Williamson Mark
Space Technology Consultant, The Glebe House, Kirkby Thore, Cumbria UK.
Acta Astronaut. 2005 Jul-Oct;57(2-8):161-6. doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2005.02.002.
A long-term goal of space exploration is the development of a lunar settlement that will not only be largely self-sufficient but also contribute to the economy of the Earth-Moon system. Proposals for lunar mining and materials processing developments, as well as tourism-based applications, have appeared in the literature for many years. However, so great are the technical and financial difficulties associated with sustained lunar development that, more than 30 years after the end of the Apollo programme, there have been no practical advances towards this goal. While this may soon be remedied by a series of proposed unmanned orbiters, landers and rovers, the philosophy of lunar exploration and development remains the same as it has for decades: conquer, exploit, and ignore the consequences. By contrasting the well-recognised problems of Earth orbital debris and the barely recognised issue of intentional spacecraft impacts on the lunar surface, this paper illustrates the need for a new model for lunar exploration and development. This new paradigm would assign a value to the lunar environment and provide a balance between protection and exploitation, creating, in effect, a philosophy of sustainable development for the Moon. It is suggested that this new philosophy should be an integral part of any future strategy for lunar colonisation.
太空探索的一个长期目标是开发一个月球定居点，它不仅将在很大程度上实现自给自足，还将为地月系统的经济做出贡献。有关月球采矿和材料加工开发以及基于旅游的应用的提议，多年来已出现在文献中。然而，与持续的月球开发相关的技术和资金困难非常巨大，以至于在阿波罗计划结束30多年后，朝着这个目标没有取得任何实际进展。虽然这可能很快会通过一系列提议的无人轨道飞行器、着陆器和漫游车得到补救，但月球探索和开发的理念几十年来一直没有改变：征服、开发并忽视后果。通过对比地球轨道碎片这一广为人知的问题和有意的航天器撞击月球表面这一几乎未被认识到的问题，本文说明了需要一种新的月球探索和开发模式。这种新范式将赋予月球环境价值，并在保护和开发之间取得平衡，实际上为月球创造一种可持续发展的理念。有人建议，这种新观念应成为未来任何月球殖民战略的一个组成部分。
