Moonbase in Hawaii?

[Eric1600]

...Rogers recently organized an International Moon Base Summit on the Kohala coast of the Big Island with government agencies, private companies and academic institutions to lay the groundwork. The participants included Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon.

Rogers believes Hawaii is the perfect place to practice.

"Hawaii has the most similar terrain," he said. "We have lava tubes, just like the moon does, but it's also made of the same stuff."

Rogers stressed that he won't build in the lava tubes, but he is looking for a spot on the Big Island, away from any human habitation -- or plants.

"Anywhere near Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa where there's straight up volcanic rock. Without any vegetation."

This won't be the first time the Big Island has been a stand-in for the moon. The Apollo moon landing astronauts trained for their missions here. And more recently, scientists have been part of simulated Mars missions on the slopes of Mauna Loa.

While the Big Island's terrain and geology has a lot to offer scientists, Rogers also believes Hawaii's culture is important.

"The culture of respect and openness and welcome, that's the cultured that needs to happen on the moon. So that's another reason why Hawaii's the right place." ...

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/36687...big-island

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I hope they're able to make this happen. Hawaii is an ideal location for the type of research necessary to build lower cost habitats on the moon or Mars. We have the materials, we have the experience with working in long term isolation on the HI-SEAS missions, and we're in an accessible location with most of the infrastructure necessary for scientists from NASA or Elon Musk to set up shop.

* There was a recent discovery of a large lava tube on the Moon which could protect a partial underground moon colony, sheltered from temperature extremes and solar radiation. Hawaii could offer a practice run for a small scale prototype.

* Basalt is found in Hawaii, on the moon, and Mars. This is the most likely material for 3D printers manufacturing extraterrestrial building products. Once perfected, it may even provide a source for locally made building materials. I'd live in a hurricane proof, fire proof moon house, in Puna.

“Facts fall from the poetic observer as ripe seeds.” -Henry Thoreau