Building Roads on the Moon Could Be as Simple as Using a Lens and Some Sunlight
All it takes is a sufficiently large lens and a bit of sunlight, as described in the journal Scientific Reports. In their publication, scientists explain their success in using a laser to fuse simulated moon dust into a solid, stratified substance. Through this, they have demonstrated the relative ease in which roads or landing sites could be constructed on the moon using locally available resources.
Laser-Based Research Unveils New Possibilities
The researchers base their conclusions on experiments with lunar simulants – materials originating from Earth that closely resemble moon dust. By using a carbon dioxide laser, they succeeded in fusing the simulated moon dust into geometric shapes up to 250 millimeters in size (see the image below). Theoretical assemblies of these shapes, akin to decorative paving stones on Earth, could be used to pave large surface areas on the moon, in an attempt to make roads or landing sites for spacecraft, the researchers posit.
Need for Lunar Infrastructure
Never has this research been more timely. As it becomes increasingly likely that humans will soon set foot on the moon again, there are even proposals for a permanent base allowing extended human habitation. In this context, not only are roads convenient, but potentially crucial. This is because walking or driving across the lunar surface stirs up a significant amount of dust, which, due to the moon’s vastly reduced gravity, hangs in the air for a protracted period of time. This moon dust is both an annoyance and a hazard because of its characteristics. It is statically charged and binds to materials easily, and the dust, because it is so fine, can infiltrate every nook and cranny. Furthermore, the dust particles, which are razor-sharp, had the ability to penetrate the spacesuits of astronauts during the Apollo missions in the 60s and 70s, rendering them redundant and even proving dangerous, as they penetrated astronauts’ lungs and caused ‘lunar hay fever’. In clear terms, the implication is to have as little to do with moon dust as possible. The construction of hardened roads and landing sites could limit both the amount of dust stirred up and contact with the dust, so the theory goes.
The Implication of Local Resources
Although the researchers used simulated moon dust in their experiments, they are optimistic that their method will work with genuine moon dust. This would be excellent news, as it means we could construct roads using the resources already available on the moon. This would be significantly cheaper and easier than if we had to transport those resources from Earth to the moon first.
Suggestions for Potential Lunar Pioneers
If indeed future moon settlers intend to build roads on Mars, the researchers suggest using a lens that concentrates sunlight, rather than lasers. Their calculations suggest that a lens of a little over 2 square meters should be capable of replacing the laser and fusing the moon dust. The transport of such a lens from Earth to the moon would still be manageable, thus paving the way, quite literally, for road construction on the moon.
