybe grind down/cut some projections.  Fill the cracks, and then put a ductile liner on the surfaces, one that can be welded/glued together the parts to each other.

This might help.  In addition to Oxygen, it is supposed to generate some "Alloys", maybe it could make something cheep that would do for the liner or supports.

Under those possible conditions, provided water is available in sufficient quantities, I would say this is where to go, after the initial base that relies on water ice, has been established.  It would at least be worth a look.

My access to internet is limited at this time, fyi.

Done.

Well, maybe not done yet.....

I am thinking that if there was a concern that pressurization inside would blow the roof off then regolith could be stacked over those portions.

I also think that the lava tubes could be sectioned off to contain chambers to store heat and cold, for energy storage.

------

Then there is this.....(I believe insight found something similar under it's location).
https://scitechdaily.com/lunar-radar-da … ient-past/
Quote:

The researchers identified a thick layer of paleoregolith, roughly 16 to 30 feet, sandwiched between two layers of lava rock believed to be 2.3 and 3.6 billion years old. The findings suggest the paleoregolith formed much faster than previous estimates of 6.5 feet per billion years, the scientists said.

It is hard to say if the paleoregolith(s) for the Moon or Mars, are loose enough to excavate.  If they were, then with roof supports and ceiling liners, floor liners, etc.,
there might be quite a lot of possible floorspace creatable.  This might exist where lava tubes do not.

Such things might also again be suitable for thermal storage, if upgraded....

Of course lava flows will not be universal over all surfaces.

As per lava tubes where repeated flows happened, can there be a sponge of lava tubes, turtles all the way down (Somewhat).

That is Olympus Mons, how many eruptions, how many lava tube?  Did old ones get buried and not collapsed???

Then it might be possible to tunnel down to them from higher up lava tubes.  I think that there may be a rocky glacier materials on the flanks of those peaks.
No ground proof, but...
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20050166968

And I might add that the summit of Olympus Mons would be a heck of a place for Mass Drive technology and for Skyhook contact.  And with water and CO2, also to launch Starships or other ships.  I guess I think that you would hope to land the starships to low altitude locations, perhaps Hellas, or the North depression.

Then, I do not really know but I was hoping that a sub-orbital shot would pay off to land high on Olympus Mons, and get more propellants and cargo.

And I guess a phrase I might want would be a Honey Comb of Lava Tubes in Olympus Mons or it's sibling volcano's.

If so some could hold high temperature thermal storage.  Also some as places for agriculture.  Of course dependent on water.


Done.

Last edited by Void (2021-12-10 08:51:53)


Done.

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#27 2021-12-23 05:35:56

Calliban
Member
From: Northern England, UK
Registered: 2019-08-18
Posts: 3,352

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:


"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."

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#28 2021-12-23 11:26:32

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

The image just does go to show that even when all we have are a few resources that man can adapt to a Mars under ground living with near to no issues.
Man's requirements to sustain life are simple
Air, Water, food, shelter and even the smallest amount of power all while salvaging materials from the ship we came in.

Hidden away from the world in South Dakota's remote Black HillsBB15cjR1.img?w=800&h=415&q=60&m=2&f=jpg

BB15chmC.img?w=800&h=415&q=60&m=2&f=jpg

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#29 2021-12-23 12:19:34

Calliban
Member
From: Northern England, UK
Registered: 2019-08-18
Posts: 3,352

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

If colonists are prepared to live on dried foods, that are rehydrated using Martian water, then an adult consuming enough calories to maintain a stable healthy weight, can survive off of a few hundred grams of food per day.  A single Starship payload of dried food, delivered every 2.5 years, could sustain about 400 people.

Our first colony could therefore be almost completely underground.  We can produce oxygen by electrolysis of water, using the hydrogen liberated to reduce iron oxides to make steel.  We can recycle most water and convert human wastes into feedstock for plastics and fuels.  We don't actually need to start growing stuff for quite some time.  But I imagine that agriculture will begin scaling up from day one.

