Nuclear Waste on the Moon

opening could instead go towards a lunar nuclear waste repository far away
from ground water contamination, the biosphere, and terrorist meddling
[1]. This waste can be reprocessed to amply supply a lunar nuclear
reactor, part of a seed mining and manufacturing facility (e.g. titanium
from ilmenite). Key products: oxygen propellant and nuclear thermal
rockets, supporting Borowski's LANTR concept [2]. As the lunar factory
grows, fewer critical "vitamin" components need to be shipped off Earth.
At some number of NTRs - an important number to determine - it is cheaper
to make them on the Moon than launch them from Earth. If and when the
Elevator comes online [3], lunar NTR manufacture will still be safer;
furthermore, the evolution to gas-core reactor technology [4] will reduce
the comparative advantage of eventually cheaper Earth-access to space. A
gateway station at Earth-Moon L1 offers optimal astrodynamics [5]. Non-
lunar metals, and water if necessary, can be obtained from the few percent
of the millions of 10m asteroids that have the friendliest orbits. With
nuclear rockets, the Mars oasis [6] is cargo-close. The Greens should love
the idea of getting
Earth needs serious protecting; Life off Earth can seriously protect Life
on Earth; Life off Earth is expensive; Life off Earth is much cheaper with
high-density power systems. As to the Creationists, though most are nice,
they still seem to be struggling with basic systems analysis, evidenciary
logic, and the scientific method. What we need all the rockets for: start
with Buzz Aldrin, end with comparative planetology (bolide plasma probes,
to be exact, a la SL9 on Jupiter).

[1] http://space.com/news/nuclear_moon_020822.html
[2] http://www.spacetransportation.com/ast/abstracts/7A_Barowski.html
[3] http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/elevator_update_020819.html
[4] http://www.inspi.ufl.edu/gcr.pdf
[5] http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~shane/papers/lo_ross_2001_abs.html
[6] http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/mars_ice_tech_020619-1.html