
Lockheed Martin proposes a mega-lunar lander: 62 tons and an elevator - okket
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/10/lockheed-martin-unveils-a-super-sized-lunar-lander-for-four-humans/
======
moftz
Why design and fly such a huge yacht of a lander when you could use a dinghy
to bring in supplies to build a shelter that can withstand more than two weeks
of use? Inflatable structures could be landed and assembled autonomously
before astronauts even show up. Radiation would be an issue when living in an
above-ground structure but it would only serve as a temporary structure while
underground facilities are built. You could even get to the end game by having
these shelters land near exposed lava tubes where astronauts could then help
move them to a good spot in the tube. Now you have a safe home for humans
where food and other supplies can be delivered. LM says they are thinking "end
game" but all they are doing is thinking about a stop-gap solution that
doesn't involve any long-term settlement.

~~~
GaryNumanVevo
Most infrastructure could be build entirely by robots. A really big issue with
lunar landing sites is the debris kicked up by landing and take off. Berms
would have to be built up around settlements. Fortunately, lunar regolith can
be sintered with microwave radiation, effectively creating what resembles
volcanic glass.

Throw in the fact that refining and 3d printing metals on the moon is pretty
easy due to the free vacuum, and you can built nearly everything before humans
have to get there.

~~~
moftz
3D printing has some issues in a vacuum. Normal plastic will outgas and any
voids can literally blow a hole in the filament. If you bring the right
equipment, you can make lunar concrete with processed lunar rocks as the
cement and the dust as aggregate. You could build sound structures out of this
with inflatable liners so you can actually live in there. Gravity is 1/6th so
the buildings don't have to be as strong as they do here on earth. However,
you do need to keep the concrete warm which makes things harder.

------
blackonblackonb
"Sure 62 tons is heavy, but it worked in Kerbal Space Program" -Lockheed
engineer, probably

------
lostmsu
I wonder how hard would it be to build a spacelift on the moon?