An actual underground city can be built by pushing Martian regolith over a steel frame that is constructed on flat ground.  The nuclear powered vehicles that Kbd512 introduced in another thread would be perfect for the task of pushing huge volumes of soil, continuously, 24/7/365.  Building in this way would not be practical on Earth, because precipitation and ground water would make the underground space damp and uncomfortable.  Rain would run through the dirt roof.  Water would seep through the piled earth walls.  But Mars has not precipitation and ground water is frozen.  So a simple arrangement of heaping soil over a braced frame is adequate to produce a pressurised space.  It would work even better if the frames could be assembled in a natural depression, as you wouldn't then need huge soil dams at the edges, to keep pressure in.

Such underground spaces need not be dark and cramped.  Supporting columns can be made from thin steel or cast iron, with dampened regolith heaped into them and compressed to provide a concrete like filling.  Columns like this could support a high ceiling, maybe 100m or more off of the ground, especially if the columns are braced against each other.  The roof can be sprayed with plaster made from wet, fine regolith.  After this dries, it can be painted with blue pigment to simulate a sky.  Buildings can be constructed from simple, unfired, mud based brick within the pressurised enclosure.  To introduce light, aluminium plated tubes would pass through the regolith roof.  These would be capped on the inside with thick glass domes, which would transfer pressure load into the regolith overburden.  The top of the tubes would be covered by thin glass, to prevent dust from entering the tube.

Last edited by Calliban (2021-12-23 12:36:53)


"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."

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#30 2022-04-11 15:22:34

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

A Moon Spelunking Robot May Help Us Learn to Live on Other Planets
https://news.yahoo.com/moon-spelunking- … 06658.html

Caves of Mars Project was an early 2000s program funded through Phase II by the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts to assess the best place to situate the research and habitation modules that a human mission to Mars would require.The final report was published in mid 2004
https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0051984/00001
The project produced many educational materials, made available through its outreach initiative.
PDF link http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/ … Boston.pdf
Demonstrated wireless communications within limestone cave system

Join the Martian Farms Mission to Feed the World
https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2022/0 … the-world/

Using Technology Intended for Space, Vertical Platform Martian Farms Discovers Key to Growing Plants 10X Faster
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/using … 00183.html

Caves and unlike the Moon an atmosphere to protect against micro meteorites

'There are Natural Features on Mars That Could Serve as Radiation Shelters'
https://www.universetoday.com/152442/th … -shelters/

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-04-13 04:52:00)

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#31 2022-07-28 03:10:32

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

NASA finds lunar pits harbor comfortable temperatures
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-07-27/N … index.html

Nasa finds pits with comfortable ‘sweater weather’ on Moon where people can ‘live and work’
https://www.independent.co.uk/space/moo … 32049.html

Life on Mars?

Centuries-Old Lava Caves In Hawaii Host Innumerable New Life Forms, Study Finds
https://www.ibtimes.com/centuries-old-l … ds-3586430

Hawaii's Lava Caves Are Teeming With Bacterial 'Dark Matter'
https://gizmodo.com/hawaiis-lava-caves- … 1849315696

2009 article
Found: first 'skylight' on the moon
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn … irrelevant

Since the tubes may be hundreds of metres wide, they could provide plenty of space for an underground lunar outpost. The tubes’ ceilings could protect astronauts from space radiation, meteoroid impacts and wild temperature fluctuations

Thermal and Illumination Environments of Lunar Pits and Caves: Models and Observations From the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com … 22GL099710

Possible Lava Tube Skylights Discovered Near the North Pole of the Moon
https://www.seti.org/press-release/poss … -pole-moon

In recent years, the lunar poles have grown in strategic importance for both science and exploration, as water ice is known to be buried in the lunar regolith in permanently shadowed areas at both poles. But with no known large cavity allowing easy access to the lunar polar underground, and often no nearby access to solar power, extracting water ice scattered in lunar polar regolith presents a substantial challenge.

pic
https://wms.lroc.asu.edu/lroc/view_lroc … 52662021RC

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#32 2022-07-28 07:02:29

Void
Member
Registered: 2011-12-29
Posts: 6,975

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

These are exciting things.  It offers a microclimate different than what is expected for locations on the Moon.

