Deimos Operations Upon arrival at Deimos, the first thing the colonists will do is detach the solar panels, storage module and engine module, set up the solar panels on the surface, and then use the explosives to dig a trench and bury the crew module and storage module (for radiation protection). The airlock module is left on the surface, and is connected to the crew module by a flexible tunnel. The fuel/propellant tanks (which are not dropped) can also be buried and used for additional living space. (Note: We are assuming loose soil on Deimos. This is something the Russians will find out for us in 1989. If the surface turns out to be hard rock, then more explosives than currently planned would be brought along as well as drilling equipment). The next step would be to set up the solar oven on the surface, and begin processing the regolith for water. This water would be used for life support, and for food production in an underground hydroponics/aquaculture facility (set up in empty fuel tanks). Hydroponics works well with tomatoes and certain vegetables. The aquaculture tank will probably contain Tilopia (brought as fingerlings inside the water tank in the SPM), because of their ability to survive on colony waste products [9]. At the same time, a greenhouse would be inflated and buried, and special lights would be installed to simulate sunlight (or a mirror system to redirect sunlight, which would have a lower efficiency, but would be easier to repair or replace). Wheat (and/or other complex carbohydrates) would be grown, using regolith for soil. The rabbits could be housed here as well. The food produced in the greenhouse would be the main part of the colonists' diet. The fish, rabbits, and vegetables would be supplements, along with the food brought from earth [10, 11]. Finally, as a means of deterring the long-term effects of very low gravity (whatever those effects might be), the colonists could begin construction of the gravity train. Rather than a spinning space station in orbit around Demios, the colonists would scrape smooth a large circular track. In the center of the circle, a strong cable would be securely anchored. The other end of the cable would be attached to one of the empty fuel tanks. Skids and small thrusters would be attached to the tank, and the floor inside would be canted slightly to account for Deimos' gravity. One g need not be simulated. Instead, 0.38 g's (Martian surface gravity) would probably make more sense. Assuming a track radius of 133 metres, this implies a gravity train velocity of 80 km/hr (50 miles/hr). This represents less than 2 rpm, so motion sickness will not be a problem. A velocity of 80 km/hr is well in excess of Deimos escape velocity, so the thrusters must have enough delta-v such that the tank could return to Deimos if the cable breaks. The gravity train need not be run or lived in continuously. How often is something the colonists will have to discover for themselves. At first, radiation protection for anyone using the tank would be provided by a thick layer of Deimos regolith plated on the outside. Eventually, as a long-term project, the gravity train would move completely underground. Inside a circular tunnel, perhaps using an electric motor and a track, the gravity train could become larger (as more colonists arrive) and be run more often. Much of the digging and tunnelling will use explosives rather than heavy mining equipment. A small amount of explosives will be brought with and used immediately to bury the crew module. After that, explosives (LOx-Carbon, for example) would be manufactured [12, 13].
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