Re:Ice confirmed at the Moon’s poles
by dmurray on Tuesday August 21, 2018 @08:35PM
(#17815157)
Don't you need an energy source to turn the water into its parts? That's the energy you recoup when you burn the hydrogen. Or did I miss the joke?
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Presumably this would be done with a small nuclear reactor powering an electrolysis system, in which case it’s feasible. Your savings are in complexity and weight because containing a mass of water is trivial, and naturally dense compared to H or O. As an extra feature you need water anyway, it can be used as a coolant, and you need oxygen which you’re now generating as a byproduct. Presumably for cruising you’d use the nuclear reactor to power an ion drive and only use the Water splitter as needed for maneuvering, launches, and landing.
Re:Ice confirmed at the Moon’s poles
by Nomentatus on Tuesday August 21, 2018 @10:19PM
(#17815753)
South pole - perfect place for constant solar power. Just raise it up a little bit.