If convenient, I would think that such "Skylights" might be good places to have landing ports for spaceships, as temperatures are moderated, and radiation reduced to quite an extent.  Also, for solar storms, the sun would have to be directly overhead to do its worst.  Likely if in a polar region, it would offer a lot of protections, even without going into a lava tube.

Done.


Done.

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#33 2022-08-07 08:45:07

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

ESA’s CAVES Training Course: From ‘Cavewalking’ To Spacewalking

https://spaceref.com/newspace-and-tech/ … cewalking/

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#34 2022-09-03 11:29:51

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

A caving project became a rescue mission after a dog was found 500 feet down
https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org … -feet-down

Flash flooding forces evacuation from Carlsbad Caverns
https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/s … -flooding/

We know Mars had flows of water in its past

maybe there are Caves on Mars that still hold pockets of life

Scientists find unexpected trove of life forms beneath Antarctic ice shelf
https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/29/228 … -ice-shelf

Lamprechtshohle Deep Cave tunnels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuLYP39X_Ns

Mamet Cave Croatia - First air balloon flight to the underground
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0RtZL06EbI

Trapped Researcher in German Cave Rescued After 12 days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jLjfRF4nXY

On Mars people might have to build and manufacture their own equipment

'Making Your Own Caving Headlamp'
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/02/making- … -headlamp/

Caving will be a health, fit and young persons game

I also thought this blog might be of interest to some

Adventure, Ecology, and Homesteading in the Southern Appalachians
https://southappalachians.blogspot.com/ … mpout.html

More photos and videos at Spelunkologists

In mountaineering terminology an "alpine start" refers to getting up early, and being well on your way back down the mountain before the heat of the day.  We did not get an alpine start.

'We climbed back out of the sinkhole, which took us a while, as we had only rigged one of our three ropes.  Jeff kept waiting for everyone to climb out so he could bounce the pit, and eventually resigned his day to laying in a hammock and drinking power aid.  The Sewanee group had three wrap around style rope pads, that they had to remove and replace each time they ascended, which took them forever.  One of them was asking if they could just get one long rope pad and drape it over the edge, and Jeff told them that his longest rope pad is 40'.  The Sewanee group then proceeded to eat pb&j sandwiches and talk about nerd shit.  It made us feel old for no longer being able to relate to college kids.'

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-09-03 12:01:23)

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#35 2022-09-03 15:26:27

Void
Member
Registered: 2011-12-29
Posts: 6,975

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

It should be true that this might work on Mars, if brine that is not too salty and cold exists:
https://thecosmiccompanion.net/could-al … %20reveals.

The coldest temp for brine that holds microbes on Earth, (That I know of), is -13 degC.
Quote:

Could Alien Microbes Live Off Products of Radioactive Decay?
February 26, 2021  James Maynard 514 Views Biology, Extraterrestrial Life, Geology, Water
Microorganisms living under the ocean floor feed off products of radioactive decay. Could alien microbes do the same?

Microbes living beneath the seafloor feed largely on the products of radioactive decay, aided by sediment of the seafloor, a new study reveals. This finding radically changes how we look at life processes in one of the largest ecosystems on our planet. It could also alter our views of how life may have evolved on Mars or other alien worlds.


One thing that many people maybe do not think of is that the further down you go on Mars, the warmer, most likely.
But also, the higher the air pressure might be.   So, the boiling point of water/brine will be higher most likely further down.   It is hard to say if there are deeply buried lava tubes, but there might be.

But good chances are that in places a layer of water exists, and that could be cold on the top and yet press down on warmer water below.  But sufficient heat may only exist in some places.  I certainly do not know.




There is a fossil ice cap(s) buried 1 mile below the Martian North polar area.


Done

Last edited by Void (2022-09-03 15:36:39)


Done.

