Evening star., 1961-08-02
Plan for Sustaining Man on Moon
Drown in Study Ordered by U.S..

(AP).-T Tentative operational
plans for stationing men on
the moon were disclosed today.
The Government backed
study suggested some strange
methods for sustaining life in
a still stranger environment.
Its going to be a barren,
monotonouS place." said John
de Nike, program manager for
the study being carried out by
the Martin Co. under contract
with the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.
Insulated balloons and caves
or tunnels are foreseen as
moon shelters, protecting
against solar radiation and the
extreme temperatures ranging
from $50 degrees in daylight to
230 below zero in darkness.
Boring machinery for dig
ging tunnels and other equip
ment for building bases is ex-
pected to be operated by re-
mote control by a crew still
within the space ship.
Heavy Work Unlikely
Man himself presumably
won't be able to do heavy con-
struction work, since a chance
break in his space suit could be
fatal. It'll be a puSh-button
construction job.
I'VE see man as being able
to perform three basic jobs
which machines will not be
able to duplicate" Mr.. de Nike
said. "He is first of all the
decision-maker. Then he is
observer and communication.
Lastly, he is the source of
maintenance for complex equip
ment." |
Vehicles for travelling about
the moons surface will have
to be of special design, perhaps
with wire-brush or rolling
sphere wheels, since rubber
tires would deteriorate rapidly
in the near-vacuum atmos-
phere.
All moving parts needing
fabrication will be inclosed.
Stills for Space Ship
To make the space ship itself
maneuverables so it can be
moved about or its position
changed, it probably will be
supported on stills that operate
mechanically like walking legs.
Likely landing site is on the
relatively flat areas within one
of the large moon craters. Pro-
visions must be made, however,
for possible scattered bolders,
jagged rocks or crevices.
Man will find his apparent
strength and stride magnified
six times. since gravitation on
the moon is only a sixth that of
earth. A 3-foot earthbound
step will carry him 18 feet.
A 300-pound fuel tank will
weigh so pounds.
Man will have to bring his
own air, food and water, until ]
self-recycling systems are set
up for producing it.
Algae May Be Used
Algae, the fast-multiplying,
single-celled plants that absorb
mans carbon dioxide for their
own nourishment and release
oxygen, are being considered
both as an air and food source.
In advance Of man getting
to the moon, Mr.. de Nike said,
eve can conceive of very little
life existing in the moons near
vacuum condition. Perhaps an
occasional spore blown in from
earth, but no more"
The moon-expedition studies
are making plans for three
basic MISSIONS in this Sc
quence:
/. A lunar landing and i'm
mediate return for three men
in the next 10 years.
2. A 30-day stay on the
moon for three men.
8. A permanent moon base
which would accommodate 10
to IL men.
Shelter Aboard Ship
For brief stay, up to 80
days, the space ship itself is
likely to be the shelter.
Roomier, more permanent
quarters may be in huge pliable /
balloons set up in clusters, with
space between walls for insula-
ton, to ward off solar flare
radiation and extreme tenn
peratures. (The long, burning
moon days and frigid moon
nights each equal IA earth
hays0
Underground also is forseen
for shelters, tunneled at least
10 feet below the moons L
surface. or in large natural
caves, with balloon clusters
inside. l.
Mr.. de Nike said lunar base
construction is being formu-
lated for three extreme pos
sibilities on the moons surface:
"A soft dust layer a foot deep, a
rock-strewn surface or solid
rock.