Question

Lunar boom: we’ll soon be mining the moon


From Leonhard Bernald, “Lunar boom: we’ll soon be mining the moon.” ©2012 by Leonhard Bernald
It is a common mistake made by engineers, including myself, to project terrestrial technology on to the moon. Over the past 5,000 years, mining and construction methods have been optimized to fit key parameters on Earth. These include the presence of a gravitational acceleration of 9.8 meters per second squared; an atmosphere of roughly 79% nitrogen, 20% oxygen and 1% other gases; water; soils containing clay, sand and gravel; and plants and timber. None of the above conditions are replicated on the moon, yet we are so caught up in Earthly thinking that it’s extremely difficult to consider the synergistic effect of these factors being changed at the same time.

Let’s take gravitational acceleration that changes from 9.8 meters per second squared to 1.6 meters per second squared when we go from Earth to the moon. Gravity gives tires traction, which is required for digging and as a counter-weight to keep equipment from toppling over. In order to achieve the same amount of digging force or ballast weight on the moon, a mass six times that on Earth is needed. This creates a dilemma, as the cost of transporting conventional equipment to the moon would be prohibitively expensive.

However, the key feature that eliminates Earthly loaders and trucks as viable options for lunar mining is their dependence on dust-producing wheels. Lunar dust, as highlighted by the Apollo missions, is pesky and potentially hazardous for spacewalkers and robotic equipment. On the moon, the lack of an atmosphere, the low gravity, and the small soil particles allow the sun to energize the soil enough that the particles stay levitated after being kicked up.

I believe that after many years of experimental work I have come up with a mining technology that fits the lunar condition: suction extraction with pneumatic transportation. This technology uses airflow to transport material that is small enough to be sucked into a pipe and transported from a high- pressure entry to a low-pressure exit point. My concept would use the readily available silicates on the moon to manufacture glass pipes on site. There is obviously much work still to be done, and many naysayers to convince, but lunar mining is not a pipe-dream without proponents.
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Question
Leonhard Bernald is hopeful about mining on the moon because
Responses
A his ideas and visions are revised after years of experiments.his ideas and visions are revised after years of experiments.
B his optimism is unmatched compared to the doubters in the field.his optimism is unmatched compared to the doubters in the field.
C he has secured funding to carry out the experiments.he has secured funding to carry out the experiments.
D he has succeeded in all of his experiments in the recent past.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

A his ideas and visions are revised after years of experiments.

This choice aligns with the text where Bernald mentions that he has come up with a mining technology after many years of experimental work, indicating that his ideas have evolved through this process.