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#36 2022-09-03 17:38:05

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,749

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

For Void re #35

Thanks for this post!  I'm hoping you will try to find a mathematician who might be willing to help you compute the pressure at various depths on Mars.

While the temperature is currently unknowable (because we humans have no on-site measuring equipment (that works)) the pressure at various depths would certainly be knowable.

The gravity decreases as the drill descends, and the temperature may be expected to increase.

There may be a sweet spot where pressure and temperature are "just right" and gravity is not too much less than at the surface.

With any luck you might be able to find (or enlist) a mathematician able to handle this problem.

Update a bit later .... this question may be solvable with a spreadsheet.  If there is someone willing to contribute a spreadsheet for this purpose, NewMars is able to hold it in a Dropbox folder, so it is always available.

(th)

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#37 2022-09-03 22:42:06

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

Salt-Brine-Phase-Diagram-wide2-1280x608.png

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#38 2022-09-04 03:43:49

Void
Member
Registered: 2011-12-29
Posts: 6,975

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

Nice graph Spacenut.

(th), here on Earth, mines have elevated air pressure.

Translating that to Mars, I would expect that you would need ~3 times the depth, to see a similar effect.  But of course, the two planets would also have to have the same atmospheric composition and "Sea Level" starting pressure, modified by the altitude of the entrance to the mine shaft.

Atmosphere being compressible, there would be a curve in any graph for it.

As for liquid compression, water does not compress very much at all in general.  But adding salt also changes the specific gravity.

So, spending a lot of time doing precise calculations might be a waste of energy, as we do not yet have the proper measurements of where unusually warm rock nearer the surface may encounter a water-based fluid.

About air pressure in a mine on Earth:
https://physics.stackexchange.com/quest … -in-a-mine

Further, yes the gravitation would go down a little bit as you go down, unless you approached a mascon.
Temperature would also affect air density, which would affect the total number of molecules in the mine shaft.  That in turn would affect the air pressure.

In the end you have to make many presumptions, and doing the math, what have you gotten?  Is it worth it?  Or is it just herding out more than necessary to impress someone?

https://pr.princeton.edu/pwb/99/1213/mi … c%20gasses.
Quote:

The air pressure at Moser's work site was double what it is a sea level. The temperature of the virgin rock is 140°F. The mines must be continually flushed with fresh air from above to keep the heat below body temperature and to remove toxic gasses.

For Mars you would need about 2 divided by .38, for which close enough would be 6 miles.

If you put a door on top of the shaft and pressurized the top of the shaft to 1 bar, and if the composition of the air inside was the same as the Earth's atmosphere, and if the temperatures were comparable then I expect ~2 bar at the bottom of the shaft.

So, that could give a feel for it.

Martian atmosphere is denser than Earth Atmosphere, and the Shaft would be colder most likely, so if the compression at the top of the shaft were 5.5 millibar, I would expect > 11 millibar, as the Martian air is heavier than that of Earth.

So, then I think that -13 degC is capable of allowing microbial life, and the vapor pressure of that cold fluid would easily allow a liquid phase of brine.  As long as the brine were not too salty then life would be possible.

Depending on the location, you may still be in the permafrost zone, but with salt you could still have a liquid.

------

And so now I am going to preach at you.  This is very much the problem with Academic thinking.  To focus on precision and not approximations.  Precision has its real values at times but also stops you "Seeing the forest for the trees".

Others have put it more simply.  They think that there can be liquid aquifers deep down under the surface of Mars.  But it is not proven.  It is considered that ancient life may still exist in such aquifers if they do exist, but we do now know.

So we would have to make measurements.

To find evidence of such life, we should be considering cryovolcanoes for Mars.  It is possible that they exist in the rift valley.  That is one possible way that there can be a ice/water patch the size of the Netherlands at that location.

We have some sort of information about such types of things for Ceres, Europa, Enceladus, and Pluto.

We don't see them on Mars, if they currently exist, because if not covered in dust/regolith the ice will evaporate away.

And if covered, they would not look like ice volcanos.

