Watery Tales!

Replies

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  BigOhm

  I suspect that, for human habitation, it's probably much cheaper to get most of the drinking water from urine and sweat. Some makeup would be needed.
  
  It's true we could use photovoltaics for water electrolysis and get hydrogen and oxygen for fuel. Do you have a sense of how that stacks up against battery storage in terms of weight and cost?
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  gohm

  I had heard that news as well. Too bad they did not discover wine on the moon instead as it goes better with cheese (which we all know the moon is made of)... =)
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  Ashraf HZ

  BigOhm

  I suspect that, for human habitation, it's probably much cheaper to get most of the drinking water from urine and sweat. Some makeup would be needed.
  
  It's true we could use photovoltaics for water electrolysis and get hydrogen and oxygen for fuel. Do you have a sense of how that stacks up against battery storage in terms of weight and cost?

  You're right, recycling human waste (including exhaled air) would be more sustainable.
  
  Photovoltaic is pretty attainable, though to have the required power for electrolysis would amount to very high costs. Of course, I don't think settling on the moon for the first time was meant to be an economic objective.
  
  I think once Helium-3 mining operations become viable, we'll see concentrated efforts from both government and private entities in solving these issues.