Nukes & solar panels

In a message dated 4/3/01 9:01:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time, rmenich@...
writes:

<< To amplify Charles' comments yet further...

How is it that one would build a "6/5 of a mile high" structure on the
Moon? This sounds like an engineering task of formidable dimension. To
construct such a structure, one would need sophisticated cranes, hoists,
and other construction equipment. None of this construction equipment
infrastructure exists on the Moon today, so it would either have to be
shipped from Earth or constructed on-site, adding to the complexity and
cost.

Ron Menich
>>

An SPS itself is a major engineering project, so long as were tackling major
engineering projects, building a crane in not out of the question. I think
the first thing would be to cast the steel or aluminum beams. The scaffolding
would be built and from the scaffolding you would build the tower. I don't
thing the World Trade Center was built from cranes that were as tall as it
was. I think the cranes were mounted on top of the structure that was already
built and lifted beams up so that the tower could be raised higher. Cranes
aren't terribly complicated or high technology and could be made with local
resources. Anyway Island one was compared with building a suspention bridge,
so the technical skill of building towers on the Moon shouldn't be any
greater. I'm not a construction engineer, but it seems fairly logical that if
your going to tackle big construction projects you'll need things like
cranes. You can't get away with the fairly flimsy structure that you can in
space, but their are stong metals available on the Moon that can hold up
their own weight and then some. The lesser gravity on the moon lessens the
engineering restraints on building tall objects and tall objects have been
built on Earth so even taller ones can be built on the moon. These are just
towers, not office buildings so some of the things such as floors and windows
can be left out.

Tom Kalbfus