By the way it seems that there are ancient mud volcanos on Mars.

https://www.planetary.org/space-images/ … %20freezes.
Quote:

Mud volcanoes on Mars Researchers at the German Aerospace Center say laboratory experiments show that Mars may have “mud volcanoes”—locations where watery sediments seep onto the surface. Because of Mars’ low temperatures and pressures, the mud quickly freezes.

https://thecosmiccompanion.net/mud-volc … 0of%20Mars.
Quote:

Mud volcanoes on Mars could be the cause of distinctive features that most researchers had thought were left over from ancient lava flows. Tens of thousands of channels spread out over the Martian surface. Hundreds of kilometers long, and tens of miles wide, these ribbon canyons reach far across the ruddy landscape of Mars.

So, places where we may think that water based fluids leaked to the surface might be good places to analyze what might be going on or did go on below the surface.

The Rift Valley may be artesian water volcanism.  Or not.

Done.

Last edited by Void (2022-09-04 04:20:52)


Done.

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#39 2022-09-13 04:07:34

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

New photos from esa 'PANGAEA'
https://twitter.com/ESA_CAVES/status/15 … 7118024707
,
https://flickr.com/photos/europeanastro … 301663321/ w/ Astro_Alex
& Astro_Stephanie at the Ries Crater Museum https://rieskrater-museum.de checking the beautiful crater model

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#40 2022-10-09 14:51:36

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

China reveals early designs for its ILRS Moonbase that it's naming "Laurel Tree". These envisage it would be housed underground in a lava tube, be built with inflatable arches as structural components, and use concrete made from lunar material.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science … -long-term

These are still early designs, so the end plans for China's Moonbase may be quite different. Still, it's interesting to see the thinking at this stage. Housing the base in a lava tube seems such an obvious choice, it's hard to believe that decision will change. Apart from the benefits of shielding from cosmic radiation, new research shows these have stable temperatures of 17 Celsius.

It's interesting to wonder where exactly on the Moon this base will be. The Shackleton Crater on the lunar south pole has many advantages and NASA has been eyeing it for decades. It's interesting that the scientist working on this design references that the lunar south pole "could become really crowded".

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#41 2022-10-26 18:55:01

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

The Underground might be Luxury for the Space-Tourist?

Living inside a Lava Tube or Mountains now considered 'in style' on Earth. An underworld city and Plans to build down not up.

Plan submitted to Sheffield City Council by architects Brightman Clarke for changes to a house in Sandygate Park, Lodge Moor shows the layout of the proposed subterranean leisure area including a swimming pool, snooker room, cinema and bar area.
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifesty … me-3875681

A visit to Subnade: Tokyo’s survivor subterranean shopping center
https://japantoday.com/category/feature … ing-center

In Praise of Caves reveals how architects have burrowed into the Earth
https://www.ft.com/content/91dc50cb-5bf … 76e00df16d
Exhibition at the Isamu Noguchi Museum in Queens, New York, explores strange and wondrous subterranean spaces

This Boutique Hotel Is an Architectural Oasis Near Oaxaca’s Top Surf Beach
https://www.ft.com/content/91dc50cb-5bf … 76e00df16d

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#42 2022-10-26 19:48:04

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

We know that caves of any kind will be the easiest to make use of as its only sealing of the cave and creating an entrance that is all that we require to be able to get out of a space suit even if only for a short time.

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#43 2023-03-15 10:22:39

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

Exploring Lava Tubes on Other Worlds Will Need Rovers That Can Work Together

https://www.universetoday.com/160524/ex … -together/

Planetary exploration, specifically within our own Solar System, has provided a lifetime of scientific knowledge about the many worlds beyond Earth. However, this exploration, thus far, has primarily been limited to orbiters and landers/rovers designed for surface exploration of the celestial bodies they visit. But what if we could explore subsurface environments just as easily as we’ve been able to explore the surface, and could some of these subsurface dwellings not only shelter future astronauts, but host life, as well?

