Moon Miners' Manifesto

#90 November 1995

Mailbox column

Unmentioned advantage of shelter hangars

One advantage of sheds or hangars as described in your recent article, "Shelter on the Moon" [MMM #88, page 4] is that they would seem ideal for inflatables. Think of it.

• no thermal stress;
• no exposure to UV or cosmic rays
• no exposure to solar flares
• no exposure to micrometeorites
• no shielding emplacement pressure surges or trauma dangers
• lee environment for deployment
• easy maintenance and access to exterior surfaces of inflatables

The only problem I see for not-directly-shielded inflatables is a slow buildup of corrosive atomic oxygen; but this seems unlikely in a "lee" environment.

- Thomas Heidel, Milwaukee

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