Might we one day have lunar settlements in the caves of the Moon?

'[Austin Mardon of the Antarctic Institute of Canada] says erecting pressurised tents inside a cave would be easier and faster than trying to construct a rigid structure on the surface. "Instead of assembling structures that have to be meteorite-proof on the surface, or burying them, you'd have tent-like structures inside these tubes," Mardon told New Scientist. "It's like being cavemen on the Moon."'

Before launching into an anti-space diatribe in the comments, please read this.

Meteorite-resistant, perhaps, but not meteorite-proof. No structure nor cave is going to be “meteorite-proof.” Just look at the size of some of the moon’s larger impact craters! And some of these lava tubes they’re talking about have already collapsed (for whatever reason).

Aside from that, this does seem like a sensible idea (to help shield from smaller meteorites).

Posted by: Michael K on August 6, 2006 10:10 AM