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-03-15 11:08:12)

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#44 2023-09-26 06:07:16

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

Chinese researchers explore building underground Moon shelter

https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chin … r_999.html

Chinese researchers are studying the possibility of setting up a safe, stable and long-term shelter in lunar lava tubes.

During Moon's early days, when the upper layer of lava flow cooled and hardened, molten rock may have continued to flow beneath, forming relatively stable and flat hollow pipe-shaped tunnels.

With years of geological activities, impact events and moonquakes, some shallow lava tubes formed accessible "skylights" after collapsing, opening the door to explore the underground world of the Moon, said Zhang Chongfeng from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.

Zhang, who is also the vice chief designer of China's Shenzhou series spacecraft and lunar landers, introduced the study at the 10th CSA-IAA Conference on Advanced Space Technology held recently in Shanghai.

He said that lava tubes are protected from the harsh environment of the lunar surface, which experiences extreme temperatures and is bombarded by radiation and micrometeorite impacts.

According to Zhang, his team and China's planetary geology experts have jointly conducted fieldwork on several lava caves in China to build up their understanding of lunar lava tubes.

There is a certain similarity between lava tubes on Earth and the Moon, Zhang said, adding that they can be divided into the vertical entrance tube and the slope entrance tube.

The lava tube with a vertical entrance is the major form of lunar tube people have found so far. They feature a collapsed skylight with a large amount of collapsed debris and soil accumulation at the bottom, requiring the deployment of vertical lifting facilities or entry through flight. The sloping entrance is a semi-collapsed structure, and therefore, there is a possibility of directly entering the inside of the lava tube along the collapsed structure. It is a preferred target that can be explored with a lunar probe.

The Chinese researchers have chosen lunar lava tubes at Mare Tranquillitatis and Mare Fecunditatis as the primary exploration targets and initiated the design of the exploration plans.

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#45 2023-09-27 20:15:33

Void
Member
Registered: 2011-12-29
Posts: 6,975

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

A good piece of information MB4M.


Done.

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#46 2023-09-27 20:17:38

Void
Member
Registered: 2011-12-29
Posts: 6,975

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

A good piece of information Mars_B4_Moon.

Although I might like to see surface-built simulations of lava tubes, using sintering, yes existing lava tubes should be considered.  It may not be that hard-to-get chemicals from the polar regions and bring them to the lava tubes for organic chemistry.

It might be nice to build roads inside of the lava tubes, as they may be expected to possibly have rugged floors.  If we had small rocks that might do OK for it.  Unfortunately, I would not expect small round rocks on the Moon, but if screening was done of Lunar regolith, you might size several grades of output.  Then if you got the size of rocks suitable some kind of method might clean them of dust, I hope.

Then you could make a simple road system in the lava tubes.

You might also sinter Roman Arch type structures using the finer stuff.

Someday maybe some of the best lava tube sections might be pressurized by putting supports in, creating antileakage methods, and piling more regolith on top to prevent "'Blow-Outs".

At this time that is how I see it.  Of course, you would need access though sky lights and methods of conveyance.

Done.

Last edited by Void (2023-09-27 20:30:30)


Done.

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#47 2023-10-09 06:03:46

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

Is This a Collapsed Lava Tube on the Moon?

https://www.universetoday.com/163576/is … -the-moon/

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#48 2023-11-02 10:30:16

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

A Collapsed Martian Lava Chamber, Seen From Space

https://www.universetoday.com/164015/a- … rom-space/

Lava tubes and chambers attract a lot of attention as potential sites for bases on the Moon and Mars. They provide protection from radiation, from temperature swings, and even from meteorites. They beg to be explored.

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#49 2023-11-28 05:55:21

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

India tunnel collapse - latest: Workers to be freed 'within hours' after rat miners brought in

https://news.sky.com/story/india-tunnel … s-13017938

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#50 2023-12-24 21:55:06

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 8,892

Re: Lava Tubes and Ice Tubes:

From a video channel shared by 'Oldfart1939'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR3vuHtR0Z8

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