Effects of Mining the Moon

[Wandering Monk]

Trying to get a handle on how mining the moon might effects its orbit. Gravitational effect is based on the mass of objects. If we reduce the mass of the moon and transfer that mass to earth, will the moon's orbit be affected?

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

We're destroying the Earth well enough, let's not add Luna to it.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Hmmm... I doubt we could remove enough material from the moon to effect the orbit in any meaningful way.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Hmmm... I doubt we could remove enough material from the moon to effect the orbit in any meaningful way.

Seeing the math would help me get a handle on this.

 

[Revoltingest]

Trying to get a handle on how mining the moon might effects its orbit. Gravitational effect is based on the mass of objects. If we reduce the mass of the moon and transfer that mass to earth, will the moon's orbit be affected?

The Moon is moving away from Earth already.
Our days are getting longer.
Mining the Moon could affect this in a miniscule way.
But this effect wouldn't be any different from what
we've already experienced or would experience
anyway. So meh......

 

[Twilight Hue]

Trying to get a handle on how mining the moon might effects its orbit. Gravitational effect is based on the mass of objects. If we reduce the mass of the moon and transfer that mass to earth, will the moon's orbit be affected?

What's on the moon worth mining?

 

[Twilight Hue]

The Moon is moving away from Earth already.
Our days are getting longer.
Mining the Moon could affect this in a miniscule way.
But this effect wouldn't be any different from what
we've already experienced or would experience
anyway. So meh......

Not in our lifetime but I wonder what would happen if the moon breaks free?

 

[Nimos]

Trying to get a handle on how mining the moon might effects its orbit. Gravitational effect is based on the mass of objects. If we reduce the mass of the moon and transfer that mass to earth, will the moon's orbit be affected?

Don't know, but I doubt there is actually a lot of material up there that are really worth mining and transporting back to Earth.

If this is true (Don't know, not bothering fact checking )

The Apollo program kept the American public captivated. It gave us some great film and photos, and some timeless soundbites. It also cost $28 billion. In today's dollars, that's roughly equal to $288 billion.

And they couldn't really transport back anything worth nearly that amount, so not only would you need a much larger craft or be able to create them on the moon, to then shoot them back to Earth. Either way, the cost of getting there would probably increase a whole lot to be honest. Also reentering into Earth atmosphere with a craft carrying a huge load of material, how are you going to break it? Given that..:

The entire shuttle vehicle, fully loaded, weighed about 2 million kg (4.4 million pounds) and required a combined thrust of about 35 million newtons (7.8 million pounds-force) to reach orbital altitude.

Imagine the amount of fuel needed to break such thing, you would need a parachute the size of the moon

Without to much calculations, the moon should be made of diamonds, if such thing should even come close to making a profit as I see it.

More realistic mining the Asteroid belt could be a much better option, I think a moon base is probably what they are after, not mining it.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Not in our lifetime but I wonder what would happen if the moon breaks free?

A lot of organisms would either die or adjust/evolve. Seems to be the way of things every time a major event on this planet takes place.

A lot of creatures that live in shallow waters and rely on the tides would probably go kaputsky. I wonder how people would be effected by the loss of the moon, if at all. I know moon phases can kind of effect people at times.

Full Moon Effects: What Research Has Discovered

Also, there are plants and animals that rely on the moon's light at night. Losing that would also end a lot of organisms.

 

[JustGeorge]

Recently, I saw a book called I Could Pee On This, a poetry book written by a cat(supposedly). There was also one written by a dog; I Could Chew On This.

The human version is I Could Totally Destroy This.

 

[Stevicus]

What's on the moon worth mining?

That would be my question, too. Have they found some rare mineral on the Moon that would make it worthwhile?

 

[Revoltingest]

That would be my question, too. Have they found some rare mineral on the Moon that would make it worthwhile?

Water could be mined to make hydrogen & oxygen.

 

[Daemon Sophic]

That would be my question, too. Have they found some rare mineral on the Moon that would make it worthwhile?

What little I know includes the idea that the moon is a fragment of the larger planet Earth following a collision with some other LARGE Sol-orbiting body. This would suggest that Luna would be composed of mostly what we find here on/in Earth (possibly with less core heavy metals/iron). So mining it, then launching it into orbit around Luna, or Earth, or both, seems very cost-prohibitive, while gaining us nil new minerals in return.

 

[Twilight Hue]

A lot of organisms would either die or adjust/evolve. Seems to be the way of things every time a major event on this planet takes place.

A lot of creatures that live in shallow waters and rely on the tides would probably go kaputsky. I wonder how people would be effected by the loss of the moon, if at all. I know moon phases can kind of effect people at times.

Full Moon Effects: What Research Has Discovered

Also, there are plants and animals that rely on the moon's light at night. Losing that would also end a lot of organisms.

I also think there would be no more tides. That has to have an effect.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Oh... not good.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Trying to get a handle on how mining the moon might effects its orbit. Gravitational effect is based on the mass of objects. If we reduce the mass of the moon and transfer that mass to earth, will the moon's orbit be affected?

Over tens of thousands of years, yes. Currently the moon moves about 1/4 inch away from Earth per year...or something like that...some small amount. It is gradually leaving us. If we mined it enough then that could reverse, since we'd be decreasing its momentum. Momentum is a product of mass and velocity.

 

[Heyo]

Trying to get a handle on how mining the moon might effects its orbit. Gravitational effect is based on the mass of objects. If we reduce the mass of the moon and transfer that mass to earth, will the moon's orbit be affected?

The orbit of an object is not dependent on it's mass. A teapot would orbit earth much in the same way the moon does. (The barycentre would be much nearer to earths middle, though.)

 

[Heyo]

What's on the moon worth mining?

Helium 3.

 

[Meow Mix]

That would be my question, too. Have they found some rare mineral on the Moon that would make it worthwhile?

Isotopes of Helium are theorized to be useful in some pathways for thermonuclear fusion (Helium-3). This can be found on the moon in more abundance and accessibility than on Earth; but the fusion technology isn't there yet. Still, it's important enough that China has declared intention to mine He-3.

 

[Heyo]

Don't know, but I doubt there is actually a lot of material up there that are really worth mining and transporting back to Earth.

Who talks about transporting it back to earth?

The moon is rich in iron and titanium, prime building material for space stations and space crafts. The moon's gravity is only 1/6th of earth's and the moon has no atmosphere (worth noting). I.e. material (especially magnetic material like iron and iron alloys) can be transferred into orbit with a linear accelerator.