Despite the fact that the “Man with the Golden gun” was a powerful weapon, this bond 1974 is considered quite weak. The story wobbles her from London to Thailand, and our hero uses a device which allegedly converts sunlight into unlimited energy. By the end of the film we will inevitably find ourselves in the secret lair of the main killers, where he outlines a plan for world domination by showing him the giant mirror that focuses solar rays into a deadly beam. Although the plot itself is so-so, the scientific part is not so stretched. The engineers at the German space Agency DLR in Cologne are working on a similar technology.
But instead of hiding a giant mirror in a secret den, they put it in the DLR facilities behind a low fence at the end of the Parking lot.
Light is reflected from the mirror surface in a solar concentrator. Electric blinds are rolled back to expose the array of 159 hexagonal polished mirror six metres in height, which concentrate sunlight into a tight beam.
This light is focused on a solar oven, a small test stand, able to withstand temperatures of 2500 degrees Celsius. Hidden behind a screen and surrounded by the prohibitory signs, this furnace is capable of melting most metals — including iron, steel and titanium. Perfect for the villain who wants to conquer the world, and eco-friendly to boot.
Astronomical sum
However, scientists of the DLR plans are even more ambitious: they try to figure out how to use this solar oven to build a settlement on moon, within the concept presented last year the new head of the European space Agency Jan Werner.
A permanent base on the moon will be far from cheap. The mission “Apollo” on the moon in the late 60s – early 70s would cost 200 billion dollars in modern equivalent, and it’s just to bring 12 people to the surface of our satellite. Imagine the additional costs of sending living modules or materials for their construction.
“One of the biggest problems is to build a base on the moon and not spend too much money on sending things back, says material scientist DLR Matthias Sperl.
For many decades, artists, architects and engineers pondered complex projects lunar bases, under the dome or under the ground that could be built from materials readily available on the moon. So far, however, no one was taken for fundamental physics and tried to figure out how this whole thing feasible.
“We started with the basics: imagine that we were born not on the Earth, says Sperl, — and on the moon, and we need to build a house”.
Spell uses a solar furnace to study the properties of lunar dust — trying to figure out whether it is possible to fuse or bake it in the brick. “Moon dust we have a lot of sunlight too, and we’re trying to figure out what you can do about it”.
In the office of Sperla there are tubes with a fine gray powder, identical to the original moon dust.
“It’s an ugly thing — imagine a mixture of beach sand, volcanic ash, says Sperl. — She has rough edges, and if you look at the photos of the astronauts “Apollo”, you’ll see that it’s everywhere, why not work with it”.
A lot of responsibility
This gray dust completely does not guarantee that become building blocks for secure and protected from radiation sealed buildings that will protect the lunar society.
“Because it seems to me that I do have responsibility — recognizes Sperl. We must be one hundred percent sure that send his fellow astronauts with the assurance that they will be able to survive in the harsh environment.”
If we assume that a team of Sperla will be able to successfully transform the simulated lunar dust into solid material on Earth, the next step will be figuring out whether to repeat this process on the moon.
One of the options they are considering is to deploy the solar oven on the lunar surface that astronauts or robots could bake the bricks, and after work as masons, stacking them together. Perhaps they will use the blocks with the connecting sections, like Lego.
“As soon as we know the physical parameters, we can decide whether to build a building from Lego bricks, says Sperl, or will I have to build everything together without any gaps between construction elements”.
You may have to print lunar base from moon dust into a 3D printer. This idea NASA has researched the case on Mars. This idea avoids the problem of sending a heap of glue to hold bricks, but will require designing and planting the infamous 3D printer for lunar base.
Engineers must also take into account the reduced gravity on the moon — any brick or any printed structure may not be as strong as on Earth, which slightly simplifies the task of engineers.
“We would very much like to know how it will affect civil engineering on the moon, says Sperl. — We can conceive completely new crazy buildings that would be impossible on Earth.”
However, it might take decades before they become reality. ESA has high hopes for the transformation of lunar dust in the lunar settlement.
“It really can happen, says Sperl, and I’m looking forward to”.
On materials BBC